Phil Donahue

Phil Donahue, a media personality, writer, and film producer, has presided over more than 6,000 one-hour daily shows, many on-location broadcasts, and several historic U.S. –Soviet “space bridge” telecasts (19870-1987). He is best known as the creator and host of "The Phil Donahue Show," a pioneering talk show format that included audience participation and had a 29-year run on national television from 1967 to 1996. His career has also seen stints as a production assistant, a stringer for the CBS Evening News, and an anchor for the morning newscast at WHIO-TV in Dayton, Ohio.

Over the course of his career, Donahue has interviewed notable figures such as John F. Kennedy, Johnny Carson, Elton John, Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, and Noam Chomsky. He has used the television talk show format to focus national debates on political and social issues, providing a democratic forum for presidential candidates. His shows often focused on issues that divide liberals and conservatives in the United States, and he has been known for his opposition to the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003.

Donahue's influence in the field earned him the nickname "king of daytime talk" and saw him ranked #42 on TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Stars of All Time in 1996. Besides his talk show, Donahue has also applied his skills in film production. He served as co-director for the feature documentary film Body of War in 2006, telling the story of a severely disabled Iraq War veteran, Tomas Young. The film was considered for an Oscar nomination in 2007.

His work has garnered him significant recognition, including 20 National Emmy Awards and eight “Outstanding Host” awards. He has also received the George Foster Peabody Broadcasting Journalism Award in 1981 for sensitive, yet probing interviews on issues relevant to society. In 1987, he was honored with the "Maggie" Award from the Planned Parenthood Federation, and in 1993, he was inducted into the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences' Hall of Fame, a testament to his ongoing refinement of the talk show format he created. In 2024, Donahue was honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his work in the entertainment industry by President Joe Biden.

Off the screen, Donahue has campaigned for Ralph Nader and briefly hosted a talk show on MSNBC from 2002 to 2003. He spoke at Ralph Nader's "Breaking Through Power" conference in May 2016. Additionally, he has expressed admiration for Pope Francis, and as a Catholic, has criticized the church's stance on sexuality.