Phil Donahue 'invented the whole idea of talk shows'
Sally Jessy Raphael has hailed Phil Donahue for inventing "the whole idea of talk shows".
The legendary talk-show host died on Sunday (18.08.24), aged 88, following a long illness, and Sally has now claimed that he helped to change the landscape of the TV industry.
The 89-year-old star - who hosted 'Sally' for almost two decades - told PEOPLE: "[Phil] is known for being the inventor of the talk show.
"He invented the whole idea of talk shows. I came next, then came Ricki Lake, then came Oprah [Winfrey], then came Jerry Springer, then came Maury Povich, then came Geraldo Rivera, then came - well, a whole lot. We were all born of Phil Donahue."
Sally also hailed Donahue for having the courage to tackle "taboo" issues.
She said: "He's the only one who did [cover] all those topics. Homosexuality, religion, abortion … He did them in the 60s. No one had ever done that before."
Sally previously took to social media to pay tribute to Donahue.
She wrote on X: "This is a very sad day. I admired Phil Donahue for so many reasons, and he was one of the finest broadcasters in American television. If there wasn't a Phil, there would have never been a Sally. My thoughts and prayers go out to Marlo and their family. #RIP #Legend #talkshows (sic)"
Meanwhile, Oprah has admitted that she owes her career to the TV icon.
The 70-year-old star - who hosted 'The Oprah Winfrey Show' for 25 years - paid a glowing tribute to Donahue, admitting that he was a trailblazer in the TV industry.
Oprah told PEOPLE: "There wouldn’t have been an ‘Oprah Show’ without Phil Donahue being the first to prove that daytime talk and women watching should be taken seriously.
"He was a pioneer. I’m glad I got to thank him for it."
