Remembering Phil Donahue

It was easy for viewers to spot the silver mane of hair dashing through the aisles. His microphone like a baton that just had to be shared.

What led you to enter the field of politics?

I’m still asking myself that.

The audience was central.

Is the caller there?

Yes.

Go ahead

To the show that bore Phil Donahue’s name.

Our radical idea was called Democracy. We gave everybody a chance to actually speak on the airwaves that they owned in the first place.

The talk show trailblazer is now being celebrated by those who followed in his footsteps like Oprah Winfrey who writes, “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.” Well, Rosie O’Donnell calls him, “A beautiful man in every way. I will miss him.”

I’m Phil Donahue.

No, you’re not.

The Phil Donahue Show first hit the airwaves in 1967, debuting in Dayton, Ohio before moving to Chicago where it was renamed Donahue, later ending up in New York. At its peak, each episode racked up eight to 9 million viewers, attracting huge celebrities.

How would you imitate John Wayne?

Geez, I don’t know.

One line. Just one line.

Well, all right, Phil.

And rising political stars.

I sit here a long time in silence, Phil, I’m not going to answer any more of these questions. I’ve answered them until I’m blue in the face.

Donahue was fearless, tackling the topics you’re supposed to avoid on a first date, like abortion and religion.

This is Chernobyl.

He was the first Western journalist to visit Chernobyl after the nuclear disaster. In 1982, his show was the first to interview someone living with AIDS.

Didn’t you go through the feeling of being punished and didn’t you have in the early go those… ? Did you wonder about that?

Well, of course I wondered.

For a time he was even a contributor on TODAY.

Morning, Jane. Let’s administer the home jealousy test.

But in 1996 with his ratings struggling, Donahue finally ended its 29-year run. Over the years, he won 20 Daytime Emmys, co-directed an award-winning anti-war documentary called Body of War; and just this year received the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Yet his greatest reward came in 1977 when Marlo Thomas was his guest.

I’m sorry we are out of time. You are really fascinating, you are.

No, but you are wonderful. I said it when we were off the air and I want to say you are loving and generous, and you like women and it’s a pleasure; and whoever’s the woman in your life is very lucky.

That was the spark that led to a 44-year marriage. Recently, they wrote a book and hosted a podcast about love.

Was there one piece of advice or some mantra that even you experienced happy married people picked up?

More than one couple said their habit is to say, “I love you,” every night before you go to sleep. Every night. How do you argue with that?

Yesterday Thomas posted one of her favorite photos of Donahue taken on vacation, writing, “I hope that you will continue to hold close those you cherish most, just as I was blessed to do with my beloved Philip.”

Marlo Thomas also thanked everyone for their beautiful messages of love and support over the last 24 hours. Phil Donahue’s family says that he passed away Sunday night at home following a long illness. He was surrounded by loved ones, including his beloved Golden Retriever, Charlie.

Oh, Charlie.

That moment of meeting Marlo, I didn’t know anything about that. What a beautiful moment to actually capture it in real time when the spark happened.

Exactly.

Wow.

You could really see the spark there, couldn’t you?

What a relationship. Wow. All right.

And you came to know him and Marlo-

Well, yeah, it was funny. They came over to our house to interview us for their book on long-term marriages, and it was great because Marlo set everything up. She had her digital recorder and Phil said, “I’m just here for the ride.” So he adored her.

Hey, Bill, what do you think about what television is today, I mean so much of it was pioneered by him?

Absolutely. And that part of our show. So really, really cool. It was wonderful and an honor get to be able to know him and get to talk to him.

(04:12)
Hey, thanks for watching. Don’t miss the TODAY Show every weekday at 11:00 AM Eastern, eight Pacific on our streaming channel TODAY, All Day. To watch, head to Today.com/all day or click the link right here.