This may seem like a bit of an odd topic for me but one of the things that I have gotten into more and more as I’ve gotten older is watching a couple of daytime talk shows. Part of the reason I watch certain shows is based on the topic of those shows mostly. I am a writer and even though most daytime talk shows stay away from the subject of my genre I do find some topics very interesting especially when it centers around current events and such.

Three talk shows I watch regularly are Steve Wilkos, Jeremy Kyle and Ricki Lake. Normally I record these via my DVR and pick a day where there is nothing going on and spend some time watching those shows. I don’t watch every show but I do try and watch the shows with topics that interest me especially the ones regarding current events. It also seems that the three shows appear to venture into more serious topics than some other shows which is why I watch them when I can. I did use to watch Jerry Springer when I was younger but I can’t really bring myself to watch that anymore. It just seems as if that show is all about raunchiness and I guess that was okay in moderation but I think now it’s beyond bad taste now. It’s been several years since I’ve watched that show so I don’t know if things have changed.

I know that there was a time when Springer was kind of compared to Morton Downey, Jr. I have fond memories of watching Morton Downey when I was younger. Downey didn’t always rub people the right way but I was always impressed with how he stood up for what he felt was right and was a no-nonsense type of commentator. Springer seemed to start out that way but changed and like I said it seems like his show is all about raunchiness.

What are some of the talk shows you watch past or present and why?

What are some of the talk shows you like to watch and why.

Jerry Springer: It just brings originally into their shows.


Steve Wilkos: Former Springer security with his own show, but more real.

Bill Cunningham: This show is extremely hilarious mixed with Maury and Jeremy Kyle.

I don't watch that much daytime Talk Shows, although I do watch Jerry Springer here and there.

I don't watch many. I mostly watch Anderson Cooper, it is the only one I will watch.

I would have to say the Jeremy Kyle show, not only does it tackles serious issues but it can be light hearted at times. He also gets involved unlike a lot of hosts who stay in the background, admittedly there are guards there but it still takes guts

Rodzilla : I have no problem admitting that I use to watch Jerry Springer when I was a teenager. Back then it was raunchy but tolerable because there was still enough serious discussions from time to time that for me made the show worth watching. When I was younger than that I use to watch Morton Downey Jr. on an independent television station in New York. Just bringing up his name brings back a lot of good memories of my youth. I don’t know how it was all over the country but Downey was so taboo at the time that he was on during the same timeslots as the late night comedy shows where I was at the time so I use to stay up late and watch him.

Downey Jr. was way ahead of his time and quite frankly although Jerry Springer can be amusing from time to time, he couldn’t touch Downey. Downey Jr. was funny, intellectual, blunt, and had no problem getting in someone’s face when it was appropriate. The man was no nonsense and it’s a shame he’s gone. It was kind of closure to my youth in a way for me because one of the last times I was back home in New York was when Downey unfortunately passed away from cancer. Frankly if Downey were around today he would probably be on top and I believe the world could use more guys like him on television.

Downey wasn’t for everyone but he didn’t take any nonsense from anyone and I appreciate people like that. Steve Wilkos reminds me of Downey Jr. in some ways, mainly how he’s no nonsense, straight forward. and blunt with what he says.

Maury Povich is good but I would like to see him do more serious shows. Not that determining paternity isn’t an important issue but it seems like every time I’ve watched his show in the last several years that is the predominant topic. It was so bad that I remember seeing an ad for his show several years ago on a billboard with his face and a caption that read “You are not the father!” followed by the logo of the local television station airing his show here. It just seems like they make serious matters like that appear as if it is a joke and it is even more disheartening to see how his audience conducts themselves. It’s sad that after all the things Povich has done as a journalist long before his days as a talk show host; he will probably be remembered for that one line.

ant123ant : I am a big fan of Jeremy Kyle though I will admit I haven’t really watched as much as I use to when he first started his show in the United States. I keep odd hours (Most writers do) and I keep forgetting to set my DVR for his show. Hopefully I’ll get back into the routine when the new season starts in the fall. I have heard that before coming the America Kyle was the number one talk show host in England and I believe he does both his shows simultaneously in a similar way as Gordon Ramsay does his shows.

Barathemos : Anderson Cooper is good. I have watched him a couple of times and it’s a shame that his show was cancelled because I think the rug was kind of pulled out from under him. He has been one of the more serious talk show hosts in recent times and it seems like he was starting to find a core audience before the plug was pulled on his show.

I did used to watch Maury. True talk, I would only watch the wild teen episodes when I was in middle school, but these days it's paternity and lie detector tests which makes the show dull. Also like the caught on tape episodes.

Rodzilla : Povich is good like I said but it seems like his show aims for a certain formula and that once they find a formula they stick with it until frankly it’s overdone to the point where it’s viewed as a joke. The billboard that I mentioned was the first time I had ever seen a television talk show advertised in that way. The sad thing other than the caption and obvious bad attempt at humor was the advertisement stayed up for a long time. I can’t say exactly how long but I know it was several months if not longer.

It isn’t that I am saying that Povich and other shows in the genre should be strictly more serious but it would be nice to see more variety. It would be even nicer to see audiences act appropriately as well because the things that are discussed on Povich’s show in particular are very serious but it’s been done so often that it’s looked upon as a joke. It’s a shame because Povich can shed so much light on so many issues in the world.

I was a fan of Montel Williams’ talk show specifically because he could be light hearted at times but he also wasn’t afraid to be serious and to do shows about things that most talk shows stay away from now of days.