Phil Donahue, the US talk show host who paved the way for a raft of daytime TV talk programs has died aged 88.
Donahue is being remembered for brining discussions about HIV and the AIDS epidemic into American households at a time when there was extreme government inaction.
His chat show, which featured discussions with audience members, had a 29-year run, beginning production in Dayton Ohio in 1967 and finishing it’s run in New York City in 1996.
His program often tackled controversial issues with discussion pitting conservative and liberal voices against each other. He’s credited with opening a pathway for a raft of similar shows that filled the airwaves including programs from Oprah Winfrey, Ricki Lake, Sally Jessy Raphael, and Geraldo Rivera.
Over his many years of broadcasting Donahue shined a light on the LGBTIQA+ communities, same-sex parents and people living with HIV.
He conducted interviews with AIDS activists as early as 1982, not long after the alarm bells began ringing about a new disease that was affecting gay men and drug users.
Donahue was also influential in bringing the story of Ryan White to public attention. The US teenager was banned from his school because he was HIV positive. When White passed away 1990 aged just 18, Donahue served as one of his pallbearers alongside Elton John.
He is survived by his second wife, actor Marlo Thomas and four of his five children from his first marriage.
US President Joe Biden said Donahue was a trailblazer.
“Our nation has lost a trailblazing television icon who held up a mirror to America and united us around the toughest issues of our time. Jill and I send our deepest condolences to the Donahue family and keep them close in our hearts.” President Biden said.
Sally Jessy Raphael commented on his passing describing it as a sad day.
“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 & prayers go out to Marlo and their family.” she posted to social media.
