Donahue; My Own Story
Francesco Scavullo (Photograph on front of the jac New York: Simon and Schuster, 1979. First Printing [Stated]. Hardcover. [4], 247, [5] pages. Illustrations. Inscribed by the author on an fep. The inscription reads To Kathie best wishes Phil Donahue. Phillip John Donahue (December 21, 1935 – August 18, 2024) was an American media personality, writer, film producer, and the creator and host of The Phil Donahue Show. The television program, later known simply as Donahue, was the first popular talk show to feature a format that included audience participation. The show had a 29-year run on national television that began in Dayton, Ohio, in 1967 and ended in New York City in 1996. Donahue's shows often focused on issues that divide liberals and conservatives in the United States, such as abortion, consumer protection, civil rights, and war issues. His most frequent guest was Ralph Nader, for whom Donahue campaigned in 2000. Donahue also briefly hosted a talk show on MSNBC from July 2002 to February 2003. Donahue was one of the most influential talk show hosts and was often referred to as the "king of daytime talk". In 1996, Donahue was ranked No. 42 on TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Stars of All Time. On November 6, 1967, Donahue left WHIO, moving his talk program with The Phil Donahue Show on WLWD (now WDTN), also in Dayton. Initially, the program was shown only on other stations owned by the Crosley Broadcasting Corporation (which would take the name of its parent Avco Company), which owned WLWD. But, in January 1970, The Phil Donahue Show entered nationwide syndication. Donahue's syndicated show moved from Dayton, Ohio, to Chicago in 1974; then in 1985, he moved the show to New York City. Phil Donahue, the number one syndicated television talk-show host in America, tells his own remarkable life story in this candid, entertaining, fast-paced autobiography, from his childhood in Cleveland during the 1940s to his present success with Donahue, the show watched by millions of loyal viewers in over 200 cities nationwide. Donahue begins by describing his mixed feelings about being a celebrity, examining "the special neuroses of famous people." He recalls what it was like to grow up as an Irish Catholic in the atmosphere of pride and prejudice following World War II, writing humorously about his first fistfight, his first kiss, and his years at Notre Dame. He recalls how for months after graduating from college he couldn't get a job in his field at all, and describes his early years as an announcer and radio and TV journalist in Adrian, Michigan, and Dayton, Ohio. Taking the reader onto the set of Donahue, he explains why audience participation is the most important part of his show, and talks about the moral contradictions of journalism and the realities of competition and success in the media. He is outspoken about the "TV Gatekeepers," the men who run the over 700 stations in the United States and control what viewers see. Filled with colorful anecdotes about his show, Donahue is an intimate, moving and thought-provoking insight into the heart and soul of an immensely popular television personality who has a deep sense of compassion; a rare ability to grow, change, learn and admit to his own mistakes; great curiosity about people and ideas; and a burning passion for truth, human values and life. Condition: Very good / Good.
Keywords: Pat McMillen, Richard Mincer, Darlene Hayes, Sheri Singer, Penny Rotheiser, Ron Weinder, Lorraine Landelius, Television, Audience Participation, Interviewers, Hosts, Personalities. Celebrities
ISBN: 0671252070
[Book #91859]
Price: $125.00