--John Casey, The Advocate
Phil Donahue was one of GLAAD and the LGBTQ community’s earliest and loudest champions. In the 1980s, he revolutionized coverage of LGBTQ people and our stories on his popular daytime talk show, prioritizing fairness and accuracy when misinformation and homophobia were rampant in the media. Using his platform to elevate the personal, human story at the heart of so many issues including HIV, coming out, trans equality, women’s equality and even facilitating the first ever marriage for a same-sex couple to be broadcast on television, Donahue will forever be remembered as a trailblazer for equality and LGBTQ representation on TV. At a time when other notables were hesitant to even speak on LGBTQ issues, Donahue hosted the first ever GLAAD Media Awards in 1990, where he was honored as GLAAD’s Media Person of the Year. GLAAD also recognized his long-time allyship and legacy by giving him a Special Recognition Award at the 20th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in 2009. Our condolences and gratitude go out to his wife and tireless LGBTQ ally Marlo Thomas, as well as his family, friends, and everyone inspired by his hugely successful career as a storyteller and television changemaker.
--GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis
--Andy Cohen
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| 1935-2024 |
I was never fond of him and I only watched him on tv once. However, thanks for kind of changing my opinion of him. I simply did not know about what he did for LGBTIetc nor feminism.
ReplyDeleteAndrew, in the 1970s and early '80s, Donahue was the only talk show host I can think who regularly featured LGBTQ people on his show. Well, there was Tom Snyder, but he was on very late at night. Snyder was such a character himself it almost didn't matter who his guest was. There was also at least one LGBTQ talk show host, Merv Griffin, but that wasn't known at the time (or at least I didn't know it) and he stayed away from the topic (even when interviewing someone like Truman Capote.) So in daytime at least, Donahue was the only one. Then in the mid-1980s came all the imitators. Oprah, Geraldo, Sally, many others. And the more those shows filled the airwaves, the more the hot-button topics that Donahue explored with great sensitivity and objectivity became in other hands gradually sensationalized, until you get to Jerry Springer (assuming his show was anything more than a complete put-on.) My fear was that Donahue's reputation may have been tainted by those who tried to copy him, but I think these quotes prove my fears unfounded.
DeleteA great human being!
ReplyDeleteMitchell, I was busy writing something non-blog-related when I heard the news of Donahue dying, so all I really had time to do was gather up quotes, but they're very good quotes, and probably express things better than I could.
DeleteA true ally. We owe him a great debt. RIP
ReplyDeleteDebra, seeing Marlo Thomas (Donahue's wife and star of That Girl) in some of those pictures reminded that in the mid-1970s she was responsible for the groundbreaking children's TV special Free to Be You and Me, the main focus of which was gender-related issues. She's owed a great debt, too.
DeleteAbsolutely!
DeleteI read he had passed but no idea who he was. Maybe not so popular in Scotland. RIP.
ReplyDeleteAnanka, I'm not sure how well Phil Donahue was known outside the United States. I was surprised that Andrew, who lives in Australia, had heard of him.
DeleteAlso, Donahue's heyday was the 1970s and '80s. I don't know your exact age, Ananka, but I suspect that was before your time. Unlike movies, TV dramas and comedies, recorded music, and of course books, a talk show's posterity is limited, I'm afraid.
I never saw him much since he was on during the daytime.
ReplyDeleteI worked all kinds of hours and days, Mike, so unlike you, I've had plenty of time to watch him.
DeleteNot a host who is known in the uk , I’m sorry to say
ReplyDeleteHopefully, John, you had somebody like him where you are.
DeleteDid That Girl ever make it to the UK? Marlo was married to Phil.