Daytime Talk Show Pride

 

Donahue’s work was magnanimous. He not only humanized marginalized communities, he helped humanize me. I didn’t feel so different because I saw queer people who were normal people, like me, on Donahue. Whether or not he knew what he was doing, he wasn’t only changing public opinion and perception, but he also helped make me, and others like me, feel like we weren’t freaks--Jerry Springer already did a good enough job with that!

--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

Amen. Revolutionized the talk show and a great early voice for feminism and the LGBT community.

--Andy Cohen

1935-2024