We lost a good ally on Sunday:
"Groundbreaking TV talk show journalist Phil Donahue died Sunday night at home surrounded by his wife of 44 years Marlo Thomas, his sister, his children, grandchildren and his beloved golden retriever Charlie," his family said in a statement. "Donahue was 88 years old and passed away peacefully following a long illness."
At his peak, his nationally syndicated "The Phil Donahue Show" — later renamed "Donahue" — was a ratings hit and a precursor to similar shows with hosts Montel Williams and Jerry Springer. Oprah Winfrey described Donahue as a trailblazer who invented smart talk in the afternoon and brought startling new ideas into the living rooms and laundry rooms of American women.
“His show debuted nationally, and the whole country came to know his personal brand of issue-driven straight talk,” Winfrey said in 2002. “If there had been no Phil Donahue show, there would be no 'Oprah Winfrey' show. He was the first to acknowledge that women are interested in more than mascara tips and cake recipes — that we’re intelligent, we’re concerned about the world around us, and we want the best possible lives for ourselves.”
What I remember about Donahue the most is how he stood by the LGBTQ community during a time in which we didn't have as much visibility. He gave us respect and extended to us a powerful platform in which we could stand up for ourselves and educate the public about our lives. I think a wonderful way to honor his memory is to showcase various clips from his show in which he extended the microphone to us and our issues.
