But a great talk show needs an excellent talk show host.
To be a great talk show host, one must look at some of the best of all time.
These icons were exceptional with the live studio audience.
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They entertained through engaging conversations.
And most importantly, they had longevity.Here are the best of the best.
10Wendy Williams
‘The Wendy Williams Show’
“How you doin'?”
Image via FOX/The Wendy Williams Show
Wendy Williams has become a pop culture icon thanks to the run ofThe Wendy Williams Show.
The show had loyal viewership because they adored Wendy.
How could you not?
Image via ABC
LikeBritney Spears, there is a large cohort of supporters who are eager to see the best for Wendy.
Wendy Williams has opened doors.
Perhaps she was gravely underrated, butThe Rosie O’Donnell Shownot only took off, it changed the game.
Her joy was transcendent.
Her ability to make you feel good madeThe Rosie O’Donnell Showa must-watch daytime entertainment.
For many millennials, it was the show you’d watch when you were home sick.
We can still hear, “Tommy, can you hear me?”
playing to this day.
With so much infamy and praise for her series,The Viewbrought her in when there was a vacancy.
She was much more outspoken, often feuding with her right-wing cohosts, namelyElisabeth Hasselbeck.
In the early 2000s, the name on everybody’s list on Food internet was Rachael Ray.
Quickly becoming the top personality on the internet, the celebrity foodie was suddenly in high demand.
She was much looser and free.
Already capitalizing on her fame and success, Rachael Ray ensured that her series was special and unique.
Over the years, the series changed, especially due to various studios she filmed in.
Image via Food Network
It was more than a cook-a-long show.
Rachael Ray ensured that she brought joy into the home.
Everyone fromRuPaultoJeff Probst, withAnderson Cooperthrown in.
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But six seasons in, she’s proved everyone wrong.
TheAmerican Idolwinner has had an incredible and impactful career in music.
She’s offered her perspective to the next generations of artists as a coach on The Voice.
Now, she’s proving that she is one of the greatest daytime hosts of all time.
Like others before her, Kelly Clarkson ensured that her fan status shined through in every segment.
But there has been one segment onThe Kelly Clarkson Showthat has cemented her legacy in daytime: Kellyoke.
The show, created by legendary journalistBarbara Walters, has defined what daytime talk shows are today.
The format has been so perfect, shows likeThe RealandThe Talkhave tried to capitalize on it.
ButThe Viewwould never have had such great success had it not been for the original co-hosts.
Image via ABC
As the moderator, she would lead the “Hot Topics,” the must-see segment of the show.
Her voice and perspective kept the show from going off the rails.
It earned her multiple Daytime Emmys, which sat well with the ones she earned for The View.
Nevertheless, Meredith Vieira will forever be linked to the legacy ofThe View.
While Whoopi Goldberg is the longest-running moderator of the series, no one will ever match Meredith Vieira.
Dancing the house down every episode, Ellen made her show a party.
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4Sally Jessy Raphael
‘Sally’
The evolution of daytime talk shows is quite fascinating.
The 80s and 90s provided a very different punch in of show.
It wasn’t centered around celebrity, more issue-driven talk show.
She was a pioneer in tackling difficult subjects, though mostly in a respectable manner.
She was grounded in her hosting duties.
She was eager to push hard, but never to the detriment of an all-out brawl on stage.
His ability to introduce enough social, political, and religious discussions through over 6,000 shows is simply astounding.
Phil Donahue’s style as a host was rooted in his career as a broadcast journalist.
He will forever be considered the King of Daytime Talk.
Without Phil Donahue, there would not be daytime shows today.
It didn’t always have to be dark.
But real fans of the show loved when Regis was joined by his wife,Joy Philbin.
Regis was an enigma.
What he meant to the world of entertainment.
1Oprah Winfrey
‘The Oprah Winfrey Show’
“You get a car!
Image via Universal Television Enterprises
And you get a car!
Everybody gets a car!”
Once the hardest ticket in daytime to acquire, Oprah Winfrey’s Chicago talk show was historic.
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There is a reason why Oprah Winfrey is the Queen of All Media.
Having experience in media, Oprah was a natural to host a talk show.
Oprah’s Book Club became a massive trend.
Oprah’s Favorite Things was the gift guide everyone turned to each year.
In the over 4,500 shows Oprah hosted, she’s been on hand for some notable moments.
Who else would Ellen DeGeneres want to come out to than Oprah?
Oprah has infused herself into the zeitgeist of pop culture.
She’s been the source of parody on sketch comedy shows.
Her weight had been headline fodder for years.
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Next Article:I Am Not Kelly Clarkson: Simu Liu Shocks Fans As Her Replacement Host
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