Tabloid Talk Shows

Karb_Kween
Karb_Kween Posts: 2,681 Member
edited December 2024 in Chit-Chat
So I was reading about Betty White on Wikipedia, and somehow I started reading about the history of talk shows in the United States, late night talk shows and eventually I got to the topic of tabloid talk shows

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tabloid_talk_show

The article exclusively focuses on "Trash TV" style of talk shows, basically from the 90's (atleast what I zoned in on mostly) like Springer, Geraldo, Donahue, Jenny Jones. Sally Jesse Raphael, Ricki Lake (ah. I miss those days :) ) and Oprah... though I always thought of Oprah as a lifestyle and lets sit for an hour and cry into tissues type of show.

But is calling those shows a tabloid talk show even accurate?

Once they start talking about modern tabloid talk shows they simply mention implants in the vein of the 90's "junk TV" like Springer (which is still on the air, but hardly as relevent in today's society as it was 20 years ago) and Steve Wilkos, Maury, Jeremy Kyle, Bill Cunningham etc.

But if we were speaking about a tabloid talk show in the spirit of its own name i'd call the shows that are "informative" like Dr. Phil, which over the years has become more sensationalist and harping on stories ripped straight from newspapers headlines themselves (for example Dr. Phil celebrated the start of his new season this year by bringing the JonBenet Ramsey case back from the dead [I guess to celebrate its 20th anniversary?])

I'd probably group Dr Oz in there too, because he likes to occasionally harp on sensationalist tabloid topics and his recommendations can be considered pretty.... sensational.

Anyway I know this article isn't of much substance but I thought it'd be an interesting topic to explore if you're an experienced viewer of life itself or TV or whatever, doesn't this Wikipedia article gloss over actual "tabloid TV" today? What makes Dr Phil not a tabloid talk show?

Talk

Replies

  • kxbrown27
    kxbrown27 Posts: 769 Member
    Dr. Phil has definitely headed in that direction.

    When I think tabloid tv, I think TMZ. Oversensationalized "news" about crap that doesn't matter. Dr. Oz I can see as tabloid-ish because of his use of scare tactics. Sometimes his shows come across as an internet ad...lose 30 pounds in 10 days using this one simple trick.

    I could be wrong about this as I don't watch much tv.
  • Mandygring
    Mandygring Posts: 704 Member
    I agree, they are all tabloid-ish. And I do miss the 90s talk shows lol
  • synchkat
    synchkat Posts: 37,368 Member
    I forgot about Rikki Lake and Sally Jesse...those were the good old days eh
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  • Karb_Kween
    Karb_Kween Posts: 2,681 Member
    @LiftingLady5 I think you mean Phil Donahue not Dr Phil lol
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  • Karb_Kween
    Karb_Kween Posts: 2,681 Member
    How old are you
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  • AskTracyAnnK28
    AskTracyAnnK28 Posts: 2,817 Member
    kxbrown27 wrote: »
    Dr. Phil has definitely headed in that direction.

    When I think tabloid tv, I think TMZ. Oversensationalized "news" about crap that doesn't matter. Dr. Oz I can see as tabloid-ish because of his use of scare tactics. Sometimes his shows come across as an internet ad...lose 30 pounds in 10 days using this one simple trick.

    I could be wrong about this as I don't watch much tv.

    I think of TMZ and Wendy Williams because they discuss 'celebrity tabloid news' like the stupid Kardashians and Branjelina.
  • Karb_Kween
    Karb_Kween Posts: 2,681 Member
    kxbrown27 wrote: »
    Dr. Phil has definitely headed in that direction.

    When I think tabloid tv, I think TMZ. Oversensationalized "news" about crap that doesn't matter. Dr. Oz I can see as tabloid-ish because of his use of scare tactics. Sometimes his shows come across as an internet ad...lose 30 pounds in 10 days using this one simple trick.

    I could be wrong about this as I don't watch much tv.

    I think of TMZ and Wendy Williams because they discuss 'celebrity tabloid news' like the stupid Kardashians and Branjelina.

    She says as I tune into today's Wendy lol
  • melmelw03
    melmelw03 Posts: 5,332 Member
    edited September 2016
    Ricki Lake was the BEST!
    Go Ricki! Go Ricki!
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