Katie or Rosie? Maury Povich, New King of Daytime, Predicts Who Will Succeed
Maury Povich knows a lot about hosting a successful syndicated daytime talk show, and after 13 seasons is finally at the top of the rankings, based on number of viewers, and tied for No. 1 based on number of households. Now Maury is telling me who he thinks has the best shot of all the new talkers to have a n Oprah-sized influence. Anderson Cooper, Rosie, Katie Couric or Jeff Probst?
"In terms of Oprah's audience, I think Katie probably has the best chance to capture it because she's proved she has a very good following amongst women and is a good story teller," Maury says. "She has the best chance to deliver a show that will appeal to Oprah's audience."
And if she's smart Maury thinks Katie will take a good look at Fox New Channel and its Svengali of a boss, Roger Ailes.
"He helped me find my voice," Maury tells me. "He decided having a show was like a campaign. You have to be able to show a personality that people not only open the door but invite you to sit down on their couch. That's what a talk show host has to do. Forget our politics, we have remained friends for many years and I'm in lock step with Roger about how to create a successful talk show."
As for his own show, Maury doesn't like to toot his own horn but is still thrilled that he's atop the ratings after all these years. Ever humble, the talker gives credit to his hard-working staff.
"I'm more excited for the staff. We have worked very long and very hard," Maury tells me. "We have been No. 1 in certain demos for years now ... now we finally are No. 1 with total viewers."
Creating his remarkable success on themes that attract young viewers, Maury is proud that his show invented televised paternity tests over 12 years ago.
"Others have tried since and not been successful because we are talking about human behavior and tragedy and we have honesty we bring to it," the hands-on boss says. "I think very long and hard about each of our guests and stories we do. I go back to the basic fundamentals of talk -- storytelling, we tell stories with big endings."
Maury admits that even he doesn't know the results before he opens the envelope at the end of his show and has no concerns that his show can sometimes go too far.
"We have had women on the show looking at, sometimes, 14 different guys trying to find the father," Maury explains. "I give her all the credit trying to find a father to be in her baby's life. She's looking for the father of her child. I have to give her points for that."
But what about the critics?
"I don't care about critics," he says. "This is part of the American fabric and I would only hope the politicians that are thumbing their nose at this issue get involved and take care of these young people who are out of control and too promiscuous."
Promiscuity aside ... congrats to you, Maury!
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Don't like her at all and most people don't. CBS made a bad, bad mistake when they hired her for the evening news. This would be another disaster. We should learn by previous mistakes and she is nothing BUT a mistake. Read these posts!!
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You are the father! Haven't heard that in a long time! And then there's Man or Woman?? How funny. Some of the people Maury interviewed where mad and some really needed to prove their point. He had a lot of good shows and some that were really OUT THERE!
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I agree that todays talk shows are less than what they once were. Like I said I'd rather watch Jerry Springer than Maury but on the same token I'd wholeheartedly enjoy seeing Judge Judy bounce them all off the air.
Also,
Like one of the posts here I'm glad to be working when these shows are on and when I do see them {Springer} its a hoot to see the fury fly in a no holds barred version of unscripted television wrestling. GO Hulk Hogan LOL
The only talk show that was one I really enjoyed was The Gordon Elliot Show. As Archie and Edith once said "Those Were The Days"
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If Rosie went back to her old daytime format, no one could beat her. I remember watching the episode where she finally had Tom Cruise on the show, even better was the Barbara Streisand titled show. If she became the Queen of Nice again, I bet she would have the top rated show. Katie? I don't know, only time will tell.
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