Summary

  • The best 90s talk shows were a mix of tabloid drama and informative content, with some shows focusing on relationships and family issues.
  • Shows like The Jerry Springer Show and Geraldo pushed the boundaries of controversy with outrageous content and brawls.
  • Other shows like Leeza and The Oprah Winfrey Show provided a more inspirational and informative angle, discussing important topics and featuring notable guests.

The best 90s talk shows are usually considered tabloid shows, full of drama and outrageous confrontations — but not all of them follow this formula. The '90s was a decade that brought some of the most entertaining daytime talk shows, from the outlandish like The Jerry Springer Show to tabloid talk shows like Geraldo. The shows ran the gamut and included some big names in the business who went on to accomplish tremendous fame beyond the hosting circuit, along with others who wound down their on-screen time once the decade was over.

That being said, there are a few that stand out as being the best daytime talk shows of the '90s. What makes most of the shows so entertaining is the fact that they are very much a product of their time, presenting content that is highly offensive and completely out of left field by today's standards. However, not all talk shows, like the best late-night talk shows, focus on the salacious and the scandals. Some are genuinely informative and even interview important figures on relevant topics. These are the best daytime talk shows of the '90s, and while not all of them are completely shocking, they are equally intriguing.

15 The Tempestt Bledsoe Show (1995-1996)

The Tempestt Bledsoe Show.

While trying to find her place in entertainment after leaving her role as Vanessa Huxtable on The Cosby Show, Tempestt Bledsoe entered into the world of daytime 90s talk shows. The show entered into the genre in 1995 as an alternative to Ricki Lake. However, while The Ricki Lake Show was as much tabloid TV as anything, the purpose of Bledsoe's 90s talk show was to present something a bit lighter, with a focus on relationships and family issues. The show also aired on the same networks as Ricki Lake's show, but it failed to reach the same audience viewership numbers and ended up being canceled in 1996.

14 Rolonda (1994–1997)

The Rolanda Show.

Rolonda arrived as a 90s talk show in January 1994 and saw Rolonda Watts as the host, and her own production company behind the show. Before coming into her role on this talk show, she got her start as a reporter for TV networks, where she picked up an Emmy nomination for her work. After showing her stuff on Inside Edition and then on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Rolonda got a chance to host her own talk show, and it ended up as a relative success.

Rolonda aired for four seasons, lasting until 1997 and even then, it was Watts's idea to end the show her way. She replaced The Les Brown Show, which was canceled when it failed to find a viewing audience. Rolonda then ensured that her 90s talk show remained respectful of the format, and she spoke to people about important issues, including her coverage of the O.J. Simpson trial and more. However, Rolonda ended her show when Jerry Springer introduced crash TV and she refused to follow that format on her own show.

13 Leeza (1994–2000)

Leeza Gibbons.

Originally, Leeza started out in 1993 as John & Leeza from Hollywood, with John Tesh and Leesa Gibbons as the hosts. However, less than a year later, Tesh was gone, and the show became Leeza, with just one host after that. Gibbons had already made her name as a legitimate journalist on Entertainment Tonight for six years. Once Tesh left the 90s talk show, Leeza became a major hit on daytime talk television.

The show originally focused on celebrity news and interviews, playing off of Leeza and Tesh's work on Entertainment Tonight. However, once Tesh left the show, Leeza turned into more of a traditional talk show. That was a smart move because the show ended up lasting for seven years, ending in 2000 when it had 1,270 episodes. One of the biggest areas of focus on the show was crime and celebrity stories, and Leeza picked up 29 Daytime Emmy nominations, winning three.

12 The Joan Rivers Show (1989–1993)

The Joan Rivers Show.

While the show got its start in 1989, The Joan Rivers Show ended up as a huge hit for five years as a 90s talk show, lasting until 1993 as a syndicated series. Before taking on this role, Rivers had made her name as a comedian, and she has won an Emmy Award, Grammy Award, and picked up a Tony Award nomination. She also had plenty of experience on talk shows, as she subbed for Johnny Carson multiple times and then had her own late-night talk show that she hosted as a rival to Carson.

The Late Show with Joan Rivers lasted from 1986 to 1988 and then one year later, she had her own daytime 90s talk show. The show picked up several Emmy Awards nominations, and she won the award for Outstanding Talk Show Host in 1990. Even after her show ended, repeats aired on E! and continued to be a great success.

11 Geraldo (1987 - 1998)

Geraldo Rivera with his audience behind him on his talk show

One of the best daytime talk shows of the '90s was simply titled Geraldo. Hosted by journalist Geraldo Rivera, the tabloid talk show was one of the very first to be dubbed "trash TV," and based on the content of the show, it's easy to understand why. The vetting process for Geraldo's guests was nonexistent, as he interviewed plenty of questionable figures. Thanks to its sensational nature, Geraldo has been parodied countless times, including one of the funniest Family Guy spoof episodes.

Geraldo was no stranger to controversy, as a 1988 episode saw the KKK, Black activists, and Jewish activists all in one space. What naturally occurred was one of the biggest brawls in talk show history, resulting in audience members and crew members also getting involved in the scuffle. Rivera escaped with a nasal fracture after a chair was thrown at his face. Not one to learn a lesson, Geraldo got into another brawl at a KKK rally which resulted in several cuts and a bite to his thumb.

10 The Montel Williams Show (1991 - 2008)

Montel Williams speaking passionately on his talk show.

Airing for an impressive 17 seasons and 4,325 episodes, The Montel Williams Show was very much the same as others during the decade, focusing on tabloid topics. However, Williams geared things toward a more inspirational angle rather than a controversial one. Despite the show's longevity, there was nary an accolade to its name, and Fox finally decided to cancel the series in 2008.

As one of the best daytime talk shows of the '90s, some of the common stories explored included things like reuniting lost loves and family members, mothers who gave up their babies for adoption, women who fought and survived sexual assault, and more. Williams also often discussed multiple sclerosis, which he himself has.

9 The Jenny Jones Show (1991 - 2003)

Jenny Jones in a red suit standing in front of her audience.

Back in the '90s, the name Jenny Jones was synonymous with the words "daytime talk show." The tabloid talk show and one of the best daytime talk shows of the '90s was produced by Quincy Jones and aired for an impressive 12 seasons, from 1991 through to 2003. The Jenny Jones Show saw the biggest syndicated launch in talk show history. While it started out fairly tame, the series got weirder as it went on.

Over time, the show shifted from a serious talk show to a tabloid in nature, focusing on more and more unusual subjects over the years, from misbehaving teenagers being sent to boot camp and people confronting their childhood bullies to makeovers and more. The show was also a launchpad for the careers of many musicians, like Usher, Ludacris, and Nelly.

8 Donahue (1967 - 1996)

Phil Donahue holding a microphone on his talk show from the '90s.

A staple in the daytime talk show rotation and one of the best daytime talk shows of the '90s, Phil Donahue led this show for decades and was one of the best talk show hosts, before the series ended in the late '90s. Another show named among the 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time by TV Guide, Donahue covered more serious topics than others at the time. His first guest, for example, was a famous atheist who discussed her beliefs, or lack thereof.

Interestingly, as the tabloid talk show format began to take over in the '90s, Donahue preferred covering deeper topics instead. Ultimately, the show came to an end after an impressive run, but not before solidifying its spot in pop culture history. It's certainly not as controversial as other daytime talk shows, but it was ranked 29th on the TV Guide list.

7 The Jerry Springer Show (1991 - 2018)

Jerry Springer pointing off camera in front of his audience

The Jerry Springer Show is by far the most recognizable name, one of the most popular daytime talk shows, and one of the best daytime talk shows of the '90s, thanks to its unrivaled outrageous content. Easily one of the most controversial syndicated shows out there, The Jerry Springer Show was so popular over its 27-year run that it has spawned three spinoffs. Believe it or not, Jerry Springer wasn't always a tabloid talk show.

The series started out focusing on political issues, but poor ratings in season 1 were behind its drastic change. The mid-90s is when the series made a turnaround and started focusing on salacious topics like incest and adultery, leading to some of the most famous Jerry Springer fights and brawls that the series is known for.

6 The Sally Jessy Raphael Show (1983 - 2002)

A close-up of Sally Jessy Raphael on her show.

The tabloid talk show started in the early '80s and ran right through to the early '00s, and is one of the best daytime talk shows of the '90s. Eventually changed to just Sally, after the show had acquired recognition and a loyal group of viewers, it was one of the first daytime talk shows to feature a female host, one of the best talk show hosts from the US, and audience participation. Sally really set the stage for how talk shows work today and even predates The Oprah Winfrey Show by three years.

Host Sally Jessy Raphael and her signature oversized glasses discussed a wide range of topics touching on everything from extreme religious beliefs to teen pregnancies, along with lighter topics, like hypnotism and funny gags. While the tabloid talk show genre was fading in popularity by the early 2000s, Sally was one of the most enduring, spanning multiple decades.

5 The Maury Povich Show (1991 - )

Maury Povich holding a piece of paper reading something with a guest sitting across from him on The Maury Povich Show.

Eventually changed to just Maury, the tabloid talk show is one of only a few that is still going strong to this day, having been renewed through the 2021-2022 season. Throughout its 30 seasons to date, the show has invited guests and experts to talk about a wide variety of topics, from teenage pregnancy and paternity to obesity, bullying, phobias, and more. Paternity disputes, in particular, have become a mainstay on the show, with people citing the famous phrase "You are NOT the father," often spoken when Povich opens the envelope revealing DNA results.

While one of the best daytime talk shows of the '90s has not been without its share of criticism, often for exploiting serious issues for entertainment value, it's precisely the salacious, guilty pleasure nature of the series that fans love so much. Funnily enough, Maury has been celebrated enough to be nominated for an Emmy.

4 The Queen Latifah Show (1999 - 2001, 2013 - 2015)

Queen Latifah sitting across from Will Smith in a scene from The Queen Latifah Show.

Fans of the long-time actor and rapper might forget that in addition to Queen Latifah's best movies and chart-topping music, the versatile talent had her own talk show for a brief period of time in the '90s — and it was arguably one of the best daytime talk shows of the '90s. Airing for one season from 1999 to 2001 followed by a revamped second season in 2013, the show didn't last as long as others from the decade, but it remains one of the higher-rated.

Counting Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith among its executive producers, Latifah interviewed various guests, including both celebrities and others with human interest stories, and discussed pop culture topics. Despite its stinted longevity, The Queen Latifah Show was actually nominated for two awards during its run, the NAACP Image Award For Outstanding Talk Series.

3 The Ricki Lake Show (1993 - 2004)

Ricki Lake addressing viewers in a scene from The Ricki Lake Show.

Anyone who grew up in the '90s will recognize the chant "Rick-i, Rick-I, Rick-i," which fans of the charismatic talk show host repeated every time she came on stage to begin an episode. Like the others, the show featured controversial topics with different guests discussing a specific issue in every episode. One of the best daytime talk shows of the '90s, the series won a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Talk Show Host and was nominated for a second Emmy and a People's Choice award.

Designed to attract a younger audience versus the older stay-at-home mom-type crowd the other shows targeted, there was audience interaction and reactions to everything from neglectful parents to discrimination and family drama. The Ricki Lake Show returned in 2012 and aired for one more season.

2 The Rosie O'Donnell Show (1996 - 2002)

Rosie O'Donnell talking to the audience on her talk show.

Before she was a co-host of The View and after catching Hollywood's attention through reality competition series Star Search in the '80s, O'Donnell had her own talk show, and it was one of the best daytime talk shows of the '90s. Airing for six seasons, the show covered a variety of topics, from Broadway and families to charities and more.

Each episode saw O'Donnell interview a different guest and interact with her audience. Each also often included short Broadway performances. The show had popular recurring segments like Kids Are Punny, where jokes sent in by kids were read aloud. The series was a win for LGBTQ+ representation in television and even scooped up five Emmys over its six-season run.

1 The Oprah Winfrey Show (1986 - 2011)

A close up of Oprah Winfrey with short hair smiling on her talk show in the '90s.

The Oprah Winfrey Show is one of the most influential daytime talk shows of this generation, one of the best daytime talk shows of the '90s, and was headed by one of the most influential TV personalities. It's also one of the longest-running talk shows of all time. Winfrey became so popular that the show eventually became known simply as Oprah. She discussed a variety of topics in each episode, often welcoming guests to discuss difficult topics in a way that wasn't being approached by other daytime talk shows.

She focused on everything from self-improvement to philanthropy (including, eventually, her own), medical and mental health advice from experts like Dr. Oz and Dr. Phil, whose careers her show helped launch, and more. Ranked by TV Guide as one of the 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time, it's no surprise Oprah is a fan favorite daytime talk show.