Day time talk shows, a guilty pleasure for us all, has given rise to some of the most famous people in the world. Media empires have been built on the backs of this simple format. When it’s time to sit on the couch and tell the world your most intimate secrets, these famous Black talk show hosts were there to catch it all.
Arsenio Hall
Hall was one of the biggest TV personalities in the early 1990s. His talk show was a hit with the younger demographic and gave rise to the signature fist pump and chant “woof, woof, woof.” He also appeared in the hit movie Coming to America with Eddie Murphy.
Montel Williams
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The Marine Corp veteran hosted the syndicated, Emmy Award winning Montel Williams Show from 1991 to 2008. He was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1999 and has been a spokesman for the cause to find a cure ever since.
Oprah Winfrey
The launcher of careers started her own by leading a Chicago talk show to the top of the ratings and achieving syndication in 1986. She’s been a household name ever since. She is also credited with launching the careers of Dr. Phil, Iyanla Vanzant, and Dr. Oz.
Steve Harvey
Steve Harvey got his start in stand-up comedy. What began as guest appearances on sitcoms became the creation of his own sitcom, and eventually his own daytime talk show. He’s the host of the game show Family Feud, and when he hosted the Miss Universe pageant in 2015, he made a now-famous blunder and announced the wrong winner.
Queen Latifah
Former rapper and Grammy winner Queen Latifah started her talk show in 1999, but it only lasted two seasons. She relaunched it in 2010, mainly focusing on interviewing her famous connections, and this iteration lasted four seasons.
Michael Strahan
The former defensive end for the New York Giants and NFL Hall of Famer decided to try his hand at day time television after retirement. He took over Regis Philbin’s spot on Live! with Regis and Kelly and went on to co-host Good Morning America.
Wayne Brady
Capitalizing on his big break on Who’s Line is it Anyway, Brady had his own daytime talk show, The Wayne Brady Show for a few years. He is now the host of the relaunched Let’s Make a Deal.
Iyanla Vanzant
An acclaimed spiritual advisor and life coach, Vanzat appeared on the Oprah Winfrey show over 20 times in the late 1990’s. She took that recognition and made her own show, Iyanla: Fix My Life, which is a huge ratings success. She is also a New York Times best selling author of over 15 books.