‘90s Talk Show Hosts: Then and Now

The ’90s were a magical time. It had some seriously good talk shows. The period in fact defined the genre and set precedence for the next batch. We owe it to this era for providing some true gems of hosts such as Oprah, Ellen and more. Let’s a look at a few talk show hosts from the ’90s who in their way contributed to the culture of this iconic decade, while also catching up on what they are doing now.

Montel Williams

Montel Williams hosted The Montel Williams Show which was a path-breaking show in many ways. He was the first African-American man to host a daytime talk show. The Montel Williams Show was lauded for its inspirational content.

Currently, Montel hosts Military Makeover: Operation Career on Lifetime. He is also actively involved with his non-profit organization MS Foundation. Post his recent health challenges, he is heavily involved in advocating CBD products for medical purposes. Besides that, Williams has authored eight books on his life.

Sally Jessy Raphael

Sally Jessy Raphael hosted the talk show Sally. Her show was one of the first few talk shows in the history of television to have a female host. Sally didn’t shy away from discussing difficult topics. In fact, the red glasses that she wore for the show became quite the rage and part of her identity.

After her show wrapped up, Sally continued hosting a slew of other shows. She hosted a show named Sally Jessy Rides on NewNowNext.

Geraldo Rivera

Geraldo Rivera hosted the daytime talk show Geraldo for eleven seasons. Geraldo was known to pit some of the most controversial names against each other. In one of the episodes, a few of the guests broke his nose during a live fight in the show.

As of now, Rivera is a war correspondent with FOX News. He has also participated in reality shows such as The Celebrity Apprentice and Dancing with the Stars. In 2020, he completed fifty years in the television industry.

Ricki Lake

Ricki Lake hosted the talk show Ricki Lake. Ricki’s show was primarily targeted at Generation X and focused on personal issues. Lake’s show is often referenced in many other popular shows such as Gilmore Girls.

Post her show, Ricki has appeared in many television shows and films. She has also appeared as a panelist and participant in shows such as The Masked Singer and The X Factor: Celebrity Edition.