> At a Glance
> – Dirty Talk: When Daytime Talk Shows Ruled TV premieres Jan. 14 on ABC
> – Three-part series revisits the decade when Maury, Ricki Lake, Jerry Springer dominated daytime
> – Features never-before-told stories from hosts Maury Povich, Sally Jessy Raphael, Montel Williams
> – Why it matters: Re-examines how controversy-fueled ratings reshaped television and still influence media today
Trash TV, wagon-of-fat stunts, paternity chants-ABC’s new docuseries rewinds to the ’90s when talk-show spectacle ruled the dial.
The Trailer Drop
{bold} exclusively released the trailer for the three-night ABC News event. It opens with Maury Povich asking, “Remember when daytime television was, well, a little over the top?”-then flashes Oprah wheeling 67 pounds of fat onstage, crowds chanting “Jerry!”, and Povich’s iconic “You are not the father!”
Who’s Talking
On-camera participants include:
- Maury Povich (1991-2022 run)
- Sally Jessy Raphael, 90, who admits “The more controversial the better”
- Montel Williams, Leeza Gibbons, John Henson
- Creators Garth Ancier, Burt Dubrow and EP Marty Berman
- Steve Wilkos, former Springer bodyguard turned host
Episode Breakdown
| Episode | Air Date | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jan. 14 | How sex & conflict super-charged ’90s ratings |
| 2 | Jan. 21 | Why viewers watched & the post-show murder that shocked producers |
| 3 | Jan. 28 | Jerry Springer pushing sensationalism to new lows |
Key Takeaways
- Povich, 86, says he “couldn’t do that show today”
- ABC labels the era “the most sensational in television talk-show history”
- All three episodes stream next-day on Disney+ and Hulu
From confessionals to chair-throwing brawls, Dirty Talk maps how daytime TV traded trust for ratings-and never looked back.
