PHIL Donahue has begged late Jeopardy! star Alex Trebek for details on his marriage in a hilarious clip filmed years before the talk show host’s death.
The TV personality hosted The Phil Donahue Show, later Donahue, from November 6, 1967, to September 13, 1996.
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In a 1988 episode posted to YouTube, Phil was shown interviewing Win, Lose, or Draw host Bert Convy, the original Wheel of Fortune host Chuck Woolery, and former Jeopardy! host Alex.
During the interview, the beloved talk show host told Alex, “You have received so much copy has the world’s most eligible bachelor.
“You are the son our mothers want the daughters to bring home and you’re getting married.”
Nothing Alex’s apprehension to the line of questioning, Phil asked, “Is this personal?” before prodding, “Come on Alex, tell the people!”
READ MORE ON PHIL DONAHUE
“Just take a moment, it won’t be the whole show,” he promised.
“I’m getting married to a lovely young lady who is not in show business,” the game show host replied.
“She did some modeling at one time so you can appreciate the fact that she’s beautiful.”
“She’s very intelligent. She’s more beautiful inside than she is outside. She has a marvelous charitable nature, a sweetness about her that endears her to everybody she meets,” he continued.
“I feel very good when I’m with her, I feel terrible when we’re apart,” he added.
“After being alone now, I was divorced in 1981, and after being alone for the past eight and a half, nine years I think it’s about time and I found somebody who’s just so special,” Alex confessed.
At that moment, Chuck, pretending to be overcome by emotion, snatched the handkerchief from Alex’s jacket pocket and playfully wiped fake tears from his eyes.
Laughter erupted inside the Burbank, California studio as Phil and Alex reacted to Chuck and Bert pretending to dab away tears.
Alex was of course referring to his Jean Currivan, whom he wed in 1990 and was married to until his death in November 2020.
In the video’s comment section, a fan wrote, “I really liked Donahue when it was on. But I forgot just how manic he was. He’s was tornado of energy.”
Jeopardy! Host Timeline
Jeopardy! has had a tumultuous history regarding hosts after the death of the iconic Alex Trebek in 2020. Here are all of the hosts since the game show’s inception in 1964.
Art Fleming – 1964 to 1975, he was the original host of the daytime version of Jeopardy! on NBC.
Alex Trebek – 1984 to 2020, the late, great Alex hosted Jeopardy!’s modern iteration for 36 years until his death from pancreatic cancer.
Guest hosts – 2020 to 2021, Jeopardy! tested out a series of guest hosts for week or two-week stints, including Anderson Cooper, LaVar Burton, and Aaron Rodgers.
Mike Richards – 2021, he was named host for one week before resigning amid controversy. He was the show’s executive producer at the time.
Mayim Bialik – 2021 to 2023, when Mike was announced as the show’s new host, Mayim was chosen to host tournaments and primetime specials.
Mayim and Ken Jennings – 2022 to 2023, 74-time champion Ken (the longest-winning contestant ever) joined Mayim as a guest host and they split hosting duties.
Ken Jennings – 2023 to present. Last December, Mayim announced on Instagram that she would “no longer” host Jeopardy! after a lengthy hiatus, having stood with the writer’s strike, and Ken was named sole host.
Ken now helms all editions of Jeopardy! including Celebrity Jeopardy!, the nightly show, and other primetime specials like Masters.
Phil died on Sunday night at the age of 88 after battling a long illness, his family confirmed on Today on Monday.
The TV pioneer hosted The Phil Donahue Show for 29 seasons.
Phil died at his home surrounded by his family, including his wife of 44 years, Marlo Thomas.
The family’s statement noted that his children, grandchildren, sister, and golden retriever, Charlie, were also by his side.
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No further details on Phil’s cause of death were released.
Today hosts Craig Melvin, 45, and Sheinelle Jones, 46, announced the sad news on air, with Sheinelle reiterating what a “trailblazer” the host was.
“You know, we overuse sometimes the word trailblazer, but he certainly was, indeed,” she said.
In place of flowers, his loved ones requested donations be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or the Phil Donahue/Notre Dame Scholarship Fund.
TV PIONEER PHIL
Phil became a pioneer in television, with his show becoming the first to include live audience participation.
He started his career in radio in the 1950s before moving to TV, where he launched The Phil Donahue Show in 1967.
The program was rebranded to Donahue in 1974 after the host moved the show to a new station.
The show ran until 1996, with the Cleveland native hosting over 6,000 episodes.
Phil received 20 Emmy Awards during his broadcast career, including 10 for Outstanding Talk Show Host and 10 for The Phil Donahue Show.
Other honors included the Peabody Award in 1980 and an induction into the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame in 1993.
Earlier this year, Phil received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Joe Biden.
TRIBUTES POUR IN
Phil’s death has been met with heartfelt words from fellow celebrities and television hosts.
“One of the true trail-blazing icons of American television,” Piers Morgan, 59, wrote on X.
“He hosted over 6,000 talk shows, and was the first to interact with a studio audience. Interviewing him for CNN a few years ago lived up to every expectation.. such a clever, interesting man,” he added.
Journalist Katie Couric, 67, said she was “so sad to hear this news” in a Facebook post on Monday morning.
Talk show host Oprah Winfrey, 70, noted how much Phil influenced her career.
“There wouldn’t have been an Oprah Show without Phil Donahue being the first to prove that daytime talk and women watching should be taken seriously,” she wrote on Instagram.
“He was a pioneer. I’m glad I got to thank him for it. Rest in peace Phil.”
Oprah’s tribute came alongside a throwback image of her hugging the TV legend.
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