The daytime talk show is one of the most popular and profitable of all TV programming formats. Audiences enjoy them because they present celebrities candidly, not as actors playing roles. The more issue-oriented shows cover a range of relevant topics, everything from personal tragedy and triumph to self-improvement. Daytime talk shows range in tone from responsible and uplifting to racy and melodramatic. Finally, producers and networks favor talk shows because they are inexpensive to make.

One of the more successful afternoon talk show hosts was Mike Douglas (far left), here with entertainer Tiny Tim and his wife and daughter in 1972. AP/Wide World Photos. Reproduced by permission.

On the more celebrity-oriented shows, a host first entertains the audience with a comic monologue (a speech given by only one person) or a song. Then, one by one, the guests appear and chat with the host...