The Morton Downey Jr. Show

Or arguably, depending on the disputed dates, he was inspired by Bey (simply because "The Richard Bey Show" was a combo of "People are Talking" - originally on lame WCBS, in New York/Brooklyn but got popular once it moved to WWOR and personality - and "9 Broadcast Plaza"; so either he came before "Downey" or at the same time).

The more I see this show the more it's hard to hate Downey. The way I see it, as rude and blunt as he can be, Downey is more like Dante in "Clerks," he's un-PC, but you never really sense he's truly mean or a "Friends" fan. He just hates hard because he loves hard.

Plus proof that UPN was hard-hitting and more popular.

This was truly a good show. The main difference between him and "Bey," is there was a decorum about this show. Whereas on "Bey" it was, "Anything goes." See the classic episodes on Youtube.

Long before Jerry Springer or Geraldo Rivera came along and changed the course of talk-TV,nobody couldn't do it more better and more intense than the king of shock-tv...Morton Downey,Jr. Morton came at his guests hard,and I do mean hard with tough questions amd tough talk with sometimes straightforward and unlimited results. I can never forget those red socks and that cigarette that he was famous for. His shows sometimes went to the limits,but it was always Downey to goal his guests to the utmost and so much more. I'm surprise that he doesn't have any videocassettes out based on his show(like "The Best of The Morton Downey,Jr. Show")because the guests that he had on there were so outrageous and all,you'll never know what may come out of Morton's mouth the next. One episode consisted an incident at Harlem's Apollo Theatre where all choas broke loose,and another was based in Florida where Downey fought some smart aleck guy for saying something very stupid and

he asked for it. He may have been a 'precursor',but he was the MAN! Kudos to Morton Downey,Jr. whereever you are!

NOTE: I wonder if it is still on New York's WOR-TV?

One of the worst shows ever. I hope no other show like this one ever makes its way onto TV again.

He was abusive, and a phoney. If my memory serves me, he would sometimes pretend to befriend a guest before he turned on him. It amazed me anyone would think this guy would side with anyone on anything.

The entire premise for the show was Downey being socially and verbally abusive while he chain smoked. This show really sucked.

Only Springer's is worse. And it may be better. But I'll give the nod to Springer as the worst show ever because it has lasted longer.

We used to watch this show every night in college. We would laugh it up.

Mort would always act "over the top" and it was funny.

Stuff like this was never meant to be taken seriously, and this wasn't. It was just for entertainment only.

I feel bad that Mort died too young and screwed up by faking the skin head attack.

If you can find find re-runs of this very low budget show check it out. It might not translate well into todays TV cookie cutter slots, but it was good stuff.

I saw Morton died the other day, and right now I'm watching a rerun of "Saturday Night Live" where he showed up on "Church Chat". I forgot what old-school Downey was like.

The first time I saw anything about this show was when Chris Elliot played him on Letterman back when Dave was still on NBC (and still funny). I thought it had to be a gag, then I was watching WOR-9 out of Secacus, NJ (famous for the first Howard Stern TV shows) and saw it.

I remember he had like a punch bowl on the set that he put his smokes out in, and every show had an almost-obligatory shouting match between either Morty and his guest, Morty's guests, or the audience and Morty's guests. Toward the end, it got kind of sad - left-handed wheelchair-bound vegan lesbian terrorists debating about voodoo economics.

It's too bad his star faded - he was one of the more genuine ones.