Can We Talk? When Black Talk Shows Rise and Fall

From Tamar to Whoopi, check out the history of talk.

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The Real - The Real was a huge successs when it premiered in July of 2013 thanks to the chemistry of its five hosts — Tamar Braxton, Loni Love, Adrienne Bailon, Tamera Mowry-Housley and Jeannie Mai. Now, the show's behind-the-scenes drama is a hot topic after Braxton was fired over the weekend. While producers say the decision was mutual, her Instagram, and the social media pages of her close friends, tell a different story. Will the show be able to survive the bad press and without Tamar? We'll see. (Photo: Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for NATAS)

Nat King Cole: The Nat King Cole Show - In 1956, singer/musician Nat King Cole made history by becoming the first African-American celebrity to have his own TV show. Unfortunately, the variety show was canceled after one season. NBC couldn’t find advertisers or, as Nat so famously said, “Madison Avenue is afraid of the dark.”(Photo: CBS/Landov)

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Nat King Cole: The Nat King Cole Show - In 1956, singer/musician Nat King Cole made history by becoming the first African-American celebrity to have his own TV show. Unfortunately, the variety show was canceled after one season. NBC couldn’t find advertisers or, as Nat so famously said, “Madison Avenue is afraid of the dark.”(Photo: CBS/Landov)

Della Reese: July 6 - The Touched By an Angel star turns 81.(Photo: Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images)

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Della Reese: Della  - Thirteen years after racism shut down The Nat King Cole Show, singer and star Della Reese gave the talk show format a try with Della in 1969. But even with guests like Muhammad Ali, Leslie Gore and Ethel Waters, the show was shelved after one season.(Photo: Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images)

Arsenio Hall on a possible late night talk show comeback - "It's pretty crowded out there. I'm not sure if it's too crowded for a 55-year-old guy to re-emerge, but if they give me a little daylight I'm gonna slide into it." (Photo credit: Alexandra Wyman/Getty Images for ESPY)

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Arsenio Hall: The Arsenio Hall Show - Comedian Arsenio Hall not only made history by becoming the first African-American to host his own late-night talk show, but he was able to beat the reigning king of late night, Johnny Carson, in several markets. As hip-hop was becoming mainstream, the cool, youth-oriented Arsenio Hall had the key program to showcase new music and artists. The show ran from 1989 to 1994, but suddenly ended. Arsenio came back to the talk show circuit in 2013, but was canceled after one season.(Photo: Alexandra Wyman/Getty Images for ESPY)

Tempestt Bledsoe: August 1 - The Cosby Show star turns 38. (Photo credit: Michael Loccisano/Getty Images) 

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Tempestt Bledsoe: The Tempestt Bledsoe Show - The former Cosby Kid, in a season of trying to figure out the direction of her post-Cosby Show career, picked up the mic for her own talk show, The Tempestt Bledsoe Show, in 1995. It was canceled after one season.(Photo: Michael Loccisano/Getty Images)

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Whoopi Goldberg: The Whoopi Goldberg Show and The View - Before becoming a co-host of The View, the Oscar-nominated actress/comedian Whoopi Goldberg honed her talk TV skills on her own show in 1992. She joined The View in 2007, which has been a dramatic ride. Rumors of on-set feuds and, allegedly, Whoopi wanting out of her contract have swirled. But she is still there, moderating and shuting down haters like Donald Trump.(Photo: dpa/Landov)

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Whoopi Goldberg: The Whoopi Goldberg Show and The View - Before becoming a co-host of The View, the Oscar-nominated actress/comedian Whoopi Goldberg honed her talk TV skills on her own show in 1992. She joined The View in 2007, which has been a dramatic ride. Rumors of on-set feuds and, allegedly, Whoopi wanting out of her contract have swirled. But she is still there, moderating and shuting down haters like Donald Trump.(Photo: dpa/Landov)

Tyra Banks: The Tyra Banks Show - Trying to build her own Oprah-esque media empire, model/actress Tyra Banks launched her own successful talk show from 2005 to 2010. She donned a fat suit and showed off her cellulite in the name of girl power.(Photo: Gregg DeGuire/PictureGroup)

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Tyra Banks: The Tyra Banks Show - Trying to build her own Oprah-esque media empire, model/actress Tyra Banks launched her own successful talk show from 2005 to 2010. She donned a fat suit and showed off her cellulite in the name of girl power.(Photo: Gregg DeGuire/PictureGroup)

Rolonda Watts: July 12 - The actress, television host and radio personality turns 53. (Photo: Vince Bucci/Getty Images)

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Rolanda Watts: Rolanda - After a successful career as an anchor for Eyewitness News and News 4 New York, Rolanda Watts took the risky move of heading-up her own talk show, Rolanda, in 1994. The show lasted one season.(Photo: Vince Bucci/Getty Images)

Keenen Ivory Wayans: The Keenen Ivory Wayans Show - After walking away from his groundbreaking sketch comedy show In Living Color, Keenen went in a totally different TV direction, venturing into late-night talk show territory. His show would become part of the gluttony of black-hosted late-night talk programs in 1998, including Vibe (with comedian Chris Spencer) and The Magic Hour hosted by Magic Johnson.(Photo: Terrence Jennings/Picture Group)

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Keenen Ivory Wayans: The Keenen Ivory Wayans Show - After walking away from his groundbreaking sketch comedy show In Living Color, Keenen went in a totally different TV direction, venturing into late-night talk show territory. His show would become part of the gluttony of black-hosted late-night talk programs in 1998, including Vibe (with comedian Chris Spencer) and The Magic Hour hosted by Magic Johnson.(Photo: Terrence Jennings/Picture Group)

Magic Johnson: August 14 - The Los Angeles Laker star and entrepreneur celebrates his 52nd birthday. (Photo credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

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Magic Johnson: The Magic Hour  - Following his retirement from the NBA after being diagnosed with HIV, Magic Johnson became a successful businessman. Unfortunately, when he tried his hand at hosting his own late-night talk show in 1998, the results were not as fruitful or flattering, as he was ridiculed for his less-than-articulate speaking style.(Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

Photo By Kevin Winter/Getty Images

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Wayne Brady: June 2\r - The actor, comedian and television host celebrates his 39th birthday.\r \r(Photo credit: Ray Mickshaw/PictureGroup)

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Wayne Brady: The Wayne Brady Show - From 2002 to 2004, America’s other Mr. Brady added his own singing talent to the talk show format. Following the cancellation of his show, he’d murder his nice guy persona on Chappelle’s Show. I’m Wayne Brady, Beeeyaaaach!(Photo: Ray Mickshaw/PictureGroup)

Montell Williams: The Montell Williams Show - Next to Oprah, Montell Williams is the second African-American to have a long-running (17 years) talk show. Starting around the same time as Jerry Springer, Williams’s show aimed to be racy but not as exploitive.(Photo: Scott Wintrow/Getty Images)

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Montell Williams: The Montell Williams Show - Next to Oprah, Montell Williams is the second African-American to have a long-running (17 years) talk show. Starting around the same time as Jerry Springer, Williams’s show aimed to be racy but not as exploitive.(Photo: Scott Wintrow/Getty Images)

Gayle King: The Gayle King Show - But of course Oprah’s BFF would get her shot at hosting her own talk show. In fact she’s gotten two shots. The first incarnation of The Gayle King Show only lasted a season when it debuted in 1997. The second one is currently segments of her satellite radio talk show simulcast on Oprah's network OWN.(Photo: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)

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Gayle King: The Gayle King Show - But of course Oprah’s BFF would get her shot at hosting her own talk show. In fact she’s gotten two shots. The first incarnation of The Gayle King Show only lasted a season when it debuted in 1997. The second one is currently segments of her satellite radio talk show simulcast on Oprah's network OWN.(Photo: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)

Photo By Photo: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images

RuPaul - From his hit '90s single "Supermodel (You Better Work)" to the hit reality series  RuPaul's Drag Race  — season six of which premieres on Monday, February 24 on Logo — nobody has done more for the popularizing of drag culture than RuPaul. The blonde diva is arguably the most famous drag queen on the planet. Ru definitely leads the pack, but we're putting the spotlight on nine other queens who changed the way we see drag. (Photo: Frank Micelotta/ImageDirect)   

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RuPaul: The RuPaul Show - With a campy format like a John Waters's movie, The RuPaul Show not only put the famous drag queen in the talk show host chair, but set him on the road to pop reality mogul-dom. Worked it, indeed. The show aired from 1996 to 1998.(Photo: Frank Micelotta/ImageDirect/Getty Images)

Wanda Sykes: The Wanda Sykes Show - Comedian Wanda Sykes attempted a Real Time With Bill Maher-style roundtable (only set in a bar) for her talk show in 2009. The bar closed after one season.(Photo: Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Fox)

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Wanda Sykes: The Wanda Sykes Show - Comedian Wanda Sykes attempted a Real Time With Bill Maher-style roundtable (only set in a bar) for her talk show in 2009. The bar closed after one season.(Photo: Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Fox)

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Oprah: The Oprah Winfrey Show - The Oprah Winfrey Show aired for 25 legendary seasons, the longest running daytime talk show next to Phil Donahue's.  Oprah's show made her a mogul and changed lives, garnering a massive following.  However, the Grand O was ready to move on, ending The Oprah Winfrey Show this past May.  On January 1, Oprah started her network, appropriately titled OWN (Oprah Winfrey Network). 

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Oprah: The Oprah Winfrey Show - The Oprah Winfrey Show aired for 25 legendary seasons, the longest running daytime talk show next to Phil Donahue's.  Oprah's show made her a mogul and changed lives, garnering a massive following.  However, the Grand O was ready to move on, ending The Oprah Winfrey Show this past May.  On January 1, Oprah started her network, appropriately titled OWN (Oprah Winfrey Network). 

George Lopez: Lopez Tonight - Although Lopez isn't African-American, his late-night show was hip, funky and diverse—much like the The Arsenio Hall Show.  George Lopez brought cool back to the late-night circuit. His Chicano-centric wallops to celebrity culture were a refreshing slant to the talk show format.  Even with powerhouse guests that included Prince, Denzel Washington and Jennifer Lopez,  the TBS show was canceled after two seasons.(Photo: Robert Benson/Getty Images For NCLR)

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George Lopez: Lopez Tonight - Although Lopez isn't African-American, his late-night show was hip, funky and diverse—much like the The Arsenio Hall Show.  George Lopez brought cool back to the late-night circuit. His Chicano-centric wallops to celebrity culture were a refreshing slant to the talk show format.  Even with powerhouse guests that included Prince, Denzel Washington and Jennifer Lopez,  the TBS show was canceled after two seasons.(Photo: Robert Benson/Getty Images For NCLR)