(Born Dec. 21, 1935) Phil Donahue is the creator and star of The Phil Donahue Show, also known as Donahue, the first tabloid talk show. The show enjoyed a 27-year run on national (U.S.) TV, plus two years of local broadcast in Dayton, Ohio before ending. Although it ended in 1996, the show briefly reemerged as an MSNBC offering in 20022003.