Sally Jessy Raphael’s famous TV talk show ended after two decades in 2002 —and she’s still not about how it all played out.
the Sally host, known for her signature red eyewear, reminisced about herdaytime TV days with fellow talk show queen Ricki Lake on the Raised byRickic podcast. Today, Raphael, 87, is as fierce as ever, letting it rip ontopics ranging from her show’s abrupt cancellation that she never recoveredfrom to dating after losing her husband and manager Karl Soderland in 2020.
“When it started, I talked to presidents of the United States [and did]interviews with celebrities,” Raphael recalled of the early days of Sally.But ownership of the program changed hands several times and once NBCUniversal “got a hold of it, [it became a] “Who’s your baby mama?” type orshow. That’s when it all went downhill.”
Because she didn’t own the show, she had to roll with it. “I was living alifestyle where I needed the money…” she said, explaining that she lived inNice, France, while she filmed the talk show, commuting to NYC three days aweek. But only to an extent — and that became her show’s downfall. “NBCUniversal Owned Jerry [Springer]Maury [Povich] and me — and I’m the one whowouldn’t do the [most exploitive topics] so they let me go.”
While she was a trailblazer — the first woman to host a syndicated talk showon TV, before Oprah Winfrey arrived on the scene — she was unceremoniouslydumped by the network. It still stings.
“Not only didn’t I have a say, but let me tell you how bad this was,” sherecalled. “I had 250 employees … and I told them, because I was told by thecompany … we were going to be renewed and everything was fine. Then theycalled me in one day … and told me ‘No, we’re not continuing the show. I hadto call the 250 people together … and say, “I’m terribly sorry. I don’t knowif you’ll believe me but I was song to.” And that was the end of that.”
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Not only was it the end of her talk show run, but it was the end of hercareer. Something she hadn’t planned for. Raphael said her agent sent her avase after her firing that was engraved with: “The best is yet to come.”However, “If you look at my résumé, I haven’t worked since then. Haven’tearned a dime,” she said. Her agents “never found one other job [for me] since2002.”
some classic Sally :
While she hasn’t worked, she has maintained friendships with many Sally> show employees. “I still am in touch with almost every one of the people I> worked with,” she revealed.
Earlier in the conversation, Raphael talked about her professional start.Breaking into the business wasn’t easy, especially for a woman. She was hiredas “the morning man” on a radio show — and, yes, that was her title. (“Theydidn’t have women yet!” she said.) While she pursued radio, it was a lot ofdowns. “I kept getting fired. I think I’ve been fired 27 times.” While jumpingaround on different radio shows, another talk titan Phil Donahue heard her andsuggested she try out for a TV show, thinking a woman’s voice was needed inthe male-dominated space. After a stint as a TV guest host, she landed her ownshow in 1983.
Raphael also spoke about losing the love of her life, Soderland, in 2020. Shesaid she’s been grieving for the last two years, but is now hoping to findcompanionship for this next leg of her journey.
“I’ve been trying to find … you can’t say a ‘boyfriend’ at my age. That soundsridiculous,” she said. However, she then rattled off exactly what she’slooking for: “I can tell you very quickly: 70s or 80s. Not rich and not poor.An ordinary Joe.”