The Morton Downey Jr. Show (1987–1989) User Reviews

Genius

[hwy505 · 7/10 · 14 January 2008]

Downey set the trend for every tabloid "talk show" that followed.

In the late 1980's a fellow police officer of mine, Robert Machete was killed in the line of duty. Downey did an entire hour dedicated to the memory of Bobby so it may be placed on video and given to Bobby's young daughter to have for when she was older. It was one of the most benevolent things I have ever saw a media symbol accomplish.

Downey wasn't popular with the left-winged liberals due to his love of country and calling every so-called civil activist out i.e. Al Sharpton and the likes. His in your face attitude, and the journalists award he was given he used as an ash tray (it looked like a punch bowl) was priceless.

Downey is sorely missed!

Before Springer, there was Downey

[SHB_73 · 11 August 2004]

Before it became common for fights and chairs being thrown (ala Geraldo and Jerry Springer.) Morton Downey Jr. did it first. The show's topics range everywhere from politics to feminism and International affairs. Fighting was common on the set which is why it was so entertaining, He would usually kiss a women in the audience before he'd start the show and would always be smoking a cigarette. (Which is ironic because he died of respiratory problems and even had a lung removed. He became an anti-smoking crusader up until his death.) The show at some points became stupid and trashy but was always fun to watch. Rest in Peace Morton.

One of the worst shows ever.

[rvltn206 · 1/10 · 14 December 2006]

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.

great show

[donstamegna · 8/10 · 29 October 2009]

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.

Memorable if you can handle Downey's rants; set the stage for "Bey" and "Lake"

[robert-macc · 8/10 · 17 November 2023]

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.

Old school, better than the new fools

[L_Miller · 21 March 2001]

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.

Jersey's own

[raysond · 9 January 2001]

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?