CNNMoney's Brian Stelter takes a look at the late Morton Downey Jr. and why some say his abrasive show laid the groundwork for people like Rush Limbaugh, Jerry Springer and Bill O'Reilly.
He was a cigarette smoking loud mouth whom pulled a Tawana Brawley in a mens restroom. His musician friend admitted to being in on the phony attack at the time of his confession, he was in possession of the actual shirt and pants used in the alleged attack.
Well I used to watch it with my father when i was around 8-9 years old. I remember him reading the newspaper one day & him telling me they were taking the Morton Downey Jr show off the air & being really sad about it at the time 😢
I'm reading about Morton Downey Jr's maternal grandfather, Richard, mother, Barbara, and his aunts, Constance & Joan Bennett. Morton Jr was moreorless a reincarnation of Richard! OTT personalities run within that clan, and both were natural showmen.
I was so blessed to be his friend and his beautiful wife Lori Krebs. He was very different than he was on the show. He was a gentleman who cared about anyone who felt left out or was suffering from feeling just lost and alone. I was extremely depressed and he changed my life. He was so sweet to me like a Father figure. I will miss him forever. But I will see him again when the Good Lord calls me home.
The show was trash, people watched and enjoyed it. Who are we to say who is in heaven or who is hell? We are all sinners, did not Jesus say "none is but good God" Didn't Jesus die for our sins?
Although he was hated live on-air, he kept people tuning for late night television, he was definitely a heavy smoker on live TV and looks coked out at times, in reality while on live TV one thing is for sure he definitely had lots of guts to say whatever he wanted to say on his show.
+buildmorefarms100 I think Limbaugh and Downey are very similar in what they say. Downey was theatrical on tv and Limbaugh is radio. But I was actually watching one night when Downey had feminists on and he asked them if they were bra burners. Before they could answer he growled, "who cares, I've never seen a feminist with a bra worth burning." Sounds just like Limbaugh to me.
buildmorefarms100 I agree they have different presentation styles but I think if you were just reading transcripts there would be a lot of similarities.
T BXTWO Both are conservatives, both can be brash and outspoken. Some similarities yes. Morton is deceased. Rush is far and away exponentially more successful than Morton ever was. Rush has won the Marconi award more times than anyone else on the planet as well as numerous other accolades, also he is extremely generous with his $$. Not sure if Morton ever was...Also Morton declared bankruptcy.
@@jamesmiller4184 You may already know this, but his real first name was Sean. He adopted the Jr. moniker in order to capitalize on his father's more famous name.
Mr. Downey was an acquaintance of mine and was a kind, generous guy who really cared about regular people. He was raised a neighbor to the Kennedys and became the uncommon voice of the common man. A great singer and storyteller, too. R.I.P., buddy.
Different generations/different times. When Jerry started his show, he was a legitimate talk show host then he later became a circus act. It’s extremely similar to Mort because when Mort started, even though he was a loud mouth, he had legitimate guests but towards the end, it was a freak show because real guests would no longer come on.
Im 50 years old now, but back in the day me and my grandma would talk almost everyday about what was on the Morton Downey jr show. I was in school so I had to set the VCR timer for Mort....and then the Benny Hill Show that immediately aired after it on Channel 19 WXIX in Cincinnati......back when the TV had two dials.
The ONLY reason why Morton Downey Jr. rings a bell to me (I was 5 years old when this show was on the air) is Nintendo. My brother and I got hooked on Super Mario Bros. 3 for NES. In that video game, world #2 was capped off by a final boss. The name of that boss--Morton Koopa Jr. I was, like, "Wait, there's a man named after the koopa?" And that's how I ended up here. Suffice to say, Morton Downey Jr. sounds like an awful SOB. Too bad we're feeling his effects to this day...
He was showing America a very important thing, even if accidentally; our dark side - our ability to turn into a lynch mob with little provocation of the right orator...and that the lynch mob differed from electoral democracy in nothing but the manners/politeness of the latter. Politics = immoral madness and lynch mobbery...but with manners, and orderly lines, and such.
Back then, I cursed and condemned him for his tactics. In retrospect, I can now see that he was justified in what he did. He knew all the potential damage that Leftists could cause if they became too powerful.
I was so blessed to be his friend and his beautiful wife Lori Krebs. He was very different than he was on the show. He was a gentleman who cared about anyone who felt left out or was suffering from feeling just lost and alone. I was extremely depressed and he changed my life. He was so sweet to me like a Father figure. I will miss him forever. But I will see him again when the Good Lord calls me home.
I always thought he was definitely a good person. Never met him but he shared the same first name as my dad: Morton My dad was and always will be my favorite person and my hero. Peace ✌️ and cheers 🍻 May both Mortons rest In Peace 🙏
@@carriancrow44 I'm just now reading this. Very sweet thing for you to say. I've never met him but ya know what? I Believe your Dad was a good person. I'm honestly here because I'm watching a new Netflix show, The Watcher and the husband in the movie was reminding me of someone but for the longest time I couldn't think of the name. I JUST thought of the name, Morton Downey Jr and that's him. The actor playing the husband in this show looks sort of like Morton Downey Jr.
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I used to record a show on the VCR and when I would get home from work I would watch it boy his show was hysterical
"Yo! Mr Downey! Gimme that smoke would ya!? Ya ha!"
Rowdy Roddy Piper
1954-2015
WWE Hall Of Famer
He was a cigarette smoking loud mouth whom pulled a Tawana Brawley in a mens restroom. His musician friend admitted to being in on the phony attack at the time of his confession, he was in possession of the actual shirt and pants used in the alleged attack.
Morton Downey Jr was the Mighty Mouth of TV talk show hosts. It's a show that parents didn't let their children watch.
Well I used to watch it with my father when i was around 8-9 years old. I remember him reading the newspaper one day & him telling me they were taking the Morton Downey Jr show off the air & being really sad about it at the time 😢
@@goldcanyon340. Glad you got to watch it.
Reality TV is toxic, cynical, exploitative, rubbish.
In the UK we have just scrapped the Jeremy Kyle Show after a guests suicide. Good riddance!
He was good in a tales from the cpryt episode
great episode ! just watched it again recently.
I'm reading about Morton Downey Jr's maternal grandfather, Richard, mother, Barbara, and his aunts, Constance & Joan Bennett.
Morton Jr was moreorless a reincarnation of Richard! OTT personalities run within that clan, and both were natural showmen.
I was so blessed to be his friend and his beautiful wife Lori Krebs. He was very different than he was on the show. He was a gentleman who cared about anyone who felt left out or was suffering from feeling just lost and alone. I was extremely depressed and he changed my life. He was so sweet to me like a Father figure. I will miss him forever. But I will see him again when the Good Lord calls me home.
Sorry to say, he's in hell, with luck you won't see him again
I really hope he was depressed during all his life if god exist then he is next to Goebbels
Lmaoooo This guy was a prick and And is on hell for all the humiliation he caused and judgments , thought he was better than everyone
I find that difficult to believe. But I'm sure he acted like an ass to sell his show.
The show was trash, people watched and enjoyed it. Who are we to say who is in heaven or who is hell? We are all sinners, did not Jesus say "none is but good God" Didn't Jesus die for our sins?
Loved him in Predator 2. 😂 😂 😂
Bodies after bodies
No Morton without The MIGHTY WALLY GEORGE
Now that I think about it, modern presidential debates are like his show.
He did a jussie or jussie did a mort ?
Well he did a tawana brawley and then jussie did a Morton Downey Jr.
Revenge of the nerds
There was WALLY GEORGE before Downey!
And Joe Pyne, before Wally!
Never heard of Wally George, OR Joe Pyne. Interesting! Thank you both for the leads!
Alan Burke as well
@e n Did he GET to you? Seems-so. Ozzie Whippletree was my fav. He really stuck it to Joe.
. : .
Brian Steltzer’s narrative voice is repulsive.
Wondering if Donald Trump ever happened to watch Mort Downey Jr back in the day.
He did; in fact he was a friend. Downey lived in Trump Tower in New York, when his TV career was hot.
Although he was hated live on-air, he kept people tuning for late night television, he was definitely a heavy smoker on live TV and looks coked out at times, in reality while on live TV one thing is for sure he definitely had lots of guts to say whatever he wanted to say on his show.
Rush Limbaugh and Morton Downey are not similar in the way they conduct themselves.
+buildmorefarms100 I think Limbaugh and Downey are very similar in what they say. Downey was theatrical on tv and Limbaugh is radio. But I was actually watching one night when Downey had feminists on and he asked them if they were bra burners. Before they could answer he growled, "who cares, I've never seen a feminist with a bra worth burning." Sounds just like Limbaugh to me.
T BXTWO Rush is mannerly and non violent. Downey was violent and rude to anyone who disagreed with him. Very different styles.
buildmorefarms100 I agree they have different presentation styles but I think if you were just reading transcripts there would be a lot of similarities.
T BXTWO Both are conservatives, both can be brash and outspoken. Some similarities yes. Morton is deceased. Rush is far and away exponentially more successful than Morton ever was. Rush has won the Marconi award more times than anyone else on the planet as well as numerous other accolades, also he is extremely generous with his $$. Not sure if Morton ever was...Also Morton declared bankruptcy.
@maciej wrotek they are both humans
Damn...takes me back to when I was 14, 15 years old. LoL. shit was better then. 2018 sux
2021 lol
You should try 2024.
So much entertainment, mask as news like CNN in 2016 forward
Just curious, but is this guy related to Robert Downey Jr ?
no
His father was the famous Irish tenor, Morton Downey Sr.
@@jamesmiller4184 You may already know this, but his real first name was Sean. He adopted the Jr. moniker in order to capitalize on his father's more famous name.
@@RTSOB1 He also owned the New Orleans Buccaneers of the early ABA.
RON PAUL @ 30sec.
Mr. Downey was an acquaintance of mine and was a kind, generous guy who really cared about regular people. He was raised a neighbor to the Kennedys and became the uncommon voice of the common man. A great singer and storyteller, too. R.I.P., buddy.
How exactly
Bull shit
So true
“Entertainment masked as news”
I can't figure out why Jerry Springer was kepted on And Morton Downey canceled
Different generations/different times. When Jerry started his show, he was a legitimate talk show host then he later became a circus act. It’s extremely similar to Mort because when Mort started, even though he was a loud mouth, he had legitimate guests but towards the end, it was a freak show because real guests would no longer come on.
The "I was attacked by skinheads" incident made him look like a phony.
@@NJGuy1973 I think Mort already looked like a phony because of all the lawsuits against him and the filing bankruptcy. This only made things worse.
Springer is part of the tribe as Ben Shapiro. Downey... wasn't.
Morton Koopa
Morton Downey Jr Show was the aggressive in your face Current Affair.
His show was garbage. I'm glad it was cancelled after only 18 months.
I absolutely LOVED his show!❤️😂😂😂
Me too. I miss him.
Im 50 years old now, but back in the day me and my grandma would talk almost everyday about what was on the Morton Downey jr show. I was in school so I had to set the VCR timer for Mort....and then the Benny Hill Show that immediately aired after it on Channel 19 WXIX in Cincinnati......back when the TV had two dials.
Ffs, leave it to Brian Stelter to just casually say this dumpster fire of a show was the same as Bill O'Reilly. Zzzzzzzz
The late, great Morton Downey Jr. will always be the king of trash television and he knows how to clean and shine it!!
Little Brian Stelter, you are so funny...looking, haha. What are you doing now that CNN has no use for you anymore?
Watched him faithfully 87-89. I knew something different was happening...
Same here. I thought his local show was better.
Death penalty episode, with Patrick Gray
Pioneer
Before there was Mort.....there was Joe Pyne, Wally George, Alan Burke, etc. He didn't originate the style of show.
You can view both Pyne and George's shows but not Burke's.
Neil Rogers
Looks and acts like Shooter McGavin
If I remember right I thought he also has some extreme liberal views as well because I thought he pi*sed ppl off from both sides
Love his show! ☺
Hmmm... sounds more like Jim Acosta, Joe Scarborough, Brian Stelter and Chris Cuomo all rolled into one!
The ONLY reason why Morton Downey Jr. rings a bell to me (I was 5 years old when this show was on the air) is Nintendo. My brother and I got hooked on Super Mario Bros. 3 for NES. In that video game, world #2 was capped off by a final boss. The name of that boss--Morton Koopa Jr. I was, like, "Wait, there's a man named after the koopa?" And that's how I ended up here. Suffice to say, Morton Downey Jr. sounds like an awful SOB. Too bad we're feeling his effects to this day...
He was showing America a very important thing, even if accidentally; our dark side - our ability to turn into a lynch mob with little provocation of the right orator...and that the lynch mob differed from electoral democracy in nothing but the manners/politeness of the latter.
Politics = immoral madness and lynch mobbery...but with manners, and orderly lines, and such.
👍👍👍
Rdj fathee
Disrepectful person.
🤣 well that was the basis of his show.
That shoe was incredible loved it
Twas a fine shoe indeed
Morton spoke his mind. I respected him.
I liked him
We need more like him if we want this humanity saved at all 😂
I absolutely love Morton Downey Jr.! The guy is just such a hottie!
Back then, I cursed and condemned him for his tactics. In retrospect, I can now see that he was justified in what he did. He knew all the potential damage that Leftists could cause if they became too powerful.
he was robert downey jr's dad
No relation at all! He had two daughters. Mort’s father was Morton Downey, an Irish tenor.
More contextualized bullcrap from FNN
@David Curry - You mean the Fox News Channel (FNC).
FAKE NEWS CNN IS HILARIOUS….
LETS GO BRANDON!!!
Conservative? This guy is like a Jerry Springer lol my gosh he’s over the top
Jew
Morton Downey Jr. was way better than anything that CNN ever put out.
I was so blessed to be his friend and his beautiful wife Lori Krebs. He was very different than he was on the show. He was a gentleman who cared about anyone who felt left out or was suffering from feeling just lost and alone. I was extremely depressed and he changed my life. He was so sweet to me like a Father figure. I will miss him forever. But I will see him again when the Good Lord calls me home.
I always thought he was definitely a good person. Never met him but he shared the same first name as my dad: Morton
My dad was and always will be my favorite person and my hero. Peace ✌️ and cheers 🍻 May both Mortons rest In Peace 🙏
@@carriancrow44 I'm just now reading this. Very sweet thing for you to say. I've never met him but ya know what? I Believe your Dad was a good person.
I'm honestly here because I'm watching a new Netflix show, The Watcher and the husband in the movie was reminding me of someone but for the longest time I couldn't think of the name. I JUST thought of the name, Morton Downey Jr and that's him. The actor playing the husband in this show looks sort of like Morton Downey Jr.