Biography & Career Of Maury Povich

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Biography & Career Of Maury Povich

Maury Povich is a former American television personality who hosted one of the most popular and controversial tabloid talk shows in the genre’s history.

For over three decades, he entertained and shocked millions of viewers with his sensational topics, such as paternity tests, lie detector tests, cheating spouses, out-of-control teens, and bizarre phobias.

He also had a distinguished career as a radio and television journalist, covering major news events and interviewing prominent figures. He married Connie Chung, a renowned journalist and former news anchor.

Early Life & Education

Maury Povich, now 85, was born on January 17, 1939, in Washington, D.C., U.S. He is the second of three children of Ethyl (née Friedman) Povich and Shirley Povich, a famed sportswriter for The Washington Post. He has two sisters, Lynn and Susan.

He grew up in a Jewish family and attended the Landon School, a private boys’ school in Bethesda, Maryland.

He graduated in 1957 and studied at the University of Pennsylvania, where he majored in television journalism. He graduated in 1962 with a Bachelor of Science degree.

Personal Life

Maury Povich has been married twice in his life. His first marriage was to Phyllis Minkoff, a fellow journalist, in 1962.

They had two daughters, Susan and Amy, but they divorced in 1979 after 17 years of marriage. His second marriage was to Connie Chung, a journalist and former news anchor, in 1984.

They have one son, Matthew, who they adopted in 1995. Maury and Connie have been married for 39 years and are still going strong. They live in New York City and have homes in Montana and Maryland.

Career

Maury Povich began his career as a radio reporter in 1962, working for WWDC, a station in Washington, D.C.

He then moved to television, working as a news anchor for WTTG-TV, the Metromedia station in Washington.

He later worked for stations in Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Philadelphia, covering major news events such as the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., the Watergate scandal, and the Iran hostage crisis. He interviewed celebrities such as Muhammad Ali, John Lennon, and Jane Fonda.

In 1986, he got his talk show, The Maury Povich Show, syndicated nationally by Paramount Domestic Television. The show focused on current affairs, social issues, and human interest stories.

It was renamed Maury in 1995 and became more sensational and provocative, featuring topics such as paternity tests, lie detector tests, cheating spouses, out-of-control teens, and bizarre phobias.

The show was known for its dramatic reveals, such as “You are not the father!” or “You are the father!” The show was also criticized for exploiting its guests and promoting stereotypes and violence. The show ran for 31 seasons and ended in 2022, making it one of the longest-running talk shows in television history.

Besides his talk show, Maury Povich also hosted other shows, such as A Current Affair, a newsmagazine show that ran from 1986 to 1990 and from 1998 to 1999; Twenty-One, a revival of the quiz show that ran from 2000 to 2001; and Weekends with Maury and Connie, a weekend news show that he co-hosted with his wife Connie Chung from 2006 to 2007.

He also appeared as himself in several movies and TV shows, such as How I Met Your Mother, Madea’s Big Happy Family, and The Simpsons.

Net Worth

According to sources, Maury Povich has a net worth of $60 million.

He earned most of his wealth from his talk show, which reportedly paid him $14 million yearly at its peak. He also earned money from his other shows, endorsements, and investments.

Controversy

Maury Povich has faced controversies and lawsuits throughout his career, mostly related to his talk show. Some of the controversies and lawsuits are:

In 1998, he was sued by two women who claimed that they were tricked into appearing on his show and subjected to humiliation and harassment.

They said that they were promised a makeover and a reunion with their long-lost relatives, but instead, they were confronted with accusations of being prostitutes and drug addicts.

They also said they were coerced into signing release forms and prevented from leaving the studio. The lawsuit was settled out of court for an undisclosed amount.

In 2007, he was sued by a man who claimed that he was falsely accused of being the father of a child on his show. He said that he agreed to take a paternity test to prove his innocence, but the show tampered with the results and announced that he was the father.

He also said that he suffered emotional distress and damage to his reputation. A judge dismissed the lawsuit and ruled that the First Amendment protected the show.

In 2015, he was sued by a woman who claimed that a producer of his show raped her. She said that she was invited to appear on his show to discuss her relationship with her boyfriend, but instead, she was taken to a hotel room and sexually assaulted by the producer.

She also said that she was threatened and intimidated by the show’s staff. The lawsuit was settled out of court for an undisclosed amount.