The best Black talk show hosts of all time

No such list could exist without the queen of daytime television. Oprah Winfrey is an icon of the genre who rose to fame with her popular talk show, The Oprah Winfrey Show. It aired from 1986 to 2011 and remains the highest-rated daytime talk show in American television history.  

Wendy Williams is a legendary radio and talk show host despite her controversial opinions. She asked the questions we all were thinking and was never afraid of stirring up a little drama. Her acclaimed talk show concluded in 2022 after 13 seasons and over 1,500 episodes. 

In addition to Whoopi Goldberg’s respected career as an actress, the comedian has earned her spot as one of the best Black talk show hosts of all time. Since 2007, The Color Purple star has co-hosted The View, a talk show that debuted in 1997. 

We all know Tyra as one of the world’s first Black supermodels and creator of the popular reality competition show America’s Next Top Model. However, she also has an established career as a host. The Tyra Banks Show ran from 2005 to 2010 and featured several compelling episodes. After its conclusion, Tyra hosted other shows, such as America’s Got Talent and Dancing With The Stars.

Arsenio Hall’s late-night talk show of the same name quickly gained popularity after its premiere in 1989. It had a wide range of guests, from musicians to political figures. Although it concluded in 1994, the actor and comedian returned to host a revival of the show in 2013. 

In 2015, Trevor Noah took over as the host of The Daily Show, another late-night that talks about politics, current events, and some of the world’s biggest social issues in a satirical way. He stepped down as host in 2022, but not before snagging many honors, including an Emmy and an NAACP Image Award.

This actress and comedian has had an extensive career as a talk show host. From hosting The View to co-hosting other jobs, Sherri Shepherd has been the perfect candidate for her own show forever. Now, it's finally here. Since 2022, she's hosted Sherri — a replacement for The Wendy Williams Show. 

You either love her or hate her, but one thing that’s certain: Star Jones is an emblem among Black talk show hosts. She’s known for her time on The View (and her departure when she blindsided the rest of her co-stars on live TV), and other shows like Jones & Jury and hosting reality TV reunions like Bad Girls Club. 

Many may recognize Tamron Hall from her time on The Today Show; however, since 2019, she’s hosted her self-titled talk show on ABC. Since the premiere, Tamron and her team have won two Emmys for Outstanding Informative Talk Show Host. 

Robin Roberts is no rookie when it comes to hosting entertaining television programs. In addition to gigs on ESPN and Good Morning America, Robin is the face of a new show on Disney+, Turning the Tables. It debuted in 2021 and features moving conversations with famous women from all over. 

She acts, raps, produces, and even hosts her own show. The Queen Latifah Show originally hit the air in 1999 and concluded in 2001. In 2013, it returned for another two-year run. 

Former NFL player Michael Strahan has had quite a career in daytime television. He gained tons of popularity as co-host of Live! alongside Kelly Ripa. In 2016, he took a new role on Good Morning America, covering entertainment and current events. Two years later, he joined Sara Haines and Keke Palmer, hosting an entertainment news show on ABC.  

Most people think of Family Feud when they see Steve Harvey. But that’s not his only big-time project. The actor hosted the popular Steve Harvey talk show from 2012 to 2017. It earned several awards, including an Emmy and People’s Choice Award. Since 2022, Harvey has hosted an arbitration-style show — Judge Steve Harvey — on ABC. 

She’s more than an Academy Award winner. Mo’Nique brought her humor to daytime from 2009 to 2011 as host of The Mo’Nique Show on BET. It concluded after two seasons and 250+ episodes. It won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Talk Series in 2010. 

Karamo continues to break barriers. From his time on The Real World to Queer Eye to hosting his own show, he’s certainly an inspiration to many in the Black community. 

Before hosting her show on Peacock, The Amber Ruffin Show, this comedian was a writer for the popular program Late Night with Seth Meyers , becoming the first Black woman to write for a late-night talk show in the US. 

She’s the longest-running host on CBS’ The Talk and has given viewers several hilarious moments — most notable is the hilarious wig pull.