She convinced many; she convinced not enough. But for those who watch the clip today, the truth is as visceral as it was forty years ago. When Phil Donahue asked her if she regretted making Deep Throat , she didn't talk about art or money.
In the history of talk television, there are interviews that entertain, and there are interviews that change minds. The is a rare artifact that does both—reminding us that behind every public caricature, there is a private horror waiting to be heard. linda lovelace interview with phil donahue
Lovelace’s response remains one of the most quoted lines from the episode: "Where do you run when you have a gun to your head? Where do you run when you believe that the man you love is going to kill you? You don't. You just stay and pray for death." She convinced many; she convinced not enough
Before Oprah Winfrey reigned supreme, Phil Donahue was the king of daytime. His show, Donahue , was a chaotic, vital forum where the audience was as much a part of the show as the guests. Donahue was different from his contemporaries; he didn't just lecture, he listened, often running through the audience with a wireless microphone, fielding questions that were by turns empathetic, aggressive, and deeply personal. In the history of talk television, there are
When you watch, pay attention to the physical space between Lovelace and Donahue. He keeps a respectful distance, yet she shrinks into the chair. Pay attention to the applause at the beginning—loud and curious—versus the applause at the end—sparse and uncomfortable.