Talk show

[5] This discussion can be in the form of an interview or a simple conversation about important social, political or religious issues and events.

Other radio talk show subjects include Car Talk hosted by NPR and Coast to Coast AM hosted by Art Bell and George Noory which discusses topics of the paranormal, conspiracy theories, and fringe science.

The 1990s in particular saw a spike in the number of "tabloid" talk shows, most of which were short-lived and are now replaced by a more universally appealing "interview" or "lifestyle TV" format.

[citation needed] The current world record for the longest talk show is held by Rabi Lamichhane from Nepal by staying on air for 62 hours from April 11 to 13, 2013 breaking the previous record set by two Ukrainians by airing the show for 52 hours in 2011.

[14] In 2020, the fear of the spread of the coronavirus led to large changes in the operation of talk shows, with many being filmed without live audiences to ensure adherence to the rules of social distancing.

[15][16] The inclusion of a live, participating audience is one of the attributes that contribute to the defining characteristics of talk shows.

[4] Operating without the interaction of viewers created difficult moments and awkward silences to hosts who usually used audience responses to transition conversations.

It is a long-lived program, and as of 2022, it has been broadcast for 47 years and more than 11,000 times, repeatedly winning Guinness World Records.

In Japan, panel shows called tōku bangumi (トーク番組) are very commonplace, accounting for about 30% of daytime and prime-time programming on the four main television stations.

Often, one of the guests will be a gaijin tarento (foreign talent) in order to provide comedy or to comment on matters related to Western culture.

Korean and Taiwanese talk shows have used the panel format similar to Japanese programs and rely on famous celebrities and comedic banter than topics.

Rabi Lamichhane from Nepal previously held the Guinness World Record for longest talk show, continuously broadcasting for 62 hours in April 2013.

In 1999, Speak Up, hosted by Ma Dong, son of the famous Chinese comedian Ma Ji, was born as an early talk show "chatting" about a variety of sharp topics related to people's livelihoods, the state system, and power structures.