Maury Povich received the Daytime Emmys Lifetime Achievement Honor on Saturday from his wife, journalist Connie Chung.
The 84-year-old talk show host, who retired last year, was honored during the creative arts ceremony at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel in downtown Los Angeles.
“I know that you think he’s been determining the paternity of every child in America all his life," Chung said in her introduction. "But no, in his 67 freaking years in television, he’s been a news reporter and a news anchor and old fashion talk show host interviewing world leaders, politicians, members of Congress, authors, movie stars and even Julia Child.”
Among those paying tribute in videos were Whoopi Goldberg, Kelly Clarkson, Lewis Black, Karamo Brown and sports broadcasters Michael Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser.
Povich took the stage to chants of “Maury, Maury, Maury!” He ended his tabloid-style show last year, which began in 1991. He hosted “A Current Affair” from 1986-90 for then-Fox Television owner Rupert Murdoch.
Povich recalled when “A Current Affair” was nominated for awards during its run.
“Rupert Murdoch used to tell me all that time, ‘Don’t particularly think about that, Maury, we’re more interested in winning viewers than awards,'” Povich said.
Raising his Emmy award in the air, Povich said, “Rupert, the hell with that.”
