Maury Povich Says That He, Too, Watches Maury Reruns

The longtime host opens up about reruns, retirement, and why the chaos of ‘Maury’ still keeps him coming back.

Maury Povich, the man behind one of daytime TV’s wildest rides, has a confession: he watches reruns of Maury—and not just for nostalgia. “I can’t remember who the father is either,” he admits.

Now 86, Povich revealed this surprising tidbit during the premiere episode of his new podcast, On Par with Maury Povich. His first guest? None other than his wife, veteran journalist Connie Chung.

“I’m happy that the show ended,” Povich told her. “It ended at the right time. But it doesn’t really feel over, because it’s still on TV every single day.”

Chung, 78, pressed him gently: “So you still watch it?”

“Sometimes,” he shrugged. “Just like everyone else… I want to find out who the baby daddy is.”

The Father of a TV Era

For over 30 years, Maury was daytime TV’s lightning rod. With a staggering 5,545 episodes between 1991 and 2022, Povich became famous—or infamous—for delivering paternity test results with phrases like “You are not the father” that turned families into viral moments and memes.

But what was chaos for viewers was catharsis for many guests.

“A lot of the guests came on because they felt they could relieve their burden,” Povich said. “They felt safe with me, like I was someone in their family.”

That trust didn’t come from nowhere. Before Maury, Povich cut his teeth as a serious journalist, hosting A Current Affair and working in Washington, D.C., where he met Chung. The two married in 1984 and share one son, Matthew. Chung, who just released her memoir Connie in 2024, is still one of the most respected Asian-American women to break national news barriers.

But Maury was something else entirely.

“Everyone thinks I just did outrageous talk shows,” he said. “But I brought my storytelling background into it. That’s what made it work.”

“The Tease Is Everything”

During the podcast, Chung brought up her one gripe with seeing clips of Maury on social media. “They stop the story before we find out who the baby daddy is,” she groaned.

“That’s part one,” Povich replied with a grin. “You just gotta wait for part two. That’s the kicker. It’s the tease.”

The couple laughed. But underneath the jokes, there’s a deeper look at how media has changed.

In a world where misinformation spreads like wildfire and political theater often outshines policy, it’s easy to forget that Povich, a former journalist, chose to move toward emotionally charged human drama rather than sensational politics. That stands in stark contrast to figures like Donald Trump, who also found fame on TV—before turning that notoriety into chaos in the White House.

And while Trump weaponized entertainment to divide, Povich used it to connect.

“I didn’t have the opportunity to talk about myself or my feelings,” he said. “Now I finally do.”

From Shock to Self-Reflection

As Povich enters this next chapter—hosting a podcast instead of a paternity circus—he’s taking stock of a long, unexpected career.

He may not remember who the father is in every episode. But he remembers what Maury meant to people.

“It was messy, sure,” he said. “But it was real.”