Rolonda

Rolonda (or Ro) was a syndicated daytime talk show that aired from January 17, 1994 to September 1997. It featured Rolonda Watts as the host, and was produced by Watts Works Productions in association with King World Productions (now CBS Television Distribution), and was also distributed by King World.

Background

The program served as a replacement in the majority of the markets carrying the show at launch for The Les Brown Show, a daytime talk show that debuted on September 6, 1993, and which went on hiatus in December 1993 due to low ratings, ending its run on January 14, 1994, the Friday before Rolonda's debut.^[1] Prior to hosting the show, Watts served as a senior correspondent and weekend anchor for the syndicated daytime newsmagazine series Inside Edition, which was also produced by King World (that series is now produced by King World successor CBS Television Distribution).^[2]

The program was like many other talk shows at the time, featuring guests who had problems with other guests, and wanted to bring them on the show to tell them. Usually, Rolanda would try to help them out with their problems. Other topics featured paternity tests, out-of-control teens, and other everyday problems.

Towards the end of her show's run, many topics (and mainly the guests) began to go to the extreme as many fights were breaking out, and Rolanda was not able to keep the show in its order. Rolanda was faced with the claim that this was turning out to be "another Jerry Springer Show", and because of this, among other problems that Watts was facing, she and her producers soon ended the series in September 1997.

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