"Suppose a maniac got hold of a talk show. Or need we suppose?" – TheWashington Post.

Turn on any talk show and there's a good chance it features someone acting very angry about something. Of course, that's nothing new, but the animated anger preferred by today's partisan programs can trace its roots directly back to Morton Downey Jr. and his controversial show. 

Running for 19 episodes from 1987 to 1989, Morton Downey Jr. brashly engaged with his guests and audience while "attempting" to "hash out" the most pressing political issues of the time. 

Downey regularly cut off, yelled at, or insulted his guests, with his antagonization often leading to shocking arguments or even physical attacks. The audience also played an active role, participating in conflicts and physically engaging with Downey. 

The show thrived on the false equivalence fallacy (in which conflicting but invalid viewpoints are pitted against one another) and actively encouraged divisive behavior.

Controversy and unremarkable ratings ultimately led to the show's cancellation, but its performative and pandering style left a mark. 

Downey took the show on the road in front of live cult-fan audiences before passing away from lung cancer in 2001 at the age of 68. (He was a lifelong smoker.)

So if you're ever annoyed at the never-ending combative state of modern media, you have this "loudmouth" to thank. 

As David Letterman once said, "We see this every 10 or 12 years. I don't quite understand why everybody's falling over backwards over the guy."