Highly respected TV talk show host Phil Donahue dies at 88, spawning emotional tributes from casual and famous fans alike. Long before the days of social media, talk show hosts were able to harbor a connection with millions of fans without extra help, becoming a regular presence in so many lives. We, of course, have plenty of great ones who are still monuments of the TV landscape, but it’s always worth looking at the influential few who set the stage for what we consider the modern talk show. No list of the greats would be worth the paper it’s written on without including Phil Donahue. But sad…