NEW YORK — Maury Povich has the chills.
Though a star in his own right and a talk show icon to generations of daytime TV viewers, Povich doesn't view himself as a celebrity. But since launching his "On Par" podcast in 2025, he's realizing just how many people "Maury" the show (and Maury the man) impacted.
"What surprised me more than anything else was that so many people knew who I was. I never realized that," Povich, 86, tells USA TODAY. "I would interview hip-hop artists, and the next thing I know, I'm in their lyrics. I interviewed actors who watch the show, athletes who watch the show in the clubhouse and won't come to practice 'til they find out who the father is."
On this particular day, Povich is pinching himself after a run-in with an unexpected fan: hip-hop mogul 50 Cent.
"I'm walking down the aisle, and all of a sudden this guy wants to give me a big hug. It's 50 Cent, and I'm going, 'Are you kidding?'," Povich says. "I just never believed that my name or my personality extended so far."
