A Pap Smear Helped Sally Jessy Raphael Pick Her Signature Eyeglasses

Sally Jessy Raphael’s red eyeglasses are one of the most iconic, recognizable trademarks in daytime television history. While Raphael hasn’t been on the air in years, an image of her with her signature red frames is burned into the minds of TV watchers everywhere. More than just eyewear, they became part of her persona. The signature look happened by accident, though. They weren’t an active choice; instead, they were a symbol of Raphael’s frugality that just stuck. The original red frames were part of a promotion that a salesperson even tried to talk Sally Jessy Raphael out of.

How did Sally Jessy Raphael pick her red eyeglasses?

In the early 1980s, Sally Jess Raphael was trying to make moves in her broadcasting career. A lot was holding her back. Women were not taken nearly as seriously as men in the field at the time, and they had to work twice as hard to get any momentum. Raphael was also battling bad eyesight. The former talk show host once revealed that she could barely see the teleprompter some days, so she knew it was time to get glasses.

Making little money in her gig as a newscaster, Raphael looked for a deal and found one. She says she saw a promotion that offered a pap smear, an eye exam, and a set of glasses for $20. The deal drew her in, and she had the procedures, but the cheap eyeglasses came with a slight caveat. The only ones included in the promotion had bright red frames. Sally Jessy Raphael told the Television Academy that a salesperson tried to upsell her, insisting she could have different frames if she paid a bit more. She took the red eyeglasses. When she became a household name, they became iconic.  

How long was she on the air?

Sally Jessy Raphael, once a daytime talk show queen, hosted Sally for 19 seasons. The first episode of her show aired in October 1983. In May 2002, she signed off for the very last time, but Raphael wasn’t happy about the cancellation. She has stated, during multiple interviews, that she was ready and willing to continue, hoping to provide jobs for dozens of crew members.

Earlier this year, Raphael opened up to People about the cancellation,and time has not tempered her feelings. The former talk show host told the outlet that a minuscule drop in ratings and a desire for edgier content led to her being pushed out the door when her contract ended. She said she would have never walked away.

During its run, Sally became one of the defining daytime talk shows of the late 1980s and 1990s, alongside Phil Donahue and Oprah Winfrey. Sally was the first nationally syndicated talk show hosted by a woman. Still, time marched on, and audience preferences shifted to more sensationalized content as the series drew to a close. Raphael concedes that type of content was not what she was interested in doing.

Where is she now?

While Sally Jessy Raphael is officially 90 years old, she’s not letting her age slow her down. In her pseudo-retirement years, Raphael continues to travel and is willing to take on work when and if it becomes available to her. She doesn’t shy away from interviews or chats with other celebrities, either. Most recently, the daytime TV pioneer ventured off to Italy with a friend. Her most recent TV credit came last year when she lent her voice to an episode of Everybody Still Hates Chris. When she’s not on TV screens, you can find her keeping fans up-to-date on her life on Instagram.

Raphael is currently living in New York, where she has resided for decades. Still, it’s unclear if she’s still living in the massive equestrian estate in Pawling, New York, that she’s been trying to sell since 2023 or if she’s moved into a smaller, more manageable property while it’s on the market. The 43-room manor comes with 25 acres of land and multiple outbuildings, including a stable and a carriage house. The home, according to Brownstoner, has an extremely rich history, but has yet to garner the attention of a buyer.