Paternity Ward

"The one thing I haven't done that I want to do -- and we will do -- is I want to take this theme show on the road," he says. "And I want to go to a college campus."

Not a nearby New York campus?

"I'm talking about the University of Maryland," he says. "I'm talking about Cole Field House. I'm telling you, I know I could pack 5,000 at a college."

Faulhaber cuts in: "It's the youngest-skewing daytime talk show on television."

Although the far lower-rated "Tyra Banks Show" has a slightly younger median viewer age, Povich's median age of 40.8 is by far the youngest of the top four shows (the next youngest is that of "Oprah," with 52.1).

Povich shakes his head amusedly. "There's no way I thought I could be doing this at 60," he says. "And to be doing it at almost 70 -- it's ridiculous!" (Earlier this year, he increased his workload by inaugurating a new MSNBC show, "Weekends With Maury and Connie," with his wife, Connie Chung.)

All this reflection leads him to a story about a golf game with CBS golf analyst Gary McCord.

"He always likes to get in my head," the host says. "He's a gamesman. . . . One day recently he said, 'You know, Povich, I've watched your show. I wouldn't do your show for 5 million dollars a year.'

"I said, 'Neither would I.' "

Test of Their Love

On this day, the show's last segment features a sweet-faced young woman. "Everyone, this is Rebecca," Povich says. "If you wonder why she looks upset, it's because her husband, Sean -- the love of her life, by the way -- is convinced she's been cheating on him."

They have a year-old child named Alexis and continue to live together, but Sean refuses to believe the baby is his.

The two don't spar verbally, but the tension is evident. After Sean comes to the stage, Rebecca reaches out to rest her hand on his knee.

Rather quickly, Povich reaches for the envelope.

"When it comes to 1-year-old Alexis, Sean, you are the father."

But because Sean believes Rebecca's been cheating, there are more results -- she's taken a lie-detector test.

After a tense few moments, Povich announces that the test indicates Rebecca has been telling the truth: Not only has she not had sexual intercourse with any other men since she and Sean have been together, but she's also had no sexual contact with anybody else.

Rebecca, cleared of all charges, is emotional. Povich says, "Sean, if I were you -- "

Sean knows what to do: He drops to his knees, bends over and kisses her shoe. She takes in her vindication; their home life has been restored with the flash of an envelope. The audience applauds warmly.

At "The Maury Show," as elsewhere, everybody loves a happy ending.