Yea, his death was all over the news when it happened.
I barely remember his show. I remember the attrocious production values and guests that could barely form sentences. Back in the 80's everything was so bland and dry (think Donahue), Morton Downey Jr's show really stood out in comparison.
After watching for a few weeks, you had enough of it though. It became grating and juvenile. I'm not even sure if it lasted more than 2 or 3 years.