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Joni Lamb

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Joni Lamb
Born
Joni Trammell

(1960-07-19)July 19, 1960
Colleyville, Texas, U.S.
DiedMay 7, 2026(2026-05-07) (aged 65)
Bedford, Texas, U.S.
Spouses
​
​
(m. 1982; died 2021)​
Doug Weiss
​
(m. 2023)​
Children3
ChurchChristianity (Pentecostal)
Congregations served
Co-founder of Daystar Television Network
Offices held
President of Daystar Network

Joni Lamb (née Trammell; July 19, 1960 – May 7, 2026) was an American Christian broadcaster who was the co-founder, president, and executive producer of the Daystar Television Network. She began to be involved in Christian television starting in the mid-1980s, and became known for her work with her first husband, Marcus Lamb, with Daystar.

Early life

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Joni Trammell was born in Colleyville, Texas, on July 19, 1960,[1][2][3] and grew up in Greenville, South Carolina.[4] Her family were members of the Tremont Avenue Church of God where Marcus Lamb ministered as a visiting preacher during a revival.[4] They met at her home church and married two years later in 1982.[5] They traveled for the next few years, visiting churches as evangelists.[6]

Career

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In 1984, Joni and Marcus Lamb settled in Montgomery, Alabama, where they purchased a full power television station and began teaching the Bible on broadcast television the following year on WMCF-TV, called 45 Alive.[7] That continued until they sold the station 1990. They moved to Dallas, starting a station in a larger Texas market. In 1993, they had raised enough money to purchase the defunct station KMPX-TV 29.[7][6][8][9] Five years later, the station was renamed Daystar Television Network.[7][10]

Joni Table Talk

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Lamb hosted her self-titled half-hour program Joni Table Talk (initially titled Joni) each weekday on Daystar.[11] The format of the show was typically a round table discussion with other ministers, singers, and celebrities discussing a wide range of topics which combined contemporary cultural issues and the Christian faith. In 2004, the show was given an award as the Best Television Talk Show by the National Religious Broadcasters.[12][13]

Ministry Now!

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Lamb co-hosted the Daystar flagship program Ministry Now! (previously called Marcus and Joni and initially titled Celebration).[9] The hour-long program was broadcast five days a week on Daystar. Joni's children shared host duties and discussed news related to the network, ministry, and topics of interest to Christians with a daily guest or personalities.[9] Joni and her daughters performed sometimes with the Daystar Singers during the Daystar program.[13][14]

On-air comments

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Lamb generated controversy for some on-air comments during her career. She said, "thousands" of people "have come out of homosexuality" and "may be (among) the most discriminated people in the world today." She said homosexuality is "ungodly" and "God cannot bless you and you cannot fulfill your destiny while you are operating within the realm of homosexuality."[15]

In 2012, Lamb said, "if you live in America and you understand that we are a Christian society then you can't be offended [by people's right to free speech], or you shouldn't live here."[16] She spoke on her television program about being against vaccinations and spoke out about what she believed was voter fraud during the 2020 presidential election.[17]

In 2024, Lamb's son Jonathan accused her of covering up a family member's alleged sexual assault of Jonathan's then-5-year-old daughter. Joni fired her son from Daystar Network days before the allegations became public.[18] Afterwards, her relationship with her son became strained.[19]

Personal life and death

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Joni and Marcus Lamb had three children: Jonathan Lamb, Rachel Lamb Brown, and Rebecca Lamb Weiss.[20][21][22] In 2010, Marcus admitted to having an extramarital affair.[23] In 2021, he died from complications of COVID-19, at age 64.[24][19] Her son Jonathan worked in leadership roles at Daystar and his wife, Suzy Lamb, also worked in Christian media.[5]

On June 10, 2023, Joni Lamb married Doug Weiss.[25] Weiss is a television co-host, author, and psychologist[26] and he became Joni's co-host on Daystar.[27] At the time of her death, Lamb owned four houses in Texas, a home in Georgia and a beach condominium in Miramar Beach, Florida.[28] Weiss was previously married and ended his marriage in order to be with Lamb.[29] At the time of her death, her net worth was estimated at $40 million.[5]

Lamb died from complications of a back injury at her home in Bedford, Texas, on May 7, 2026.[21][22][20] At the time of her death, she had also been experiencing several health issues that were aggravated by her back injury.[30]

References

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  1. ^ "Joni Lamb, Daystar president and founder, dies at 65". The Christian Post. May 7, 2026. Retrieved May 7, 2026.
  2. ^ "New Daystar Lawsuit Accuses Joni Lamb's Father of Sexual Harassment". Christian Post. February 20, 2011. Retrieved May 7, 2026.
  3. ^ Watts, Marina (May 8, 2026). "Joni Lamb, Christian broadcaster and founder of Daystar Television, dies at 65". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved May 9, 2026.
  4. ^ a b "Lambs Presented Resolution of Recognition and Appreciation". Faith News. Retrieved May 7, 2026.
  5. ^ a b c "Who was Joni Lamb?". The Economic Times. May 8, 2026. Retrieved May 8, 2026.
  6. ^ a b "About Daystar Television with Marcus Lamb and Joni Lamb". Daystar.com. Retrieved January 16, 2017.
  7. ^ a b c "Founder of one of world's largest Christian TV networks dies at 65". AL.com. May 9, 2026. Retrieved May 8, 2026.
  8. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). www.alrcnewskitchen.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 5, 2010. Retrieved January 17, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  9. ^ a b c "Joni Lamb, Christian broadcaster and Daystar Television Network president, dies at 65". NBC News. May 8, 2026. Retrieved May 9, 2026.
  10. ^ "Daystar - Christian Satellite TV". Archived from the original on August 2, 2012. Retrieved July 26, 2011.
  11. ^ "Joni Lamb, who started of one of the largest Christian TV networks, has died". Associated Press. May 8, 2026. Retrieved May 8, 2026.
  12. ^ "Joni Lamb – Vice President and Co-Founder – Daystar Television". Daystar.com. Retrieved January 16, 2017.
  13. ^ a b "Archived copy" (PDF). www.alrcnewskitchen.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 3, 2010. Retrieved January 17, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  14. ^ "About Daystar Television with Marcus Lamb and Joni Lamb". Daystar.com. Retrieved January 16, 2017.
  15. ^ Browning, Bil (December 14, 2020). "Anti-LGBTQ pastor's church gets $4M in COVID bailout funds. They bought him a private jet". LGBTQ Nation. Retrieved May 10, 2021.
  16. ^ Joni Lamb: If You Don't Like That America Is a Christian Nation, "You Shouldn't Live Here", archived from the original on December 12, 2021, retrieved May 11, 2021
  17. ^ "D-FW Christian TV network reportedly returned $3.9 million PPP loan after investigation into jet purchase". Dallas News. December 17, 2020. Retrieved May 10, 2021.
  18. ^ Palin, Megan. "Family feud erupts at Christian TV network Daystar as fired heir claims family member assaulted young daughter". New York Post. Retrieved December 2, 2024.
  19. ^ a b McBride, Jessica (May 8, 2026). "Joni Lamb, Dr. Doug Weiss Fell in Love Shortly After Her 1st Husband's Death". Men's Journal. Retrieved May 8, 2026.
  20. ^ a b "Daystar President Joni Lamb Passes on to Her Heavenly Home". CBN. May 7, 2026. Retrieved May 7, 2026.
  21. ^ a b "Statement from the Daystar Television Network". daystar.com. Retrieved May 7, 2026.
  22. ^ a b "Joni Lamb, Influential Christian Leader and Daystar Television Network Co-Founder, Dies at 65". My Charisma. May 7, 2026. Retrieved May 7, 2026.
  23. ^ "Exclusive: Texas Televangelist Couple Outraged Extortionists' Demands for 'God's Money'". ABC News. Retrieved May 10, 2021.
  24. ^ Boorstein, Michelle (December 3, 2021). "Marcus Lamb died of COVID-19 after his network discouraged vaccines. But some Christian leaders don't want to talk about it". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
  25. ^ Lamb, Joni (August 12, 2024). How God Miraculously Led Joni Lamb and Doug Weiss Together. Charisma News.
  26. ^ "About Dr Doug Weiss". Heart to Heart Counseling Center. Retrieved May 7, 2026.
  27. ^ Garrison, Greg (May 7, 2026). "Founder of one of world's largest Christian TV networks dies at 65". Al.com. Retrieved May 8, 2026.
  28. ^ "How Did Televangelist Joni Lamb Acquire $11 Million of Residential Property?". Trinity.org. February 20, 2025. Retrieved May 7, 2026.
  29. ^ Sarkar, Rana (May 8, 2026). "Joni Lamb's daughter-in-law says family 'weren't informed' after Daystar founder's death". Economic Times. Retrieved May 8, 2026.
  30. ^ "Joni Lamb's daughter-in-law claims family wasn't told about Daystar TV founder's death: 'I'm angry'". EW. May 9, 2026. Retrieved May 9, 2026.
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