Jerry Springer Says His Talk Show 'The Jerry Springer Show' Teaches Valuable Lessons

[Brian Damage]

Jerry Springer has suggested that his chatshow has helped society to become more tolerant.

Speaking to The Daily Telegraph, the host explained that people are less judgemental now.

"The first year we did the show it was on interracial dating and there were protesters outside the studio [shouting], 'How could you?'" he said. "This was 1991, and now less than 20 years later we have a president who's the product of an interracial marriage, which shows you how much society has changed."

He continued: "Even though The Springer Show has no social merit other than as entertainment, as a byproduct of it we've become much more progressive, much more open. People are not surprised by interracial dating or gays or transgender people. I kind of like that."

Springer also dismissed claims that the program has had a detrimental effect on people's behaviour.

"Shouting existed before we were on the air," he said. "We had everything before television and even worse - a Holocaust, discrimination, lynchings and burning buildings. So the notion that, 'Oh my God, people suddenly started misbehaving while watching our show' missed the 20th century."

He added: "Now, do I think that some of the stuff these people do to each other is inappropriate? Sure. Do I lose sleep over someone losing a girlfriend and someone dating somebody else? No."

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