Jerry Springer Thinks His Tabloid Talk Show 'Ruined Culture'

[TMC]

https://www.insider.com/jerry-spring...ulture-2022-11

Four years after his controversial tabloid talk show ended its 27-season run, Jerry Springer is reflecting on the legacy he has left on the world.

On Tuesday's episode of David Yontef's "Behind the Velvet Rope" podcast, the 78-year-old politician turned TV host was asked if he considers himself the "granddad of reality TV," thanks to his eponymous talk show, which aired almost 5,000 episodes between 1991 and its cancellation in 2018.

Springer wasn't keen to accept the title and instead answered: "No, I just apologize. I'm so sorry. What have I done? I've ruined the culture."

He then joked: "I just hope hell isn't that hot because I burn real easy. I'm very light-complected, and that kind of worries me."

Springer added that he considers himself "just a schlub who got lucky," and that making a name for himself in showbusiness was "never a thought in my mind."

The show, which featured guests airing their personal problems in front of a live studio audience, still has people talking to this day, thanks to reruns that air all over the world.

Some of the most memorable and outrageous episodes include a man who was living in marital bliss with his horse, a woman who had sex with 251 men in 10 hours to beat the world's sex record, and a mother and daughter who teamed up to be dominatrixes together.

Of course, over the years, there were plenty of paternity tests, adultery accusations, and altercations between the guests, who were more than happy to send chairs flying in the name of entertainment.

Prior to the talk show, which made him a household name, Springer was mayor of Cincinnati between 1977 and 1978. Explaining how he made the transition from politics to television, he told Yontef on the podcast that it was "pure luck."

The British-born star explained: "After being mayor, I was offered the job to anchor the news for the NBC affiliate in Cincinnati. I did that for 10 years."

"And that was a kind of rational transition and then how the show happened was pure luck," Springer continued.

"The company that owned the station where I did the news owned talk shows. They owned Phil Donahue, Sally Jesse Raphael. Well, Phil was retiring. And so the CEO took me to lunch one day and said, Phil's retiring, we are starting a new talk show. You're the host."

"So I was assigned to it as an employee, and then all of a sudden, the show took off. So I wound up in show business through no thought of my own," Springer said, noting that he doesn't believe he has "any particular showbusiness talent."

[Yong Fang]

Springer for the first year or maybe two was a straight talk show that was in line with other talk shows of the time, like Sally Jessy and Rikki Lake. Then it veered into this disgusting trash television. I never found it entertaining and wonder if the people were not just actors or just bums found in trailer parks and housing projects to play a role for an hour. Obviously it was a formula that worked because this is what he did for 25 years. Maury Povich copied the same disgusting formula. To note, Springer and Maury have something in common (see the Dave Chappelle thread for ideas of what that is).

Springer made his wealth and now he is sorry? Please.

[Sgt. Saunders]

Well, I bet that former “trash tv” host Maury Povich still keeps in close contact with all of the poor, pathetic lost souls who appeared (and were shamelessly exploited) on Mr. Povich’s show.

No doubt, Maury and his charming wife, former CBS news anchor and “60 Minutes” senior correspondent Connie Chung, have many of Maury’s former “Maury” tv show participants as invited guests for a barbecue at their stunning beach house on the beautiful New Jersey shore. And, for old times same, the whimsical Maury probably conducts one of his popular “Who’s the Daddy?” DNA segments from Maury’s beloved reality show.

PS Mrs. Chung-Povich’s former journalistic colleagues, including Dan Rather, Leslie Stahl, Steve Croft and Chris Wallace, must be so proud that Connie’s husband, Maury, has added so much to the level of civility and decency in America today.

[Samme]

Isn't that the intent of crap TV shows like his? To put money in their pockets at the expense of everything else? To say he's sorry after he kept doing it for 27 years means nothing. And plenty of others are carrying on for him. Plus they would all deny it while doing it and not care either. Just like him.

[Dude111]

What a piece of trash that show is!!!!!!!

[Edward216]

Yes the Jerry Springer Show did ruin the culture. Scumbag!

Ed.

[Yong Fang]

Originally Posted by Sgt. Saunders

Well, I bet that former “trash tv” host Maury Povich still keeps in close contact with all of the poor, pathetic lost souls who appeared (and were shamelessly exploited) on Mr. Povich’s show.

No doubt, Maury and his charming wife, former CBS news anchor and “60 Minutes” senior correspondent Connie Chung, have many of Maury’s former “Maury” tv show participants as invited guests for a barbecue at their stunning beach house on the beautiful New Jersey shore. And, for old times same, the whimsical Maury probably conducts one of his popular “Who’s the Daddy?” DNA segments from Maury’s beloved reality show.

PS Mrs. Chung-Povich’s former journalistic colleagues, including Dan Rather, Leslie Stahl, Steve Croft and Chris Wallace, must be so proud that Connie’s husband, Maury, has added so much to the level of civility and decency in America today.

Yeah, Povich could have done better and had a much better show. He is actually a good interviewer. He started as a respectable newsman on television, but drifted off into tabloid television (A Current Affair) and then his disgusting talk show.

I did ask before but wonder if this was scripted, was there any coaching to the "guests" on what to do and how to act? I rarely saw Maury but he and Springer had similar people on, which were low income, poorly educated white trash and ghetto people. There were plenty of these folks right outside their doors. Bring them in, pay them $200 for an hour, and put them back out on the street. You be a TV star honey!

Maury liked doing the "whose the baby" with DNA tests. These were actually sort of funny on the surface but if the people were real it was just sad. The woman doesnt know who the father of her child is, or does (more than likely) but the guy who might be the father denies being the father. Maury did this for years and years.

I and Maury are similar in that we both have Chinese wives. Mine is much better looking but his made a LOT of money. Like him, I could never make a baby with my wife either. So, at least we will never be on a cheesy show doing a DNA test.

As our wives would say in their language, your show was 笨蛋抽粪.

[TMC]

We all know Jerry Springer as the television show where anything goes: guests attack one another and the drama is ramped up to a thousand. But this isn’t what Jerry Springer always used to be. So how did controversial and thoughtful debates turn into screaming matches? Is this what Jerry Springer wanted, and is it as bad as it looks?

[Yong Fang]

I knew about this program, but I ran across "The Steve Wilkos Show" online. Wilkos was more or less the chief of floor and stage security on Springer's show and he is the big bald meathead sitting on the front row.

Actually Wilkos is intelligent and articulate but runs a show just like Springer. The guest he had was this short trailer trash guy who admitted he hits and berates his wife and he is one of those men who wants their woman at home, cooking and cleaning and serving his every need. He says his wife is fat and ugly and calls her this everyday. They also have a year old child together.

Out comes the woman and she is FAT, like 350 pounds of it and towers above the shrimpy male and she starts screaming and cursing him and the security has to be called up to seperate the two and all of that. I still want to know where do these people come from and how do they get them on the show? Especially morons like this who admit to hitting their spouse.

Remember the old Donahue talk show? About 95 percent of the time the show was interesting to fascinating, either talking to a famous person or discussing a present topic of discussion. What happened to that format? Povich could have a Donahue type show. But the public seemingly likes garbage, expolitative garbage of vulnerable people (if these are real people and not a set up which I am not convinced it is not).

[Dude111]

Absolute garbage!!

http://web.archive.org/web/201303230...warf-fight.wmv

WATCH WITH WMP (VLC will also play this)

[GentlemanJim]

Originally Posted by TMC

https://www.insider.com/jerry-spring...ulture-2022-11

I interpret his admission to having "ruined" the culture, as being a sarcastic quip.

The culture found him, not the other way around.

[Dude111]

Has anyone watched the clip yet??

[TMC]