I’m somewhat torn about this. Haven’t watched it for years but at one time it was a guilty pleasure of mine. At the same time you’d be appalled and yet fixated. I’d like to say the world has moved on but only in the sense that all the shit has moved to Youtube.
Aww they couldn’t have waited a week to announce this on the 25th anniversary of GG Allin’s death? I think he was the most recent guest with an interesting backstory.
I remember a story on NPR a few years ago about what a waste Springer’s life ended up being. He was smart, compassionate, and well-spoken. He threw it all away.
Why did he continue doing this show after he made enough money to quit? Did it only film a couple months a year or something? Seems like he would have left it to go do other stuff.
I am still holding out hope for a Survivor: Jerry Springer
The Anorexic
The Teen Mom
The Prostitute
The 600 lb 19 yr old
The Woman who dresses like a Drag Queen
The Furry
The Completely Covered by Tattoo guy
The Love Triangle
The Steroid and HGH addict
etc. etc.
Maybe he was SO smart he realized he’d never actually make more money doing anything of real importance That’s a pretty reasonable explanation.*** Easy*** money is a surprisingly powerful antidote to ambition. He wouldn’t be the first.
Personally, I ordered his “Too Hot for TV!” tape (a VHS) off a TV ad around 1995. My bank called a day or so later, thinking it had been fraud! That’s the last time I ordered something using the phone and a number from a TV ad, and the last time I bought a VHS tape for any reason.
I met Jerry Springer when my band did America’s Got Talent a few years back. He LOVED us and was disappointed that we were not only voted off instantly but treated badly. (It’s a long story.) He went offstage with us and shook all our hands and said, kinda wistfully, that he really enjoyed our performance, he thought we were great. He was very sweet and gentle and not at all like what I thought of him from TV.
FTR, Piers Morgan is an asshole. Just in case you didn’t know.
My Jerry Springer connection: When I first moved to Chicago, I was doing some late-night grocery shopping at the Dominicks at Cumberland and Higgins. I passed this big bald guy a few times in different aisles. I knew I knew him from somewhere but couldn’t place him. I looked at him, he looked at me, which made me think he was someone I knew and that we were both trying to place each other. But as I was walking out to my car, it dawned on me that it was Steve, Jerry’s security dude.
And add me to the list of people surprised Jerry was still on the air.
I never watched daytime TV and was in a doctor’s waiting room once when it came on, and all hell broke loose. I looked around at the other patients and no one seemed alarmed, while I was totally frightened at the brawling going on. I asked a co-worker about it when I got back to the office and he laughed his ass off at me.