Springer, Jerry (1944—)

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Springer, Jerry (1944—)

Jerry Springer has taken the talk show genre to a new level, and placed himself at the helm of a growing public controversy. Banned by placard-carrying ministers who protest outside its Chicago studios, The Jerry Springer Show combines drama and sensationalism that borders on the hilarious. Since its debut in 1991, the show's outrageous style and often perverse topics have either strongly enticed or offended individuals. The show not only allows but encourages brawls between its guests, egged on by Springer's audience of adoring fans, who repeatedly chant, "Jerry, Jerry, Jerry!" Guests are permitted to vent antagonistic emotions that often result in physical fights, quelled at the last minute by clean-cut, beefy bouncers. In addition to his public defense of his show, Springer has also been in the news as the subject of an alleged sex scandal with a porn star and her stepmother (the romping was supposedly caught on tape), both of whom were guests on his show. Springer has also starred in the 1998 film Ringmaster (also the title of his autobiography).

Before becoming a talk show host, Springer, who has a law degree from Northwestern University, had a brief political career as the mayor of Cincinnati in the 1970s and worked as a news anchor-man and commentator in Cincinnati in the 1980s, during which time he won seven Emmys. But when a Chicago station in the 1990s hired him, an anchorwoman promptly resigned in disgust, calling him "the poster child for the worst television has to offer."

Talk shows have served different purposes. They can act as an informal, supportive forum for topics and guests varying in controversy. But with a growing interest people have in hearing titillating, personal, and sometimes shocking details concerning others' lives, formats have swiftly veered towards the sensational. The trend was first started on the Rikki Lake Show (1993), when producers began encouraging confrontations among guests. A success, it spawned imitators, as well as a growing group of those opposed to what has been labeled "trash TV." The Jerry Springer Show took the sensationalism one step further and became the first talk show to include physical confrontation on a regular basis. The show's swift rise in ratings and the popularity of its host have confirmed for many that people find the show entertaining. Critics say people watch the show for the same reasons they would drive slowly by a traffic accident. Because The Jerry Springer Show tends to deal with such outrageous and often hopeless problems, some contend that people viewing it tend to feel better about their own lives.

Guests on the show are often marginalized people who solve their problems through physical conflict. The regularity of the fights on the show have prompted speculation into whether the fights are staged with out-of-work actors. If the fights are genuine, one can imagine the pre-show akin to a cockfight, in which guests are purposely baited against each other. Because of the nature of the show's topics and the often consistent personality traits of its guests, it has come to be known as a humorous "white trash" sensation. Springer says that he encourages guests to be as outrageous as possible, but defends his show against charges of exploitation, stating that his critics are "elitists" who only want to see beautiful or rich people discussing their problems on television. But poverty should not be an excuse for extreme, inappropriate behavior, like mothers sleeping with their 13-year-old daughter's ex-boyfriends (a past show topic). Other topics include a family of strippers, and possibly the most perverse in all of talk show history—bestiality.

Not every topic on the show has shock value, however, the appearance of brawling guests has been consistent. Springer has featured interracial couples facing disapproval from their families, for example. And, at the end of every show, Jerry offers a brief but eloquent epitaph, his "Final Thought," that functions as the show's "moral" thermometer. After an episode on cheating lovers, for example, he counseled viewers that it is unhealthy to pursue someone who does not want you, and to work on raising their self-esteem. Delivered with an authentic smile, he manages to convey that although he will quietly observe the antics onstage, he may really want people to be happy.

Jerry Springer is most certainly an enigma, and a man of contradictions. As the "ringmaster" of his exhibitionist show, he maintains a relatively private life. He often takes pride in his work, stating that it gives a platform to people media "snobs" would rather ignore, but he is often surprised at his own success, dismissing his program as a "circus" and saying, "I don't have any talent." He has been an active voice and fundraiser for various charities. He also has country music aspirations. "It struck me that the subjects of country songs and talk shows are very similar," he said. Springer now has a music CD out, and will tour as his schedule permits. He has even impersonated Elvis.

—Sharon Yablon