Jerry Springer, the iconic host of The Jerry Springer Show, passed away after a brief illness at the age of 79. The talk show host rose to fame with his controversial program that ran for 27 years. Although Springer was known for his outrageous guests and dramatic confrontations, he once called his show “stupid” and regretted the effect he thought it had on American culture.
Springer’s journey to becoming the king of daytime talk shows was not an easy one. After running for Ohio governor in 1982, Springer tried his hand at commentary and eventually landed his own show. But it wasn’t what he intended it to be. “When we started, we were a serious show,” Springer said. “But then all of a sudden, it started going crazy. And when Universal bought us, they said, ‘From now on, only crazy.'”Despite the show’s immense success, Springer had his doubts. “No one’s watching because of me,” Springer said. “They’re watching because the stories are crazy and the people are outrageous.” Springer even went as far as to say that he “ruined the culture” with his show.
JERRY SPRINGER THE CONTROVERSIAL KING
The show’s content was often criticized for its lack of morals and ethics, with guests like a Ku Klux Klan member, a mole person, and a man who married a horse. But Springer was adamant about having no censorship. “If I can do a show where I’m okay that neo-Nazis are on, then what am I going to say no to?” he said.
While the show brought fame and fortune, it also brought its fair share of challenges. Springer once had a neo-Nazi guest on his show, which resulted in an emotional outburst from the host. “I kind of lost it,” Springer said. “I’d lost my family in the Holocaust, so when he started talking about turning my mother into a lampshade or something, I lost it.”
Jerry Springer’s legacy will be forever associated with his eponymous show. While he may have regretted the impact it had on American culture, there’s no denying that it left an indelible mark on the talk show genre.
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