The Jerry Springer Show

The Jerry Springer Show is the long-running tabloid talk show hosted by the eponymous former mayor of Ohio. When the series began in 1991 it adhered to a fairly standard daytime talk show format, focusing on political discussion with guests such as Oliver North and Jesse Jackson. In 1994, Springer and his production crew began seeing the correlation between their more shocking, provocative concepts and the show's positive ratings. In an effort to cultivate that audience, the show evolved to focus entirely on taboo subjects and putting guests in confrontational situations. Each episode had a particular focus, such as closeted homosexuality, racism, infidelity between couples and friends, and other dramatic subjects. When the first fist fight broke out between guests in 1993, The Jerry Springer Show received a huge ratings boost. This prompted the show's producers to encourage a degree of violence between guests. Large, uniformed security men became regulars on the set, reminding the audience of the imminent possibility of a fight while keeping the guests safe from injuring each other. The Jerry Springer Show became the highest-rated talk show of its time, and is currently broadcast across the nation and in many foreign countries. MORE