The Jerry Springer Show-Wikipedia
The Jerry Springer Show is a television tabloid talk show hosted by Jerry Springer, a former politician, broadcast in the United States and other countries.[1] It is videotaped at the NBC Tower studios of WMAQ-TV in Chicago and is distributed by NBC Universal, although it is not currently broadcast on any NBC-owned stations. It has been broadcasted in syndication during the high morning, afternoon, and late night hours of many TV stations since the early 1990s.
The show is ostensibly a talk show where troubled or dysfunctional families come to discuss their problems before a studio audience so that the audience or host can offer suggestions on what can be done to resolve their situations. In actuality, the show has come to epitomize the so-called "trash TV talk show"[1], as each episode of the show focuses on topics such as adultery, bestiality[2], divorce, homophobia, homosexuality, incest, infidelity, pedophilia, pornography, racism, strange fetishes, or transvestism, which frequently result in fighting between guests. At one point, the show proudly boasted that it was voted the "Worst TV Show Ever" by TV Guide magazine. Currently, the show's slogan is "an hour of your life you'll never get back". The Jerry Springer Show has received widespread criticism and caused many controversies for a variety of reasons including its elements of prurience, foul language and the exploitation of the vulnerable.[3]
On July 15, 2007, it was announced that Springer was picked up by NBC-Universal through the 2009-2010 season.[4
typical episode of Springer begins with a title card warning parents that the show may contain content inappropriate for children. The warning often has sound effects; for example, in Season 17, it can be either a crying clown or a toilet flushing. The warning is followed by the opening sequence, which since the fifteenth season has usually consisted of clips from past Springer episodes. After the opening sequence, the screen cuts to Springer entering the stage, usually being greeted by audience applause and the "Je-rry, Je-rry" chant. Once the audience settles down, he welcomes the viewer to the show, introduces a particular situation, and interviews a guest who is experiencing it. After finishing the interview, Springer announces the entrance of another guest whom the first guest would like to confront. The second guest enters the stage, and a confrontation between the two guests usually occurs, often breaking down into a brawl that is eventually broken up by on-set security personnel. Once the fight is broken up, Springer interviews the second guest about the situation faced by the first guest.
This cycle is repeated about twice for other sets of guests on the show. Once all guests have told their stories, there is a "question and answer" segment where audience members ask guests questions relevant to their situations, although usually their questions come to insult a guest. Finally, Springer ends the show with a segment titled "Final Thought"[5], in which he shares his feelings about the stories he has heard for the day's show. He ends the segment with the concluding statement, "Until next time, take care of yourselves and each other".
Generally, Springer tends to present his program standing up in the stands rather than the main stage. (This is probably to protect himself from the potential violent fights occurring)[5]
Sometimes the show will have a look back at an early episode. These have been rebranded as Classic Springer. These shows are interspersed with commentary from Springer, usually before and after commercial breaks.
The program is taped at the NBC Tower operated by NBC television station WMAQ in Chicago, Illinois. The set for the show has changed twice since its current layout. When the show first started in 1991, it was very bland with white walls and bright colored shapes. Jerry himself also looked like a banker. In 1993 when everything changed (including the format of the show) the studio received a makeover to make it look a bit warmer and more inviting. The stage walls were given projected outward into the audience, making room for a catwalk. In late 2000, the whole set changed again, to its current "industrial" look.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Jerry_Springer_Show
