Jerry Springer: My Trashy Talk Show Introduced Gay + Trans People to the World
—Jerry Springer, insisting there was some merit to watching “grown” men and women throw tantrums on national television [via]
Phil Donahue was regularly doing serious and dignified programming dealing with gay issues back in the 70s and it was nothing at all like the cheap, sensationalist exploitation of vulnerable gay people as found on the Jerry Springer freak show.
· Flag
It’s not like anyone forced their asses on the show. Let’s keep that in mind. It takes a special kind of snowflake to willingly humiliate yourself on Jerry Springer, and there never was a shortage of folks willing to do so, LGBT or het.
THEY kept HIM in business. Let’s blame the right people, shall we? Jerry provided the platform for all the imbeciles everywhere around the country who wanted their fifteen minutes of fame.
· Flag
@jason: I actually noticed that too but I think in general the men are booed and the women cheered like when a woman accuses some guy of being her baby daddy and he says no everyone starts booing him for example. It’s a pretty sexist programme actually Jerry has said that men on his shows are not allowed to hit women but the women are and do that every single episode.
· Flag
@jason: I actually noticed that too but I think in general the men are booed and the women cheered like when a woman accuses some guy of being her baby daddy and he says no everyone starts booing him for example. It’s a pretty sexist programme actually, Jerry has said that men on his shows are not allowed to hit women but the women are and do that every single episode. Has anyone noticed that as soon as the men come out from behind the door everyone starts booing them even though none of the woman’s accusations have been proven.
· Flag
@Tori:
I realize that. But the GLBT folk who appeared on his show are the ones who bear the blame, not Jerry Springer. They were dumb enough to sign on the dotted line and bring their trashy drama to television. THEY are the ones who perpetuated the worst stereotypes, Springer just gave them an avenue to do so.
Remember, he wouldn’t have had a show if idiots didn’t watch it or clamor to appear on it. Jerry fully acknowledges in that quote that his show was about “entertainment”, not hard-hitting social commentary. And America, including GLBT America, was more than happy to be on that show, watch that show, and keep it on the air for those many years.
The only people to blame are the ones who appeared.
· Flag
I am not convinced that the participants on his program are who they are purported to be (whether gay, transsexual, dating their daughter’s boyfriend, etc.) but have always suspected they are actors. If you pay close attention to the precise words used by Springer to describe the program (not only here but historically), it is clear that he views it not as an actual talk show but as “entertainment” – a parody of a talk show.
I’ve inferred (this is my personal opinion, clearly others’ interpretations may vary) that he had viewed with subtle contempt anyone who views the program believing it to be genuine.
The etiologies of gender variance (gay and transsexual) are explained intelligently and without bias in innumerable scientific studies and reputable television documentaries (such as PBS’ Nova) which are available for free on the web. However, many prefer not to educate themselves, but rather to base their opinions on the more visible source such as Mr. Springer’s program.
It is truly a sad career turn. As a youth, Mr. Springer worked on President Kennedy’s campaign. He ran for Congress at age 27 (earning an impressive 45% of the vote in a rock solid Republican District) and served as mayor of Cincinnati.
Somewhere along the line he decided to sell out. I suspect that it is only now, at age 66, that he has looked back upon his life and understands how much his exploitation has hurt the LGBT community. Rather than accept responsibility for his acts, he has apparently decided to crown himself as a social progressive.
Despite his material success, this man’s life is a tragedy. Consider how much positive influence a man with a television talk show could have had if he’d chosen to exercise that power wisely, rather than waste it.
· Flag
Jerry Springer is a goose whose show contributed to discrimination against gay and bisexual men. Whenever he had gay or bisexual men on the show, the audience was encouraged to boo. When he had lesbians or bisexual women on the show, the audience was encouraged to cheer. This says everything you need to know about this piece of liberal diarrhea.
Jerry, you’re a sack of shit.