Forsaking a much mulled over return to politics in Ohio, Jerry Springer, the man not the opera, has signed a lucrative new multiyear deal to continue hosting his three-ring TV tabloid talk show, where confrontation is the currency and shame is unknown.
Spinger's syndicator, NBC Universal Domestic Television Distribution, also announced that The Jerry Springer Show, currently in its 15th season, has been renewed in more than 85% of the country through the 2006-07 season, including 45 of the top 50 markets, on station groups owned by Tribune, Sinclair, Fox, Granite, Hearst-Argyle, Raycom, Emmis, Lin and Clear Channel.
Springer himself, a liberal Democrat and sophisticated former whiz kid who in recent years seriously considered running for both the U.S. Senate from Ohio, and for the Ohio governor's chair, has decided that the bucks and yuks of bottom-feeding showbiz beats the nuts and bolts of real-life politics any day of the week.
Here's the synopsis of today's show:
Tara has waited for the right time to reveal a secret to her boyfriend, Chris. Sparks fly when Tara tells Chris that she is really a man! Then...Joey is sick of his lazy girlfriend, Martha, and is here to tell her that he has been cheating on her with Jeanne, a neighborhood friend. Martha and Jeanne both profess their undying love for Joey and put him on the spot to make a tough decision. Next...Tara suspects that her boyfriend, Tye, is cheating on her. Tara wants to confront him and the "other woman," Amanda.
"I truly enjoy doing it, people seem to enjoy watching it," Springer said of his show in a statement.
All that enjoyment and he gets paid too. Not bad for a guy who resigned from Cincinnati City Council at the age of 30 when a personal check of his turned up in a police prostitution raid. (In fairness, he ran again for city council and won, then became mayor in 1977.) I know that story is as old as brontosaurus turds, but it cracks me up every single time, and rather aptly foretold his showbiz life to come.
"JER-RY JER-RY JER-RY"
Article comments
1 - Michael J. West
God, if it gets him off Air America, I'll welcome the new season with open arms.
2 - Dave Nalle
He's way less irritating than most of the hosts on AAR.
Dave
3 - Michael J. West
That's because he's too BORING to be irritating! The man couldn't do listenable radio if he was the only guy on the air. Marc Maron was honestly the only one with any ability on AAR and he's gone.
But anyway, point is, Springer's lousy on the radio, and maybe if his political aspirations are behind him he'll get off the mike, too.
4 - Sister Ray
According to an interview in Vanity Fair, the radio show is his main interest now. The TV show takes up less of his time.
I've not heard the radio show, so I can't comment on it.
5 - Eric Olsen
have to agree he's pretty much dull as dirt on the radio, have lsitened to parts of several shows and he doesnt' seem to have a feel for it. His voice isn't good for radio either.