The Jerry Springer Show is an American talk show hosted by Jerry Springer in which 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.
The show has come to epitomize the so-called "trash TV talk show", as each episode of the show focuses on topics such as adultery, bestiality, divorce, homophobia, homosexuality, incest, infidelity, paedophilia, pornography, racism, strange fetishes, or transvestism and continues to take pride in its infamous image.
The series premiered in the USA in first-run syndication on 30 September, 1991.
The Jerry Springer Show began airing in South Africa on M-Net and later moved to DStv's M-Net Series channel.
Synopsis
Broadcast from Chicago, the Jerry Show first launched in 1991 and has been signed to syndication until 2009/2010.
Hosted by ex-lawyer and politician Jerry Springer, each episode features society's misfits sharing their relationship problems and worst secrets with Jerry and a live, chanting studio audience.
Jerry's guests confront people in their lives they have issues with, try to resolve them through verbal and physical abuse and the audience gets involved by passing judgement on them.
To help control both the guests and the audience Jerry has security guy Steve who, together with a group of bodyguards, has become an important part of the show.
Each show ends with "Jerry's Final Thought" in which Jerry spends approximately 30 seconds, sitting on a stool, telling viewers how they can be better people.