This episode we got up close and personal with the king of trash…Jerry Springer. Despite finding the tacky niche, he was so much more than that. In fact his past included political moments as mayor and working with Robert Kennedy during the time of his assassination.
After covering past mistakes, they both went on to discuss the discrimination of gays in politics. It isn’t new that political parties (more often the Republican Party) hammer on a group of people either due to their skin color, heritage, and gender or even for being born in a way they can’t understand. Jerry pointed out that the world would be better if there was “One thing we should teach our children and I don’t know why we can’t all agree on this. You never, ever, judge anybody based on what they are. You only judge people based on what they do. If we would use that philosophy, we’d never discriminate.” Sadly some people still think of homosexuality as a choice. It isn’t a choice. Trust that God doesn’t make mistakes. Be open to learning and stop persecuting people for being different. I am just curious….how long did it take to convince people that the world wasn’t flat?
Both Jerry and Rosie shared in the experience of being on “Who Do You Think You Are?”…an incredible show that looks into the genealogy of a guest and focuses on a story within it. In Jerry’s episode it looked back at his family and the atrocities of the Holocaust during World War II. We watched as jerry got choked up as he talked about the story of how his mother and father were one of the last to get out before the curtain came down.
The interview went on to focus on family. Glowing about being a grandfather, he told Rosie that one day she’d understand. “It’s love with no cost.” Sometimes I think being a grandparent is the reward you receive from raising a child…the harvest of good work.
Soon we got to his Dancing With the Stars stint. Encouraged by his family, he didn’t think he would last long. In fact, it appears no one did. The morning of the first show, his hotel rang his room asking what time he’d be checking out. Clearly it was a mistake, but he took his luggage to the show to make a point. His goal was to learn to Waltz in order to dance with his daughter at her wedding. His daughter, Katie, was born legally blind and deaf in one ear yet nothing held her back….just as father expected.
Beginning as a NBC news anchor following being the mayor, he began his final thoughts following his report. Later this is where his show got the idea. With Phil Donahue coming into retirement, he was basically given the job to fill his shoes. The only problem….Jerry didn’t really want it. He enjoyed the news. So they let him do both. Eventually exhausted, he dropped the news. As such a kind, compassionate and intelligent man it is sad to see all of that wasted on “The Jerry Springer Show.” Admitting that he wouldn’t watch the show himself, Rosie expressed her irritation at the lowbrow entertainment. He went on to explain how the show evolved.
He reminded us that without exception, each show is a “morality play”. The bad guy gets booed, the good guy gets cheered and in the end the bad guy loses. He would argue that the audience strives to NOT be like them. Yea…still not my thing. He then told us about his new dating show, Baggage, that reveals personal baggage. At the end of the show, the person choosing reveals their baggage. Putting it all there!
Before the interview closed Jerry gave a gift to Rosie….in the form of The Price Is Right. Despite the original show NOT choosing Rosie (big mistake but grateful because it opened other doors), Jerry let her know that her dreams could still come true. He hosted five weeks of it at Bally’s in Las Vegas. The have a regular guy, but use guest hosts a lot. I can already see it….Rosie’s name in the neon lights of Vegas.