Jerry Springer: I owe you a HUGE public apology!

[Aractus]

Jerry Springer was not always such a show as it is now. He was actually a legitimate, decent talk show host. I remember the first show I saw where he had a panel of gay teenagers on the stage, and the discussion I think was in regard to the coming out process and other problems gay people face. Only shortly thereafter did he go the outrageous entertainment route, for reasons which I have never delved into discovering.

Exactly, Springer started out as a talk show and in order to differentiate itself from competitors and pull in the rating he gave the viewers what they wanted. His viewers loved seeing Gordon Parks, for instance, and Jerry had him back over and over - as well as other members of the KKK and then pretty soon his entire show became more and more outrageous.

With that said, Dr Phil started out if we go back far enough on Oprah, but as a show in its own right it deliberately emulated Springer - except that he didn't just target the "outrageous" that Springer targets, he targets the vulnerable and then brings them onto his stage where he can humiliate them publically.