Springer Hustles for Popularity One Last Time

Springer Hustles for Popularity One Last Time by Roxanne McDonald

As if getting the “Worst Show of all Time” moniker wasn’t enough, the Springer production team brings us behind the most appalling scenes of all of television history.

The producers are actually quite decent when not in full Jerry Springer Show mode—certainly more watchable and even likeable than, say, Becky whatever from “The Agency” or Janice Dickinson.

Then again, these pushers of the first talk show turned infant terrible of the daytime show circuit are kind of like smarmy lawyers and used car salespersons combined—soliciting for the worst behavior, attitudes, and social interactions they can find, prompting the guests to add or enhance already foul

dialogue, and coaching them to keep that negative going!
The gung-ho and gaming team includes Executive Producer Richard Dominick, a kind of hookah-smoking caterpillar who languishes behind a desk more calmly than the sleepy and sluggish PA (producer’s assistant), Crista, who takes five weeks to book one show; and Selina, Annette, Renee, Toby, Nicole, Kerry, and Rachelle. (If I missed a name, I apologize.)

One seasoned producer, Annette, gets on that phone with the aggression of ten cold-calling telemarketers, swearing and threatening and issuing commands about procedures and performances and punctuality.

One producer, Toby, urges the guests to “keep the energy level up, their hands out of their pockets, [and] the smiles off their faces” (ET Online writes).

And another producer is assessing their appearance (not for perfection but for perfect Springer presentability),

commanding them to “pull down your pants a little bit,” “take off that sweater,” and let me see your shoes.”
Coordinating producer Selina, who another producer says is hard-working, driven, and a little neurotic, even, is role-playing to get their hackles up, yelling at them, inciting their wrath, and reinforcing the rightness of their yelling back, starting a fight, even braking things if they have to. For her goal—as she competes to be the best producer of the team–is to produce the best “old-fashioned classic Springer ass-kicking show.” Evidently, she does just that and is quite satisfied with the results of her efforts.

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