About “The Jerry Springer Show” « Reality Television Craze

About “The Jerry Springer Show”

Did you know that this popular tabloid talk show is hosted by a former politician? Well, it is! “The Jerry Springer Show” is usually broadcast during the high morning, afternoon, and late night hours of many syndicated TV stations. This is a show where troubled or dysfunctional families together 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. Each episode of the show focuses on topics such as adultery, bestiality, divorce, homophobia, homosexuality, incest, infidelity, pedophilia, pornography, racism, strange fetishes, or transvestism. This show was even voted the “Worst TV Show Ever” by TV Guide magazine.

NOTE: This show has received widespread criticism and caused many controversies for a variety of reasons including its elements of prurience, foul language and the exploitation of the vulnerable.

~ by onemargaret on August 1, 2008.

Posted in Types of Reality
Tags: Talk Shows

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A Bit of History: “Candid Camera”

"Candid Camera" was a long-running CBS television series, created and produced by Allen Funt, which began on radio as "Candid Microphone" on June 28, 1947. This concept later came to television on August 10, 1948. The show continued on network, syndicated, or cable television as a regular show or a series of specials. Funt hosted or co-hosted almost all TV versions, until he had a stroke in 1993. Ths show involved concealed cameras, filming ordinary people being confronted with unusual situations, sometimes involving trick props, such as a desk with drawers that pop open when one is closed or a car with a hidden extra gas tank. When the joke was revealed, victims were told the show's famous catch phrase, "Smile, you're on Candid Camera." The show also played its hidden camera pranks on celebrities. One fine example is actress, Ann Jillian. Now, Ms. Jillian, who is Lithuanian, was scheduled to make a small donation to a Lithuanian charity. When police officers informed her a con artist was behind the charity, they convinced her to donate a much larger amount with the assurance that he would be arrested when he accepted the check. After the arrest attempt, Ms. Jillian was told the man was running a legitimate charity, a set-up that forced her into acting as though she had intended to donate hundreds of thousands of dollars all along.