Jerry Springer documentary exposes jaw-dropping secrets behind TV show that ruined American culture

It’s the chant that’s lived on for decades: “Jer-ry! Jer-ry! Jer-ry!” While some may find it nostalgic, others might not think so highly of the notion. With the upcoming documentary “Jerry Springer: Fights, Camera, Action” set to premiere next month, fans will get a “jaw-dropping” glance at what was really going on behind the scenes of one of the most controversial television shows in pop culture history. In the newly released trailer for the two-part Netflix documentary, viewers get a glimpse of the drama that unfolded on and off camera and some of the darkest secrets that embodied crew members, producers, former guests and even Jerry Springer himself. “I don’t think anybody knew how crazy this show was going to be,” former producer Toby Yoshimura admits in the trailer. “The Jerry Springer Show” launched on Sept.30, 1991, and ran for 27 seasons.

The last episode aired on July 26, 2018. “I want to take this opportunity to apologize for everything I’ve ever done,” Springer, who died in 2023 from a brief battle with pancreatic cancer, says in a resurfaced clip from the trailer.“I have ruined the culture.”Initially, the program started off as a daytime talk show.

However, given the poor ratings, producers were quick to flip the script. “All I had to do was convince him, ‘Let’s make it wild,'” Richard Dominick, a former executive producer, says in the trailer. From onstage brawls to shocking reveals, the show rapidly became “the modern version of the Roman Colosseum,” as one producer describes it. Dubbed as the “King of trash TV,” Springer was determined to “demonstrate outrageousness,” he said.But behind the massive success was a wave of dark secrets and controversies. “The bigger that show got, it raised questions about what really went on backstage,” one voice can be heard saying in the trailer. “The producers were coaching us on what to say and how to act,” a former guest on the show says...