A new Netflix documentary goes behind the scenes of what was labelled the worst show of all time but left a lasting impression on television even today. Digital editor Dan Jensen takes a look at Jerry Springer: Fights, Camera, Action.
“JERRY! JERRY! JERRY!”
If you were around in the ’90s, you know that chant. It became synonymous with a show that we couldn’t look away from, no matter how much we knew it was low-brow entertainment. Sceptics thought it was all staged and The Jerry Springer Show was surrounded by controversy, but it also ran for 27 seasons and became the number one talk show in the U.S., even dethroning Oprah Winfrey. The show became a pop cultural icon, but little was really known about what went on backstage.
Jerry Springer: Fights, Camera, Action is a two-part documentary new to Netflix, although why they chose to split it up is anyone’s guess since each episode is under 50 minutes long. Regardless of whether you’re a Springer fan or only have a casual interest in the material, it’s compelling viewing. Learning how the producers manipulated guests into creating chaos is equal parts fascinating and saddening. Even Jerry himself was moulded into a new kind of talk show host. And it was all the brainchild of executive producer Richard Dominick.
Initially, Springer’s show was a dull talk show that offered nothing different to every other of its kind. The topics were bland, as were the guests. In stepped Dominick, who decided it was time to shake things up and revolutionise talk show TV. He put a call out to America for anyone willing to come on the show who had a bizarre story to tell and it didn’t take long before the producers were inundated with calls from people desperate for their 15 minutes of fame.
Dominick’s idea was to make the show so outrageous, that anyone surfing channels would have to stop. And his idea worked. The Jerry Springer Show went from a banal talk show that no one was watching to the most sensational program around. It made viewers believe that Springer was someone famous with the audience chanting his name energetically. Of course, the crazier the content grew, the more it drew detractors and criticism.
In 1998, an episode titled ‘I Married a Horse’ aired but was quickly pulled from broadcasting due to complaints about bestiality. Two years later, after three people appeared on the show in a love triangle, one of the women was murdered by the male involved. A turning point was when members of the KKK appeared in full costume to confront members of the Jewish society, which was the first time full-scale violence erupted on set.
The show drew crowds of placard-waving protesters and the ire of religious groups. But none of the controversy hurt the ratings and instead, more people tuned in to find out what all the fuss was about.
The first half of the documentary leaves the viewer cheering on the show with its underdog story. Seeing how Dominick defied orders and did what he could to push the bar even further is amusing at first. Interviewed are producers Toby Yoshimura, Annette Grundy and Melinda Chait Mele, along with Dominick himself. And none of them hide anything at all. Some of the revelations are quite shocking, particularly when the subject matter grows darker.
Later, in the second episode, more is revealed about how the guests were psychologically manipulated into starting fights and causing a ruckus on camera. It’s also revealed that some guests were blackmailed into completing their episodes so they couldn’t leave prematurely. In the case of the murdered Nancy Campbell-Panitz, her son, Jeffrey, is given the chance to tell his side of the story and details how no one from the show cared about the tragic outcome for his mother. It’s a heartbreaking story but serves to balance the narrative with the good and the bad.
Fights, Camera, Action is a really glossy-looking production. The interviews look gorgeous through some creative camera angles and colourful lighting. At times, the producers re-enact phone calls that were made back in the ’90s which feels out of place since it’s glaringly obvious that those moments aren’t taking place now. It’s an odd choice but isn’t enough to ruin the show.
And at long last, the question as to whether or not the fights were staged is answered. They most certainly were not and seeing the deep regret in the eyes of the producers as to how they coerced guests into violence, it’s not hard to believe them. Yoshimura describes the situation that made him walk away from the show immediately and it’s nothing short of shocking. Even Mele was fired from the show after allowing guests to come on who clearly did try to stage a fight.
Jerry Springer: Fights, Camera, Action is a fascinating glimpse into how the viewing public fell under the spell of sensationalism and how the show spawned so-called trash TV, including many of the reality shows that are lapped up by the public today. Springer passed away in 2023 but his legacy still remains. As reported in The Guardian at the time of his passing, he was ‘the man who changed U.S. television for better and worse’.
Jerry Springer: Fights, Camera, Action is now available to watch on Netflix.
You can follow digital editor Dan Jensen on Bluesky @danjensen.bsky.social or check out his podcast, Dan and Frankie Go To Hollywood. Follow Independent Australia on Bluesky @independentaus.bsky.social and on Facebook HERE.
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