"The Jerry Springer Show" is known for its outrageous guests and obscene language, so I figured it would be pretty interesting to see it all go down in person.
Face it, nobody actually enjoys daytime television. Whenever I'm sick, I find myself being entertained by "The Jerry Springer Show.” The ridiculous drama that unfolds for the enjoyment of viewers has always fascinated me. I've always said that I would go see the show, so I finally put my words into action and got three free tickets for my friends and I.
On December 19th around 11:00 a.m., we began our two-hour journey to Stamford, Connecticut. The drive was not nearly as bad as I thought and provided a beautiful view of the New York City skyline. My mind was overwhelmed with questions like "what if were too late?" and "should I ask a question at the end?". I pretty much had no idea what I was in for, and I could not wait to find out.
When we arrived at the studio, we had to join the massive line that went along the side of the building. We were probably behind about a hundred people and not long after, a hundred people were behind us. I don't know why I didn't check the weather in Connecticut before leaving my house, but going with nothing but one jacket was a really big mistake. If you ever plan on taking a trip to Stamford, please check the forecast before you do anything else. Finally, after 45 minutes, we took about three steps forward. It took about 45 more minutes before we reached the front of the line. My excitement to finally be in the warmth was quickly derailed when a member of the crew told us there were no more seats available. He explained to us that if we wanted to wait for the next show, we would be guaranteed entry. We figured that since we had come so far, there was no point in turning around, and agreed to wait for the next show.
About two hours later we returned to the studio and just as promised, we were able to walk right in. The waiting room was completely packed to the point where there weren't any seats available. We waited in this room for about an hour, where they played re-runs of old "Jerry Springer Show" episodes. I stood next to a girl who explained to me that she was actually kicked out of the show for pulling out her phone and was waiting for her friends. This information made me terrified to simply breath while they were filming. After what felt like an entire day of standing in line, everyone was asked to get in one final line so we could enter the room where the show was taped.
The studio was a lot smaller than it appears on television. We were seated rather quickly and since I have terrible luck, I was put right behind a camera. After a crew member played a few games with the audience to keep us entertained, a man explained all the rules to us. He told us that our phones must remain off through the entire show and that the only things we could say during filming was "Aw", "Boo", and cheer when he instructed us to. This was when I started to feel like everything I had seen over the years on the show was not as organic as I had assumed. Not soon after, the man himself, Jerry Springer, came out and told us some jokes before the show.
The first segment was about a woman who cheated on her boyfriend and wanted him back, but the boyfriend had cheated with her best friend. I had known that most of these plots were false, but I felt completely duped when I saw the people on stage constantly laughing when the camera wasn't focused on them. Mid taping, a crew member came down and took someone's phone and quickly ran away. After the segment, the person was given their phone back and was told that they had to leave. This made me very curious as to what the show wanted to hide so bad. The next two segments were just as corny as the first with the people on stage constantly laughing.
If you've ever watched "The Jerry Springer Show,” you know that at the end of the show, audience members get to ask questions to the people on stage. Although I had a question prepared, my friend told me to not ask it. Of course, someone else asked my question and I was very bitter after that. The taping only lasted about an hour, but I can honestly say that was one of the best hours of my life.
Although most of "The Jerry Springer Show" is completely false and there is A LOT of waiting, but I am already eager to return. It is important to keep in mind that the tickets are free, and although it might not be what you see on television, it is still hilarious to watch people throw cups of water at each other. So would I recommend this lovely visit to Stamford, Connecticut to someone else? Of course!
