Small groups of students got up to leave after realizing the TV host was more interested in discussing foreign policy, the morality of the Iraq War and universal healthcare, and immigration than the chair-throwing antics on his show.  My question is, why would anybody want to listen to this windbag wax poetic about either?

Confession time:  I once attended a taping of The Jerry Springer Show.  I was not a fan, but a friend had a spare ticket so I went.  It was his birthday, and a trip to Chicago for the day.  When we got there they seated me in the front because they wanted more girls in the front row.  Shocker.  The show was about conjoined twins named Lori and Dori.  No flying chairs.

During his speech on Thursday, Springer defended the legitimacy of his show in the television world and berated the "elitists" who look down on it as trashy.   "Before my show, you never saw these people on television," he said. "The show is stupid, but it's very authentic." 

Sure he's giving "these people" a platform...to humiliate themselves.  He wasn't trying to bring awareness to the struggles of conjoined twins anymore than he was trying to advocate for man/horse rights on his show, "I Married My Horse."  As an audience member, I also question the shows authenticity.  I wasn't buying the guy who proposed to one of the twins during the taping I attended.

If he wants to host a show with the sole intention of parading individuals with questionable sanity for ridicule, have at it.  I can't stop it.  Just don't patronize people and tell us it's anything otherwise.