Smerconish on Jerry Springer’s Influence to Politics Today: ‘Let’s Throw Another Chair at the Opponent’

EXCERPT:

SMERCONISH: "His long-running syndicated show revolved around divorced couples screaming at each other, physical confrontations, cheating spouses, open racists, chairs flying across the room. Yes, Jerry Springer focused on raunch, family drama, crazy stories, but his ethos, of course, emotion-provoking get-the-popcorn style of media is exactly the same style of programming that predominates in much of political talk-radio and cable news. Coincidence? I think not. Sober and serious? That’s boring. While over-the-top showmanship is the name of the game. I’ve long been of the opinion that programs like Jerry Springer and that of Morton Downey jr. paved the way for the coarsening of our political dialogue, that the election of Donald Trump is result of the empowerment of people with microphones. Having watched bombastic personalities for decades, by 2016, some were ready to elect a person who resembled their favorite host. Over the course of the last three decades, these media personalities, they have surpassed party officials and even elected representatives in their influence, ascending to exalted status atop political leadership. Yet they prioritize goals seemingly at odds with good governance. Compromise? That’s for weaklings. Let’s throw another chair at the opponent."