The document compares and contrasts the tabloid talk show "The Jerry Springer Show" and the late-night entertainment talk show "Late Night with David Letterman". Some key differences include: Springer's show featured outrageous guests and content like violence and profanity, while Letterman focused more on conversations with celebrity guests. Springer's audience was seen as "low rent" while Letterman appealed to a broader, more educated audience. The environment on Springer's show emphasized spectacle, while Letterman's gave a more classy feel.

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Talk Show
English 2 (ENGL0205)
Essay
Sonia Manyie (0801A65704)

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Talk Show:
The Jerry Springer Show verses Late Night with David Letterman
How do you define the talk show genre? If you were to ask someone what
their definition of a talk show is, it probably would be a conversation between two
person.After a thorough research on this genre, in-depth explanations will be provided
specifically on the tabloid talk show and late night talk show. According to Shoshana
(2008), (as cited in Thornborrow, 1997), the display of spoken narratives are often the
structure of talk show conversations which are coconstructed between the guests and
hosts with varying degrees of arrangement by the host. However, before proceeding,
it is vital to know a brief history of the talk show genre. The history of talk show is a
cycle related to changes within the broadcasting industry whether it is a cultural
influence or an economic development. There are three major subgenres of talk shows
developed over time. These are the late-night entertainment talk show, the daytime
audience participation talk show and the morning magazine-format show (Timberg,
2002).
Due to their popularity, these subgenres have influenced many other forms of
talk on television such as the tabloid talk shows. Focus will be given on the
constrasting points between “The Jerry Springer Show” which is a tabloid talk show
and “Late Night with David Letterman” which is a late-night entertainment talk show.
What is a tabloid talk show? A quote for Springer’s show who was dubbed “King of
Trash TV” could probably explain the subgenre:
“Crazy” is one of the kinder terms that has been used to describe Springer’s
circus. While television today us awash in tasteless, over-the-top “reality”
programming, in its early years “The Jerry Springer Show”- with its chair-

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throwing, hair-pulling, name-calling, sexually promiscuous, occasionally
naked, invariably profane guests-was a shock to the public’s system. (Cottle,
2003, p.20).
Due to its violent content, Springer’s show which is taped during the day is only
allowed to be aired during the night. However, it is still considered a daytime talk
show which is a contrast to “Late Night with David Letterman”, which is taped and
aired during the night just as its name suggests.
Besides that, major difference can be seen from the shows’ guests. Springer’s
guests are often outrageous “everyday people” while Letterman focuses more on
entertainment and “Hollywood”. Some claimed that Letterman was not a talk show
and it is more of an “interview show” as it did not focus on one particular issue,
features primarily celebrities and did not present people’s problems (Mittel, 2003). An
example of outrageous guest is from an episode whereby a guest was invited to
Springer’s show and spoke about her infidelity in which she cheated on her fiance’
with a woman. The woman came onto the stage and a fight erupted between the guest
and the woman as the guest said she made a mistake and would not leave her fiance’.
To make matters worst, the guest’s fiance’ was invited and all hell breaks loose.
Furthermore, another contrast can be seen from the shows’ audiences. Brooke (1998)
states that Springer only attracts, a low rent, trailer park troupe if claims by
conventional wisdom are to be followed. However, the show has its followers and
many may claim that they watch the show for “pure entertainment” purposes. As the
saying goes, “One person’s trash, is another person’s gold mine”. In contrast,
Letterman’s shows are envisioned to be appealing to a fairly, broad sophisticated
adult audience, middle class with a college education besides being predominantly
white (Mittel, 2003).

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Another contrasting point of the shows’ are its environment and content.
Letterman’s environment gives a classier feel and less motivated by “spectacle”
which is the main focus of Springer’s show. Despite its success, Jerry Springer has
been criticized for its content. According to Rubin, Haridakis and Eyal (2003), the
program was too violent and was reported by Independent Television Commission
(ITC) to be engaging in “victim entertainment” as there are constant verbal and
physical violence performed by the guests (Rubin, Haridakis & Eyal, 2003).
Furthermore, authenticity of the content for Springer’s show may be questioned.
According to (Cragin, 2010), although Springer does play it “straight”, he and the
guests sometimes have trouble keeping straight faces when presenting the guests as if
they have a serious conflict. For example, during topics like “I’m Pregnant By My
Brother”, it is often unclear whether the guests are serious or the episode was
“staged”. In contrast, there are no antics for Letterman’s show as the focus is mainly
on the conversations between him and his guest who are primarily celebrities.
In conclusion, television talk show is governed by guiding rules or principles
that makes it different from other form of television such as drama series or reality
television. However, with all its limitations, television talk show is part of modern
society. Core principles of talk show remains the same which will be host-centered,
spontaneous but highly-structured.

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References
Cottle, M. (2003, March 17). Is Jerry Springer rabid enough? Virtually normal.
The New Republic, pp.20-23.
Cragin, B. (2010). Beyond the Feminine: Intersectionality and Hybridity in Talk
Shows. doi: 101080/07491409. 2010. 507585.
Grabe, M., E. (2002). Maintaining the Moral Order: A Functional Analysis of “The
Jerry Springer Show”. Critical Studies in Media Communication, 19(3),
pp.311-328.
Gamson, J. (1998). Freaks Talk Back: Tabloid Talk Shows and
Sexual Noncomformity. Retrieved from
http://books.google.com.my/books?id=rtXcAvu5klAC&printsec=frontcover&
dq=history+of+talk+show&source=bl&ots=SC8swlagje&sig=JMUcNlVgw0d
0IEQO5srD9yoeSs&hl=en&sa=X&ei=3MWHUPyvCcbTrQehwICoDQ&ved
=0CEAQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=history%20of%20talk%20show&f=false
Mittel, J. (2003). Audiences Talking Genre. Television Talk Shows and Cultural
Hierarchies. Retrieved from
http://ehis.ebscohost.com/eds/detail?vid=2&hid=26&sid=bcbe3c7f-b68a-
486c-a9d7-
f76db44ad93e%40sessionmgr114&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmUmc2N
vcGU9 c2l0ZQ%3d%3d#db=edsbl&AN=RN130933725
Munson, W. (1993). All Talk: Talk Show in Media Culture. Retrieved from
http://books.google.com.my/books?hl=en&lr=&id=pUzVBt2pYbwC&oi=fnd
&pg=PR9&dq=talk+show+definition&ots=viCxIYlm4Z&sig=2V0lZ1D_eJx
VGrUKyFj_DR5Hc9M#v=onepage&q=talk%20show%20definition&f=false

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References
Rubin, A., M., Haridakis, P., M., & Eyal , K. (2003). Viewer Aggression and
Attraction to Television Talk Shows. Kent, Oh: EBSCO.
Timberg, B., M. (2002). Television Talk.
Retrieved from http://www.utexas.edu/utpress/books/timtel.html