From incest and infidelity to maiming and bestiality, there wasn’t an avenue the Jerry Springer show was afraid to explore.
The US daytime programme, which ran for 27 years and spanned nearly 4,000 episodes, showcased a whole host of wild and raucous TV moments – from a guest who had cut off their legs with a saw to a woman who broke the ‘sex record.’
It was so popular in the ’90s that the show even managed to top Oprah Winfrey’s programme in several cities.
Springer, the late former Cincinnati mayor, who died in April last year aged 79, called the show ‘escapist entertainment’, while others claimed it was contributing to a decline in American social values.
On his X profile, Springer jokingly referred to himself as a ‘Talk show host, ringmaster of civilization’s end’.
Now, the show is set to be explored in a new Netflix documentary – Jerry Springer: Fights, Camera, Action, which will premiere on 7 January.
It will explore the show’s origins and meteoric rise – as well as the dark side of the ratings behemoth – and what really went on behind the scenes.
Firsthand testimony and revelations from show insiders, including producers and ex-guests, will reveal the ‘destruction’ the show caused.
Ahead of the new Netflix show, Femail reveals a selection of most shocking moments from the Jerry Springer show.
The Jerry Springer Show’s origins – and the ‘destruction’ it caused – is set to be explored in a new Netflix documentary (pictured: Man who married a horse on The Jerry Springer Show)
Here, Femail explores the Jerry Springer show’s most outrageous moments, as Netflix announces Jerry Springer: Fights, Camera, Action (pictured: Jerry Springer in a taping of The Jerry Springer Show: I am Pregnant by my Half-Brother)
‘I’m Happy I Cut Off My Legs’ (2006)
In 2007, fans of The Jerry Springer Show were left stunned by a transgender guest who cut off both their legs with a power saw.
Introducing the episode, Jerry said: ‘This may be the most bizarre story we’ve done in our 15-year history.’
He then brought out Sandra, who was 48 at the time, who ‘decided at the age of 14 that she didn’t want her legs.’
The guest then came out onto stage in a wheelchair before explaining: ‘I didn’t want them. My brain just kept saying get rid of them.’
Sandra had tried to get her leg infected several times before – including injecting her knee cap with faeces – in the hopes doctors would amputate.
In 2007, fans of The Jerry Springer Show were left stunned by a guest who cut off both their legs with a power saw
But when medical professionals refused, she took matters into her own hands.
Kenny, a man born without legs, confronted Sandra on the show, claiming she’s ungrateful for her decision.
Following the episode, Springer faced criticism that he was exploiting a vulnerable person on the show, according to the BBC.
‘I Broke The World’s Sex Record’ (1997)
Adult film actress Jasmin St. Claire appeared on the show in 1997 to share her life goal to be part of the world’s biggest ever group sex session, which involved having intercourse with 300 men in 24 hours.
She said: ‘I thought the most outrageous thing I could do in this lifetime was to have sex with 300 men – so I did it.
‘It’s made me the most famous porn star in America.’
Asked by Jerry what the benefit was, Jasmin said she was making ‘tonnes of money now’ and that she was ‘super famous.’
Jasmin appeared in more than 70 adult films during her career.
Adult film actress Jasmin St. Claire appeared on the show in 1997 to share her life goal of sleeping with 300 men
Adult film actress Jasmin St. Claire’s most shocking appearance on the show was in 1997 when she shared her bizarre life goal was to have sex with 300 men – and has since found a career as a professional wrestler
But she also found other passions too – after enjoying an eight-year professional wrestling career.
She took to Instagram in the wake of Jerry’s death to thank him for giving her a platform.
Sharing an in memoriam post, Jasmin wrote: ‘Wow… RIP Jerry… thx so much for having me as a guest & allowing me to shock & outrage the moral majority… you are one of the main catalysts that created the 90’s shock culture Jasmin.’
Following up, she added: ‘This was never the decline of Western civilization, this was the height of one of the best eras ever that if you haven’t lived it, you’ll never know how cool it was…
‘It was fun whipping America into a frenzy and pissing off people who have nothing better to do with their time during the day except sit in an audience…
‘It was fun p***ing off the moral majority, psycho Christians & helmet haired housewives.’
Jasmin shows no sign of slowing down and she continues to capitalize on her springboard into fame.
Not only does she have a one-woman show and a podcast, but also returned to XPW Wrestling in April 2022.
‘I Married A Horse’ (1998)
In 1998, fans of The Jerry Springer Show were stunned by a man’s interspecies relationship in what became one of the most controversial episodes
In 1998, fans of The Jerry Springer Show were stunned by a man’s interspecies relationship in what became one of the most controversial episodes.
Mark seemed to be a relatively normal guest when he first took to the stage claiming that he had problems with neighbours who didn’t get along with his wife.
But, when wife Pixel was brought on stage, it was revealed that Mark had married a horse.
Throughout the episode, Mark, who had previously been married to a woman with two children, kissed the horse several times which prompted Jerry to say: ‘Stop that, I’m about to vomit.’
The host announced that Mark and Pixel had been together for 10 years and married for five before giving the audience an insight into their private life together.
Mark said that after a bad prom date he had intercourse with the mare, and said it was ‘so good I almost passed out.’
‘I Cut Off My Manhood’ (1997)
Introducing this particular episode in 1997, Jerry said: ‘What you’re going to hear today is absolutely astonishing.’
In 1997, guest Earl Zea appeared to discuss his decision to ‘cut off his own male organ’ with a pair of garden shears
The guest, Earl Zea, appeared to discuss his decision to ‘cut off his own male organ’ with a pair of garden shears.
The then 34-year-old candidly revealed that he wished ‘it never happened’ but said that he did so in order to prevent ‘stalker’ Ronnie from being able to touch it.
According to Perth Now, Springer said: ‘I said to him why didn’t you just change your number? Or a new address, I mean what the heck!’
He explained that he had frozen his genitals to make the process easier before flushing it down the toilet.
However, in a twist to the tale, Jerry then brought Ronnie onto the stage and he claimed that the pair had enjoyed a five-year relationship.
‘Klanfrontation’ (1997)
One of the biggest clashes on the Jerry Springer stage was that between members of the Jewish Defense League (JDL) and the Ku Klux Klan (KKK).
The topic is thought to have been a sensitive one for Springer – the son of Jewish-German refugees who fled the Nazis.
One of the biggest clashes on the Jerry Springer stage was that between members of the Jewish Defense League and the Ku Klux Klan
The KKK had appeared to discuss race and religion with the JDL in 1997 – but, unsurprisingly, things soon took a turn for the worst
The KKK had appeared to discuss race and religion with the JDL in 1997 with Jerry acting as moderator.
Unsurprisingly, things soon took a turn for the worst after one of the KKK members mocked JDL chairman Irv Rubin by revealing a kippah beneath his hood, triggered an all-out melee.
The brawl spilled over to include Jerry’s security and even members of the show’s audience.
‘You Slept With My Stripper Sister’ (2011)
One of the most popular clips from The Jerry Springer Show is undoubtedly the encounter titled ‘You Slept With My Stripper Sister.’
The explosive segment saw a stripper tell her crying sister that she had sex with her boyfriend after a drunken night out.
And, despite attempting to half-heartedly apologize, distraught sister Christina was having none of it.
The crowd were on Christina’s side when she revealed the stripper had developed somewhat of a habit – having previously slept with two of her boyfriends in the past.
One of the most popular clips from The Jerry Springer Show is undoubtedly the encounter titled ‘You Slept With My Stripper Sister’
When Christina’s boyfriend came out to argue that it was just a ‘mistake,’ he also received a weighty slap
The duo got into a vicious fist fight and the audience heckled as clumps of hair extensions were ripped out and derogatory slurs were exchanged.
When Christina’s boyfriend came out to apologize, but argued that it was just a ‘mistake,’ he also received a weighty slap.
‘I Spent It All On The Hooker’ (2010)
Another infamous altercation involved a sex worker who seemed pleased with herself for providing services to another woman’s husband.
In the 2010 episode, the pair got into a physical altercation before it took a bizarre turn.
The sex worker was left humiliated when her dentures flew straight out of her mouth mid-sentence.
The mouthpiece landed on stage but she seemed unbothered and continued with the confrontation.
Once the action died down, one of the show’s security guards brought out a glass of water for her to deposit her teeth into.
Another now infamous altercation involved a sex worker who seemed pleased with herself for providing services to another woman’s husband
In the episode, from 2010, the pair got into a physical fight before it took a bizarre turn when the sex worker’s dentures flew straight out of her mouth
As he turned to leave, he raised the cup to the audience as they erupted into rapturous applause.
‘I Live In A Box’ (2001)
In 2001, one heartbroken man appeared on the show in a bid to win back his former lover.
But, far from being a straightforward reunion, the woman was having a hard time working out how she would fit into his life – given that he had decided to live in a cardboard box.
The man took to the stage in nothing but a large box around his waist as he flaunted his lengthy white hair and beard.
Bizarrely, he told Jerry: ‘If she doesn’t come back to me then I am your problem now.
‘I’m going to sit here on this stage until you can convince her to come back to me and take me back.’
Jerry jokingly tried to encourage the woman but she did not look convinced.
In 2001, one heartbroken man, who had decided to live in a cardboard box, appeared on the show in a bid to win back his former lover
‘I called Jerry Springer to let him know how you ruined my life,’ she said to her former lover in the controversial episode.
‘Secret Mistresses Confronted’ (2001)
Back in 2000, Ralph Panitz caused shockwaves when he appeared on the show with his wife Eleanor and ex-wife Nancy.
The married couple claimed that Nancy was stalking them, which she denied, and attempted to humiliate her by calling her ‘fat’ and ‘old.’
But the story took a tragic turn when news broke that just hours after the show Ralph beat 52-year-old Nancy to death in her Sarasota home.
Ralph, then 43, was sentenced to life in prison as the judge scolded Jerry Springer and the show for ‘manipulation.’
Nancy’s son, Jeffrey, filed a suit against the show a short time later on behalf of her estate.
It blamed the program for escalating the stormy relationship between the former couple which ultimately ended in murder.
Ralph Panitz appeared on the show with wife Eleanor and ex-wife Nancy in 2000 on an episode titled ‘Secret Mistresses Confronted’
The story took a tragic turn when news broke that just hours after the show Ralph (pictured) beat 52-year-old Nancy to death in her Sarasota home
At the time, lawyers for the Campbells had predicted a damage award of more than $25 million, but ultimately they settled for nothing.
‘Full-time Ninja’ (2008)
One of the most notorious guests on Springer’s show was Diemon Dave – also known as the ‘Kung-Fu Hillbilly.’
He appeared on several episodes of the show to showcase his fighting moves, including the ‘Judy Chop.’
In one such comeback segment, which aired in 2008, Jerry gushed: ‘Of all the guests we’ve had… we have more reactions to you than anybody else.’
And Dave, from Tennessee, fully embraced his on-screen persona after the credits rolled.
He currently has more than 554.2 thousand followers on TikTok, using the handle @livefromthepark, where he shares a series of self-defense videos.
In recent years, Dave, who continues to live on the trailer park, even set up his own online shop to sell merchandise.
One of the most notorious guests was Diemon Dave – also known as the ‘Kung-Fu Hillbilly’
He currently has more than 500 thousand followers on TikTok, using the handle @livefromthepark, where he shares a series of self-defense videos
Among other items, T-shirts and caps branding the Judy Chop slogan are priced at $24.95.
Dave, who continues to describe himself as a ‘full-time ninja,’ shared a clip in the aftermath of Jerry’s death and wrote: ‘RIP Jerry Springer. He’s the man.’
Annabel Chong (1995)
Porn star Grace Quek, from Los Angeles, appeared on the Jerry Springer Show in 1995 under the name Annabel Chong.
In her segment, she claimed to have had sex with about 70 men a total of 251 times over a 10-hour period – in a ‘world record’ that was defeated the following year.
And when Jerry asked her ‘why,’ she simply retorted ‘why not?’
Her story piqued public interest because it was one ‘of a golden girl fallen from grace — an extremely gifted student, a product of Singapore’s strict value system who went off to college and was corrupted by the allure of pornography,’ according to Vice.
In recent years, Quek has spoken about her time on the show, telling the publication in 2020: ‘I feel that I was somewhat naïve about how my actions would be perceived, portrayed or interpreted by the media and the general public.’
She took to Twitter with a bold statement that read: ‘Years ago, I appeared on #JerrySpringer. It was how I found out the show was all fake’
She said that ‘being famous quickly wasn’t fun anymore’ and she instead went back to being a full-time student after enrolling on a software programming course.
Now, she currently works as an engineering manager for a major entertainment company.
Following Springer’s death, she took to X with a bold statement that read: ‘Years ago, I appeared on #JerrySpringer.’
The engineering manager continued: ‘It was how I found out the show was all fake.
‘During the breaks, everyone was being all friendly and sh**, but once the camera started rolling, all hell would break loose. Anyway, may his soul rest in peace.’
