The Observer, April 25, 2008
Volume XL, Issue 26
From politics to midgets: UPB brings Springer to Case
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Student conversation bounced off the high stone walls of Amasa Stone Chapel; anything above a whisper echoed. While the typical banter about grades and assignments floated around, a majority of the noise was rooted in anticipation. Somewhere, in this holy church, was the chieftain of trash television, Jerry Springer, host of The Jerry Springer Show.
The audience, mostly Case students, had various reasons for attending the event; most weren't aware of the topics Springer would be covering in his UPB-sponsored speech, held the evening of April 17. Lori Felske, a freshman international studies major, was interested in what the former mayor of Cincinnati had to say. "When I was in middle school and high school, I watched [The Jerry Springer Show]…like every day in the summer…[It's] interesting how he went into government…after being the king of trash TV."
Sophomore Maya Alunkal attended because "his show is a cultural phenomenon." Accompanying Alunkal, Becky DiOrio added, "It's not every day you can see a living legend."
Around the planned 7:30 p.m. start time, Jerry Springer entered from stage left to a warm chant of "Jerry! Jerry!" as students mimicked the chorus of his show's audience members. Wearing a dark blue suit, he stood before the 50 or so students in attendance. His face and blondish hair, although aged, had a soft glow; even at age 64, his energy expanded to fill the room.
Springer made a quick joke about being in a church then followed up, "May you never be on my show. It's not a good thing." The crowd laughs, and Springer presented the agenda for his speech.
"I wanted to talk a little about political issues," Springer began, "and how they will affect you." He then added that the mistakes in the last eight years, referencing Congress and the Bush Administration, would be felt by the audience for the next 20 to 30 years.
Springer retold the story of his family and his childhood. The son of Jewish immigrants fleeing the Holocaust, Springer, born in England, sailed across the Atlantic at age five on the Queen Mary. His most vivid memory of the trip was being taken by his mother to the ship's upper deck upon arriving in the New York harbor in the freezing weather; although there were over 2000 people on deck, no one spoke as they all gazed at the Statue of Liberty. In German, Springer's mother told him, "One day, it will mean everything."
Springer then explained how the American dream "was so real" to his family, but explained that today, a parent can no longer look at his or her child and know that the child's life will be better than the parent's. As he put it, the college degree has now become the high school diploma.
There are three things, Springer explained, that need to be changed to give children this same dream: jobs, education, and healthcare, a triptych that he dubbed "the three-legged stool." Advocating a universal healthcare system, he reasoned that nationalized health care will reduce employee costs for companies, thus allowing them to remain competitive with overseas labor. Springer then posed an interesting dilemma. Pitting national defense and national healthcare against one another, he questioned the logic of spending billions on preventive terrorist measures when "over 99.9 percent" of people will die due to sickness or accidents. He emphasized that healthcare is the first line of defense.
Expanding on healthcare, he also contested the claim that the United States has the best healthcare in the world; he maintained it does for those wealthy enough to afford it. Springer then vowed that he will campaign with all his power in the next presidential election against the incumbent, regardless of party affiliation, if he or she does not institute a national healthcare plan. He closed out the subject by repeating his reasoning that healthcare will generate more jobs, and those jobs will lead to better education.
At this point, a man walked in one of the side entrances and interrupted Springer. He exchanged greetings with Springer before exclaiming, "Bless this congregation." The man then walked out, and after a pause, Springer quipped, "He's on Thursday's show."
Springer turned his attention to education, remarking upon the discrepancies between suburban and urban public education. He pointed to school levies, and how poorer city residents who cannot afford tax increases vote down on education which would benefit their own children and grandchildren. He finishes the issue with his mantra, "Health care will result in jobs, and jobs will result in education."
As Springer finishes his speech, he notes the failure of trickle down theory and the naiveté of tax cuts for the wealthy. "Whatever I wanted, I already purchased," he explained. Springer said, regarding the Bush administration, "They're nice people…[but their] policies have crippled the economy."
Though a strong supporter of Hilary Clinton, he said that he will endorse Barack Obama if he wins the Democratic nomination.
Springer then opened the floor to questions. When asked why he continues to do The Jerry Springer Show, he replied that he actually spends most of his time as a political activist. He added that he never mixes the show with politics, even admitting, "The show…is stupid…[but] if I wouldn't have done the show, you wouldn't have known who I was."
After a few more questions, Springer went back to the subject of the economy; referencing the brain drain in Ohio, he brought up an economic consequence of Ohio's Issue 1, a referendum banning same-sex marriage and restricting other rights. "Creative people go to a place that is tolerant," Springer explains, and he believes that Ohio is sending the message, "we don't like things a little bit different."
"It's not like my marriage is going to be hurt because two gay guys are living down the street," he said before adding, "Stand up for the institute of marriage? Fine, don't get divorced."
Springer then entertained more questions, mostly about his show. He posited that criticism of the guests on his show are "elitist," since celebrities who have the same problems as guests on his show are viewed to be more acceptable; he specifically cited a television interview with the late Princess Diana where she discussed her infidelity. Of his show's guests, he said, "[They] want to be happy…they're just like everyone else."
Springer voiced his opinions on leverage in the Middle East, the Olympics in China, and the energy crisis. When asked about his celebrity status, he replies that there is "no plus in being famous…I wish I could have been successful without being known."
As the evening drew to a close, Springer again reiterated the importance of being politically active and warned against voting for the "cooler" candidate, referencing an earlier question in which he broke down the personalities of presidential candidates back to Nixon, who, in Springer's opinion, was "cooler" than McGovern.
With his "final thought," Springer again reminded the audience: "may you never be on my show."
