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Compare and Contrast In the world of entertainment, TV talk shows have
undoubtedly flooded every inch of space on daytime television. Many of us have
seen and heard the often recycled topics found on such shows as Jerry Springer
and Oprah Winfrey. And anyone who watches talk shows on a regular basis knows
that each one varies in style and format. One might enjoy watching the sometimes
trashy subject matter found on Jerry Springer, while someone else might prefer
the more serious and light hearted feel of the Oprah Winfrey show. But no two
shows are more profoundly opposite in content. Jerry Springer could easily be
considered the king of trash talk. The topics on his show are as shocking as
they get. For example, the show takes the ever common talk show themes of love,
lust, sex, sexuality, adultery, cheating, guilt, hate, conflict and morality to
a different level. In a vintage Springer show, one finds women who cheated on
their boyfriends and are ready to confess.
But the boyfriends are in for a
bigger surprise. As it turns out that all the women haven't been secretly seeing
other guys, but seeing other women, who also happen to be waiting backstage.
Another episode tells of a John Wayne Bobbit type case, but with a more twisted
plot. A male cuts off his own manhood because he claimed that his homosexual
neighbor was stalking him. Shocking, indeed, but the list of talk material goes
on from dangerous love triangles, broken homes, pregnant strippers, teenage
prostitutes, adult film stars, devil worshippers and the ever popular talk show
regulars, the members of the Ku Klux Klan. Clearly, the Jerry Springer show is a
display and exploitation of societies mora catastrophes, yet people are willing
to eat up the intriguing predicaments of other peoples lives. Oprah Winfrey was
once a follower of the trash TV format, but her long running popular TV talk
show has since been reformed. Like Jerry Springer, the Oprah Winfrey show takes
talk TV to its extreme, but Oprah goes in the opposite direction. Oprah is
probably the most immaculate talk show there is. It is unlikely that you will
find guest on Oprah that have committed adultery, have sold their souls to the
devil, or are part of a racist hate group.
Instead, the show focuses on the
improvement of society and an individuals quality of life. Topics range from
teaching your children responsibility, managing your work week, proper
etiquette, getting to know your neighbors and entertaining interviews with
celebrities. Not many talk shows are interested in taking time to teach children
right from wrong, or give techniques to get along with people better, but it
seems that the Oprah shows top priority is to educate first, and then entertain.
Compared to Oprah, the Jerry Springer show looks like toxic waste being dumped
on society. Still, there are times when Jerry Springer has made an effort to
help the troubled people on his show. The most notable is when he has helped
extremely obese people get to the hospital and help them turn their lives
around. The entire process is still taped for its entertainment value, but at
least something good came out of it.
Jerry also ends every show with a final
word. He makes a small speech that sums up the entire moral of the show.
Hopefully, this is the part where most people will learn something very
valuable. Even if Oprah is as squeaky clean as it is, the show is not for
everyone. The shows main target audience that are working middle-class
Americans. A vast majority of these people usually have the time, money, and
stability to deal with life's tougher problems. Jerry Springer, on the other
hand, has more of an association with the young adults of society. These are
your 18 -21 year-olds whose main troubles in life involve love, relationship,
sex, pregnancy, money, peers and influence. They are the ones who see some value
and lessons to be learned underneath the show's exploitation. While these two
talk shows are as different as night and day, both have ruled the talk show
circuit for many years now. Each one caters to a different audience while both
have a strong following from legions of fans. Ironically, both could also be
considered pioneers in the talk show world.
Jerry Springer's crude and vulgar
topics may be looked down upon, but no other talk show comes close to the raw
exposure of its guest. Oprah Winfrey was able to break away and create a unique
and highly successful talk show. Even as these to talk shows stand on opposite
sides of the spectrum, both have managed to stand alone to their highest
extremes and are considered the best at what they are.
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