Another day, another household name gone - this time, it's the turn of the self-described "talk show host and ringmaster of civilisation's end", the notorious Mr Jerry Springer.
I never watched his maelstrom of a show, of course, but we did warm to him somewhat when we saw his appearance on Who Do You Think You Are? - during which we discovered that not only was he born in London (in Highgate tube station, to be accurate, which was being used as an air raid shelter at the time), but that his family were Jewish refugees who fled the Nazis, and we saw his anguish at finding out the fate of those who they had to leave behind.
So salacious, however, were all the "trailer-trash" fights and the sordid insights into the bizarre lives of the guests who were central to his show, it (and he) became the subject of an opera. And, from it, one of my absolute all-time favourite anthems!
Thank Disco Jerry Springer It's Friday!
I don't give a fuck no more
If people think I am a whore
I just wanna dance
Oh, I just wanna dance
Things are going bad for me
I am feeling sad for me
So I just wanna dance
Oh, I just wanna dance
I'm tired of laughing and I'm tired of crying,
I'm tired of failing and I'm tired of all this trying,
I wanna do some living
Cause I've done enough dying
I just wanna dance
I just wanna fucking dance!
Nothing more for me to say
It's time for me to run away
Walking through the door
I don't need this anymore.
And now my life is come with me
Finally, I'm breaking free
It's all I've waited for
I've never felt so sure.
I'm tried of laughing
Tired of lying
I'm tired of failing
And I'm tired of all this crying
I wanna do some living
Cos I've done enough dying
And I just wanna dance
Whoa! I'm tired of waiting
Tired of hoping
And I'm tired of losing
I'm tired of being broken
I've got to do some living
Cos I've had enough of dying
And I just wanna dance
I just wanna fucking dance!
Indeed.
Have a great (May Day Bank Holiday) weekend, dear reader!
I never watched the talk show, too much chaotic atmosphere for me, and I can't say I personally cared for much for him. But he had a surprisingly good outlook on life.
ReplyDeleteHe seemed to be an intelligent and amiable fella in real life. Jx
DeleteThat show was a nightmare, an embarrassment, and so much damage was done for ratings. He was the beginning of “reality” TV.
ReplyDeleteAs I often say: "Whose reality?! Not mine." Jx
DeleteCouldn't agree more, Mitchell. Springer and all his ilk. It's like America burst a cyst.
DeleteWhatever happened to fair dealing?
DeleteAnd pure ethics and nice manners?
Why is it everyone now is a pain in the ass?
Whatever happened to class?
Class
Whatever happened to "please, may I?"
And "yes, thank you" and "how charming?"
Now every son of a bitch is a snake in the grass
Whatever happened to class?
Class
Oh, there ain't no gentleman to open up the doors
There ain't no ladies, now there's only pigs and whores
And even kids'll knock you down so take a pass
Nobody's got no class
Whatever happened to old values?
And fine morals? And good breeding?
Now no one even says "oops" when they're passing their gas!
Whatever happened to class?
Class
Jx
I didn’t ever watch his show, not keen on aggro shows, but I liked the idea of making a musical out of it. Nice video!
ReplyDeleteSx
Have you never seen that video, Ms Scarlet?! I've adored it for years [see here, here and here]... Jx
DeleteHas Blogger sorted out your email replies yet? I suggested to my commenter, Nick, that he ticks the Notify me box on his own post. He tried this, but Blogger only emailed comments Nick made himself, and not those of his commenters. Beggars belief how Blogger have managed to do this!
ReplyDeleteSx
Does Nick have the same problem, then? No-one else has said they have, but it would be good to know it's not just me. [I know you, Peenee and Mitchell all use Wordpress.] Jx
DeleteIt’s not just you! I do wonder if it’s to do with old themes? Have you checked your settings - they might have messed them up with an update or something.
DeleteI don’t know why I find the mysterious workings of Blogger so fascinating, other than a few of my comments have been eaten in the last couple of months, and I just wonder how the bugs that cause this work.
Sx
You must have waved your magic wand! Email notifications are back! Jx
DeletePS Your comments may not have been "eaten" but merely treated as junk, or else are awaiting moderation [I have that switched on for posts older than a couple of days because of (mainly Malaysian, for some reason) spam].
Wow the pipes on whoever's singing this! I love that this became an opera. All good operas are based on trashy behavior, and man was the Springer show a good row to plow for that action.
ReplyDeleteThose are the fabulous pipes of one Alison Jiear, an Aussie diva (and all-round gay "ally") now relocated to the UK (she even appeared on Britain's Got Talent)... Jx
DeletePS I agree about opera - some of the best ones are about trashy tarts, mayhem and betrayal, unfortunate revelations and much brawling. Jerry Springer was perfect for the genre.
I'm another who never saw the show.I'm not even sure it's listed here. But it seems I didn't miss anything!
ReplyDeleteBut ye gods! So many are dropping like flies!
It's the sort of lowest-common-denominator show you'd avoid even if it were on Aussie telly, Dinah. I imagine the Romans might have recognised the spectacle of goading commoners to fight each other in front of a baying audience... Jx
DeletePS I shudder to think who's next.