Side-swiped by a folding chair

It pains me to say this. It's something frightening and embarrassing.

I know someone who has appeared on the Jerry Springer show.

Television watching is not my first choice of leisure activity, well it's probably not even on my top ten list, but even if I watched TV, I would not watch this show.

For starters, I just don't care about it. I don't care for shows like this (Oprah, Dr. Phil, Maury Povich, etc), because I couldn't care less which books I really should read or about children who need to be sent to boot camp for an attitude adjustment. I can handle Conan O'Brien, but that's because it's a funny show, he's not trying to change the world by giving out gifts and his appeal does not come from watching people fight over who treated who like crap.

With that said, I wouldn't watch the JS show because it exploits people's emotions, trivializes problems, mocks people with unique life situations, and uses violence as a selling point. I don't even know if this show is still on, but back when this person was on the show, it was nothing for a guest to pick up a chair, hit another guest with it, and start a riot.

And I know someone who was on this show.

It's almost shameful and embarrassing. What's worse:
*Knowing someone who was on the show
or
*Knowing someone who was on the show TWICE because the audience reaction was good enough to boost ratings

The guy I know who has been on the show was a semi-regular at Bugs, the pool hall of my youth. He was a larger man with a long, blonde mullet. He was called to the show to have his wife tell him a secret.

Why don't people realize that if one of these shows calls you and asks you to visit, the secret is probably something you don't want to have the world know? Or it's going to be painful and the show is just trying to capitalize on your pain? How stupid can people get?

The guy's wife sat on the show and then explained to him that she was leaving him for another woman.

I never did watch the shows he appeared (I've never watched any JS shows), but knowing the history of the show, I realize that he was probably called back because he got violent. The audience requested a repeat of the performance.

And this scares me. The fact that I know someone who was on this show makes me feel dirty. I would rather be many more steps away from Jerry Springer. And the appearance was his fifteen minutes of fame.