“The Jerry Springer Show” was a ratings powerhouse and a US cultural pariah, synonymous with lurid drama. Known for chair-throwing and bleep-filled arguments, the daytime talk show wasa favourite American guilty pleasure over its 27-year run, at one point topping Oprah Winfrey’s show. Springer c alled it “escapist entertainment,” while others saw the show as contributing to a dumbing-down decline in American social v alues.