In 1999, under pressure from an activist priest, the City of Chicago Police and Fire Committee invited talk show host Jerry Springer to a hearing regarding violence on his show.  Spoiler, it didn’t go well for Burke and the gang.  Come for the government inefficiency stay for the schadenfreude. 

Alyssa is joined by her college roomate ⁠Pam⁠ to mock this circus. 

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Show Notes:

• ⁠CBS: That one time when Chicago City Council became ‘The Jerry Springer Show’⁠
• ⁠WBEZ: How Jerry Springer delighted and infuriated Chicago⁠ ⁠Chicago Tribune: SPRINGMASTER JER, COVER BOY BURKE WRESTLE WITH ENNUI⁠
• ⁠New York Post:SPRINGER ADMITS HE FAKES IT SOMETIMES⁠
• ⁠South Coast Today: Live at City Hall — it’s Jerry Springer⁠
• ⁠Footage: Jerry Springer Testifies (1999)⁠
• ⁠Tampa Bay Times: Springer goes live, and verbal punches fly⁠
• ⁠Media Burn: [Jerry Springer Chicago City Council hearing]⁠
• ⁠New York Daily News: SPRINGER SEZ SHOW MOCKS VIOLENCE⁠
• ⁠CBS: Springer Hedges On Violence⁠
• ⁠Chicago Reader: Political Atrocities of 1999⁠
• ⁠Chicago Magazine: 20 Very Bad Chicago Media Gaffes⁠
• ⁠Chicago Tribune: FINAL WORD ON SPRINGER’S CITY HALL GIG: SARCASM⁠
• ⁠Chicago Sun-Times: How Jerry Springer delighted, infuriated Chicago⁠
• ⁠Chicago Tribune: A DAY AT THE CIRCUS: WHICH ONE’S THE CLOWN?⁠
• ⁠Footage: Jerry Springer Reaction (1999)⁠
• ⁠Chicago Reader: The Fox and the Hounds⁠
• ⁠New York Times: Live, at Chicago’s City Hall: It’s the ‘Jerry Springer Show’⁠
• ⁠Chicago Tribune:`SPRINGER SHOW’ PLAYS CITY HALL⁠
• ⁠Chicago Tribune: FINAL WORD ON SPRINGER’S CITY HALL GIG: SARCASM⁠
• ⁠Chicago Tribune: SPRINGMASTER JER, COVER BOY BURKE WRESTLE WITH ENNUI⁠
• ⁠Chicago Tribune: IT’S A FREE-FOR-ALL AS SPRINGER FACES COUNCIL⁠
• ⁠Chicago Tribune: NEXT IN CITY HALL: TALK SHOW HOST WITH EXPLAINING TO DO⁠
• ⁠Chicago Magazine: Father Courage: Michael Pfleger Takes on Jerry Springer⁠