Entertainment, TV, Television - Army Times

Jerry Springer channels Ed Sullivan on ‘America’s Got Talent’

Now Jerry Springer will be stopping fights in prime time.

As host of NBC’s “America’s Got Talent” summer competition, which returns Tuesday, June 5, he has to break up heated arguments by judges Sharon Osbourne, Englishman Piers Morgan and actor-singer David Hasselhoff (“Baywatch”).

“They get pretty tough,” says Springer, whose infamous daytime TV talk show is routinely interrupted by brawling guests. “They tend to go after each other.”

Unlike his daytime show, TV’s infamous “trash TV” ringleader will be more supportive of his summer series guests, as he tries to calm the judges. Morgan — who plays the Simon Cowell role — and Hasselhoff return for a second season, while Osbourne replaces singer-actress Brandy Norwood (“Moesha”).

“On this show, I take the side of the contestants. I’m in their corner. I feel like an advocate for those who are trying out,” he says.

“America’s” talents include singing, dancing, juggling, magic and ventriloquism, he says.

“Some are amazing acts. Frankly. I haven’t seen a show like this since the old-time variety shows ... I’m like Ed Sullivan,” he says, referring to CBS’ legendary Sunday night TV variety show host.

The former 1970s Cincinnati mayor and 1980s Cincinnati news anchor was hired to replace Regis Philbin as second season host “because next to me, everyone has talent,” says Springer, 63, flashing the self-deprecating humor that made him popular on ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” last fall.

The host of what TV Guide once called “The Worst Show in the History of Television” says his exposure on ABC’s prime-time hit “made me mainstream.” He has filmed a Bud Light commercial, taped a situation comedy pilot and been invited to be a Daytime Emmy Awards presenter June 15.

After NBC’s Aug. 14 finale, Springer will start taping the 18th season of his daytime “Jerry Springer” show.

“I have no intentions of ending it. People enjoy it. It’s been on 17 years. There’s no reason to stop it,” says Springer, who ended his “Springer on the Radio” liberal talk show in December, after two years.

While Sullivan introduced America to the Beatles and a Who’s Who of show business greats, Springer has thrived by putting the underprivileged, unknown and unwashed on the nation’s airwaves.

“I can’t imagine anyone else who has presented more unfamous people or spoken to more unfamous people in the history of television. We’ve had 35,000 guests on my TV show, and none of them were known, except for three or four,” he says.

On the tube:

— What: “America’s Got Talent”

— Where: NBC

— When: 9-11 p.m. Tuesday, June 5.

— Schedule: Three more audition shows air 8 p.m. Tuesdays through June 26. The Las Vegas “callback” show airs July 10. Viewer voting starts with the live July 17 show.

— Did you know? The finale for “Talent” is Aug. 14.