Steve Wilkos Details Shocking Injuries on ‘Jerry Springer Show’ — Even If Not All Fights Were Real
What To Know
- The documentary series Dirty Talk explores the sensationalism and cultural impact of ’90s and ’00s tabloid talk shows like The Jerry Springer Show.
- Steve Wilkos, former security director on Springer, reveals he suffered serious injuries—including a concussion and back surgeries—while breaking up on-air altercations, some of which were staged for dramatic effect.
- Despite the risks and staged elements, Wilkos reflects positively on his time with the show, crediting it for launching his television career.
The three-part documentary series Dirty Talk: When Daytime Talk Shows Ruled TV takes audiences on a deep dive into the rise of so-called “trash TV”—’90s and ’00s tabloid talk shows like The Maury Povich Show, Sally Jessy Raphael, The Montel Williams Show, and Leeza that prioritized shock value, sensationalism, and emotional spectacle over journalistic standards. But the series unearthed some shocks of its own—such as the serious injuries, including a concussion, that TV host Steve Wilkos suffered while working as a security guard on The Jerry Springer Show.
How did Steve Wilkos get injured while working on The Jerry Springer Show?
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Wilkos was a former U.S. Marine and Chicago police officer, experience he put to the test when he joined The Jerry Springer Show in 1994. Hosted by former Cincinnati mayor-turned-talk-show host Jerry Springer, the program became infamous as a hotbed of on-air confrontations, shocking revelations, and tabloid-fueled chaos.
On the show, Wilkos rose to fame as the program’s no-nonsense director of security. In the third episode of the docuseries, Wilkos opens up about his time working on Springer and how the show shaped both his career and daytime television.
As most fans remember, The Jerry Springer Show was known for its on-air brawls that would break out on camera. Wilkos admits that producers allowed the fisticuffs on the show to a degree. According to Wilkos, it was “a delicate balance because you don’t want anybody hurt, but you want some action,” but “you don’t wanna break it up too quick.”
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“The producers, they wanted fights. There was times, if we didn’t have a fight, everybody was disappointed,” said Wilkos in the docuseries.
And sometimes, staged storylines were used to help add a little spice to the drama. “I remember when Dateline came and they covered us like it was some big scandal,” said Wilkos. “Maybe every fight wasn’t real, maybe every story wasn’t real. Okay, you got us. So what? What are you uncovering here? Watergate? It’s a talk show.”
However, there were times unruly guests would get a little out of hand, resulting in very real injuries, particularly to the staff who interfered with their shenanigans. “I suffered a concussion, two back surgeries, torn groin,” said Wilkos. “We had women ripping pounds of hair out of each other’s head.”
However, despite the bodily harm, Wilkos was grateful for his time on the show. “It was the greatest side gig in the world,” said Wilkos. “I was nobody; nobody knew who the hell I was. And when the show started taking off, I was on stage so much that I really felt embedded into the show.”
All episodes of Dirty Talk: When Daytime Talk Shows Ruled TV are now streaming on Disney+ & Hulu