РефератыИностранный языкTaTalk Shows Compare And Contrast Essay Research

Talk Shows Compare And Contrast Essay Research

Talk Shows: Compare And Contrast Essay, Research Paper


Talk Shows: Compare and contrast


In the world of entertainment, TV talk shows have undoubtedly


flooded every inch of space on daytime television. Many of us have seen


and heard the often recycled topics found on such veteran shows as Geraldo


and Sally Jessy Raphael. And anyone who watches talk shows on a regular


basis knows that each one varies in style and format. One might enjoy


watching the sometimes trashy subject matter found on Jenny Jones, while


someone else might prefer the more serious and light hearted feel of the


Maury Povich show. But no two shows are more profoundly opposite in


content, while at the same time standing out above the rest, than the


Jerry Springer and the Oprah Winfrey show.


Jerry Springer could easily be considered the king of “trash


talk.” The topics on his show are as shocking as they get. For example,


the show takes the ever common talk show themes of love, lust, sex,


sexuality, adultery, cheating, guilt, hate,


conflict and morality to a different level. In a vintage Springer show,


one finds women who cheated on their boyfriends and are ready to confess.


But the boyfriends are in for a bigger surprise. As it turns out that all


the women haven’t been secretly seeing other guys, but seeing other women,


who also happen to be waiting backstage. Another episode tells of a John


Wayne Bobbit type case, but with a more twisted plot. A male cuts off his


own manhood because he claimed that his homosexual neighbor was stalking


him. Shocking, indeed, but the list of talk material goes on from


dangerous love triangles, broken homes, pregnant strippers, teenage


prostitutes, adult film stars, devil worshippers and the ever popular talk


show regulars, the members of the Ku Klux Klan. Clearly, the Jerry


Springer show is a display and exploitation of societies moral


catastrophes, yet people are willing to eat up the intriguing predicaments


of other peoples lives.


Oprah Winfrey was once a follower of the trash TV format, but her


long running popular TV talk show has since been reformed. Like Jerry


Springer, the Oprah Winfrey show takes talk TV to its extreme, but Oprah


goes in the opposite direction. Oprah is probably the most immaculate talk


show there is. It is unlikely that you will find guest on Oprah that have


committed adultery, have sold their souls to the devil, or are part of a


racist hate group. Instead, the show focuse

s on the improvement of society


and an individuals quality of life. Topics range from teaching your


children responsibility, managing your work week, proper etiquette,


getting to know your neighbors and entertaining interviews with


celebrities. Not many talk shows are interested in taking time to teach


children right from wrong, or give techniques to get along with people


better, but it seems that the Oprah shows top priority is to educate first


, and then entertain.


Compared to Oprah, the Jerry Springer show looks like toxic waste


being dumped on society. Still, there are times when Jerry Springer has


made an effort to help the troubled people on his show. The most notable


is when he has helped extremely obese people get to the hospital and help


them turn their lives around. The entire process is still taped for its


entertainment value, but at least something good came out of it. Jerry


also ends every show with a “final word.” He makes a small speech that


sums up the entire moral of the show. Hopefully, this is the part where


most people will learn something very valuable.


Even if Oprah is as squeaky clean as it is, the show is not for


everyone. The shows main target audience are working middle-class


Americans. A vast majority of these people usually have the time, money,


and stability to deal with life’s tougher problems. Jerry Springer, on the


other hand, has more of an association with the the young adults of


society. These are your 18 -21 year-olds whose main troubles in life


involve love, relationship, sex, pregnancy, money, peers and influence.


They are the ones who see some value and lessons to be learned underneath


the show’s exploitation.


While these two talk shows are as different as night and day, both


have ruled the talk show circuit for many years now. Each one caters to a


different audience while both have a strong following from legions of


fans. Ironically, both could also be considered pioneers in the talk show


world. Jerry Springer’s crude and vulgar topics may be looked down upon,


but no other talk show comes close to the raw exposure of its guest. Oprah


Winfrey was able to break away from the pack and create a unique and


highly successful talk show. Only time will tell if anyone follow in her


footsteps. Even as these to talk shows stand on opposite sides of the


spectrum, both have managed to stand alone to their highest extremes and


are considered the best at what they are.

Сохранить в соц. сетях:
Обсуждение:
comments powered by Disqus

Название реферата: Talk Shows Compare And Contrast Essay Research

Слов:913
Символов:5889
Размер:11.50 Кб.