We can hear the chants already: Jerry! Jerry!
No matter how many times Jerry Springer trips all over himself during Dancing with the Stars, followers of his talk show will serenade the host with his name, per usual.
The former mayor of Cincy recently talked about the show, beginning September 12 on ABC, with the Associated Press:
AP: A lot of people are commenting, “What, Jerry Springer’s on that show?”
Springer: This is not a combo you would have put together. It wasn’t the first name people thought of when they said, “Who’d be a good dancer?” … When I met (partner, Kym Johnson), she said, “Well, what do you wanna work on?” And I said, “The only thing you gotta know is CPR.” There’s no one within 30 years of my age. There’s no chance, unless they have an old-man division.
AP: Well, John O’Hurley won the first season.
Springer: For each one, they get one old guy. I’m the guy. I’m so honored! It’s gonna be – everything hurts. My hair hurts.
AP: How rigorous is the dance training?
Springer: Well, understand: For me, standing is rigorous … It’s exercise, and I’m certainly not used to that. But so far, I’m breathing. I know at the end of each week – of each performance – the country gets to vote you off. Have they ever voted someone off in the middle of a dance, though?
AP: Not on this show.
Springer: I was hoping I could get stopped early.
AP: How do you think you’ll stack up against Tucker Carlson?
Springer: Well, you know, he’ll whip me. He’ll whip my butt. Let’s be honest. First of all, he’s 25 years younger than I am. Secondly, he probably went to all these good Eastern schools. He probably went to the cotillion ball. I can’t compete with Tucker … Maybe I could just introduce the acts. Do you think that they’d let me do that?
AP: How did you get involved with this?
Springer: I don’t know, someone was drinking apparently … I guess the final thing was my daughter, Katie, is getting married in December. And so we talked it over and I said, “Wouldn’t it be great if I knew how to dance at my daughter’s wedding?” That I wouldn’t step on her train or feet. So that’s my goal. I hope I’ll last long enough to learn how to dance for my daughter’s wedding.
AP: How is your dance partner treating you?
Springer: She’s just as nice as can be. And she’s so tolerant … It’s like if you went to a nursing home and you did a square dance with people, you would keep on eye on them to make sure they’re OK. There’s a lot of “You OK?… You OK?”
AP: So, really, what’s going to happen that first show?
Springer: Here’s what I think’s gonna happen. All right, so the dance starts and I miss a step – which is likely – then all of a sudden, you can’t stop and start over. You gotta catch up because it’s choreographed. So that’s my nightmare. That I’ve missed a step, I’m trying to catch up and I never catch up to what she’s doing. And I’m just out there flailing away.