The Rise of Trash TV

Cultureshock – Season 1

This documentary takes a look at the rise of the raw and salacious real-life television theater of tabloid talk shows like The Jerry Springer Show and Geraldo. The episode explores how these series laid the groundwork for reality television shows today. Featuring interviews with Jerry Springer, Sally Jessy Raphael, Geraldo Rivera, Laura Grindstaff, Dr. Drew Pinsky, Maury Povich and more, The Rise of Trash TV tells the inside story of how this new wave of television emerged and its lasting cultural impact.