Jerry Springer: The Opera (2005)
A new episode of BBC Radio4's fantastic
'The Reunion' (
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001pm7b) discussion programme (in which all the key players are brought in decades later to discuss a tumultuous event) about the controversial
'Jerry Springer: The Opera' prompted me to have another watch of the DVD recording of the musical starring
David Soul. 'Jerry Springer: The Opera' was created by comedians
Stewart Lee and
Richard Thomas who I loved from having watched them as a teenager on the legendary Sunday morning comedy show
'This Morning with Richard Not Judy' (itself generating complaints due to being adult-ish but on at a time when kids like me were watching and because it had a couple of sketches gently mocking religion... on the sabbath). Their musical won all the theatre awards and played to packed houses for a few years, until the BBC broadcast it, after which all hell broke loose. Christian groups picketed the shows, threatened it with a blasphemy prosecution (which never happened) made up lies about the shows content, instigated death threats against the creators, had questions asked in parliament, got funding for the show's national tour withdrawn, and so commercially destroyed it. The DVD was being put together at the height of the controversy, so on the bonus features and commentary, Stew and Richard are trying to laugh their way through the depressing destruction of this piece of popular art, which they'd spent 4-years working on e.g.
"The costume designer did a brilliant job... all her work is rotting in a warehouse now". They didn't know that this DVD itself would also be withdrawn from sale from two major retailers due to threats from pressure groups. I was delighted to hear on 'The Reunion' show that Stew had managed to buy up 500 unsold copies of the DVD from a charity shop for 50p and then sell them full-price at his comedy shows. A small piece of ironic revenge. You can't help but think of the global success of the similar
'The Book of Mormon' and think the makers of 'Jerry Springer: The Opera' got very unlucky to have been chosen as a target.
The musical itself is damned catchy. The next day after this re-watch, I had to stop myself walking around singing the choruses
"This Is My Jerry Springer Moment",
"Mama gimmee smack on the a**hole" and
"I just want to sh*t my pants" . The first hour is perhaps in danger of being a one-joke
"Opera but with swearing" trick but it's a very funny joke, with beautifully written music. The second
"Jerry Springer in Hell" half taking place on another plain of reality is the most interesting bit. The show certainly isn't for the easily offended but it's not going to bring about the downfall of civilisation or anything.
The DVD...
...and the commentary track are on YouTube...
How To Write an Opera about Jerry Springer (2005)
Stewart Lee and
Richard Thomas' amazing meta deconstruction/discussion of the genesis of their
'Jerry Springer: The Opera' show. Thomas' specially written song
"DVD... this an extra for the DVD" is a total ear worm.
Stewart Lee: What's Wrong with Blasphemy? (2006)
I had to re-watch
Stewart Lee's interesting comedic documentary after
'Jerry Springer: The Opera'. The main focus is the hysterical scandal around the musical but it's investigating the larger cultural and political context in an amusing yet thoughtful way. My favourite line from Lee (as he stands in front of protestors) is
"Wether you think of the people behind me as hysterical bigots, or well intentioned fools, they are nonetheless divs". Lee often manages to get the brilliant
Alan Moore involved in his projects and Moore's interview here is a real treat.