The Steve Wilkos Show
Encyclopedia
The Steve Wilkos Show is a syndicated American
tabloid talk show
hosted by Steve Wilkos
. The show debuted on September 10, 2007, two months after Wilkos' departure as director of security
on The Jerry Springer Show
.
whenever Springer took breaks or was doing other projects, such as Dancing with the Stars. The idea of Wilkos having his own show came as a result of this approach, which proved to be so popular with viewers that the producers of Springer pitched the idea of giving Wilkos his own show to NBC Universal
, which proved successful. On his show, each episode of the show focuses on topics such as adultery
, divorce
, spousal abuse, sexual violence
, homophobia
, homosexuality
, infidelity
, child abuse
, child molestation, sexual harassment
, polygamy
, cyber crime, cyber bullying, cyberstalking
, cyberharassment, cyberterrorism, deadbeat parents, incest
, pedophilia
, pornography
, gangs, missing children, teenage pregnancy
, alcohol addiction, drug addiction, homelessness
, prostitution
, racism
, obesity
, eating disorders, stalking
, lie detector
tests and paternity
.
As noted, Wilkos' show deals with more serious topics than Springer usually covers, most involving criminal justice
issues. He recently did a show that included a mentally unstable man who had killed his own infant child. Wilkos will often refuse to let guests accused of misbehavior, convicted of certain crimes (especially sex offenses and spousal/child abuse
) to sit down in the chairs on his soundstage. Wilkos will sometimes toss these chairs aside when he is angry and for dramatic effect. He often notes in his show that the reason he does so is because when the accused committed the crime against the victim, they weren't making them "comfortable" and as such, they don't deserve to be "comfortable" while on his show. Irrespective of any heinous behavior, Steve typically lets pregnant women and teenagers sit on his stage.
Wilkos often gets into close confrontations with guests by not letting them have a seat and raises his voice, but avoids physical contact with them unless necessary to defend himself or other guests. When guests get aggressive, Wilkos has threatened them with arrest. When guests flee backstage to try to get away from Wilkos, he often follows them and continues the confrontations. Almost always, when Steve has had enough of a particular guest, he will throw said guest off the stage, yelling "Get off my stage!", and with increasing frequency, will have them forcibly removed from the studio as well.
Also in the second season, Wilkos began dividing some episodes into two segments, each one dealing with different guests and issues.
According to the Chicago Sun-Times
, show creator and executive producer Richard Dominick
was forced from the program by Springer and NBCU Domestic Television after encouraging Wilkos to become extremely physical with a guest. Rachelle Wilkos
, Wilkos' wife and a long time Springer crew member, is now the program's executive producer.
Wilkos' third season premiered September 14, 2009
, now originating from the Stamford Media Center in Stamford, Connecticut
complete with a new studio. Fellow NBC-Universal talkers Maury
and Springer made the move, as well. On October 25, 2010, it was announced that his show was picked up by NBC Universal
through the 2013-14 season.
Wilkos' fifth season premiered September 19, 2011, debuting new graphics.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
tabloid talk show
Tabloid talk show
Tabloid talk shows are a genre of American television programming talk shows that achieved peak viewership during the late 20th century. Airing mostly during the day and distributed mostly through broadcast syndication, this genre originated with The Phil Donahue Show and was popularized by the...
hosted by Steve Wilkos
Steve Wilkos
Steven John "Steve" Wilkos is an American television personality, a former U.S. Marine and officer with the Chicago police. He currently hosts his own talk show, The Steve Wilkos Show, but is best known as the former director of security on The Jerry Springer Show...
. The show debuted on September 10, 2007, two months after Wilkos' departure as director of security
Security
Security is the degree of protection against danger, damage, loss, and crime. Security as a form of protection are structures and processes that provide or improve security as a condition. The Institute for Security and Open Methodologies in the OSSTMM 3 defines security as "a form of protection...
on The Jerry Springer Show
The Jerry Springer Show
The Jerry Springer Show is a syndicated television tabloid talk show hosted by Jerry Springer, a former politician, broadcast in the United States and other countries...
.
History
The show has Wilkos expanding on his successful "Steve to the Rescue" shows that he did while serving as a substitute for Jerry SpringerJerry Springer
Gerald Norman "Jerry" Springer is a British-born American television presenter, best known as host of the tabloid talk show The Jerry Springer Show since its debut in 1991...
whenever Springer took breaks or was doing other projects, such as Dancing with the Stars. The idea of Wilkos having his own show came as a result of this approach, which proved to be so popular with viewers that the producers of Springer pitched the idea of giving Wilkos his own show to NBC Universal
NBC Universal
NBCUniversal Media, LLC is a media and entertainment company engaged in the production and marketing of entertainment, news, and information products and services to a global customer base...
, which proved successful. On his show, each episode of the show focuses on topics such as adultery
Adultery
Adultery is sexual infidelity to one's spouse, and is a form of extramarital sex. It originally referred only to sex between a woman who was married and a person other than her spouse. Even in cases of separation from one's spouse, an extramarital affair is still considered adultery.Adultery is...
, divorce
Divorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
, spousal abuse, sexual violence
Sexual violence
Sexual violence occurs throughout the world, although in most countries there has been little research conducted on the problem. Due to the private nature of sexual violence, estimating the extent of the problem is difficult...
, homophobia
Homophobia
Homophobia is a term used to refer to a range of negative attitudes and feelings towards lesbian, gay and in some cases bisexual, transgender people and behavior, although these are usually covered under other terms such as biphobia and transphobia. Definitions refer to irrational fear, with the...
, homosexuality
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
, infidelity
Infidelity
In many intimate relationships in many cultures there is usually an express or implied expectation of exclusivity, especially in sexual matters. Infidelity most commonly refers to a breach of the expectation of sexual exclusivity.Infidelity can occur in relation to physical intimacy and/or...
, child abuse
Child abuse
Child abuse is the physical, sexual, emotional mistreatment, or neglect of a child. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Children And Families define child maltreatment as any act or series of acts of commission or omission by a parent or...
, child molestation, sexual harassment
Sexual harassment
Sexual harassment, is intimidation, bullying or coercion of a sexual nature, or the unwelcome or inappropriate promise of rewards in exchange for sexual favors. In some contexts or circumstances, sexual harassment is illegal. It includes a range of behavior from seemingly mild transgressions and...
, polygamy
Polygamy
Polygamy is a marriage which includes more than two partners...
, cyber crime, cyber bullying, cyberstalking
Cyberstalking
Cyberstalking is the use of the Internet or other electronic means to stalk or harass an individual, a group of individuals, or an organization. It may include false accusations, monitoring, making threats, identity theft, damage to data or equipment, the solicitation of minors for sex, or...
, cyberharassment, cyberterrorism, deadbeat parents, incest
Incest
Incest is sexual intercourse between close relatives that is usually illegal in the jurisdiction where it takes place and/or is conventionally considered a taboo. The term may apply to sexual activities between: individuals of close "blood relationship"; members of the same household; step...
, pedophilia
Pedophilia
As a medical diagnosis, pedophilia is defined as a psychiatric disorder in adults or late adolescents typically characterized by a primary or exclusive sexual interest in prepubescent children...
, pornography
Pornography
Pornography or porn is the explicit portrayal of sexual subject matter for the purposes of sexual arousal and erotic satisfaction.Pornography may use any of a variety of media, ranging from books, magazines, postcards, photos, sculpture, drawing, painting, animation, sound recording, film, video,...
, gangs, missing children, teenage pregnancy
Teenage pregnancy
Teenage pregnancy is a pregnancy of a female under the age of 20 when the pregnancy ends. It generally refers to a female who is unmarried and usually refers to an unplanned pregnancy...
, alcohol addiction, drug addiction, homelessness
Homelessness
Homelessness describes the condition of people without a regular dwelling. People who are homeless are unable or unwilling to acquire and maintain regular, safe, and adequate housing, or lack "fixed, regular, and adequate night-time residence." The legal definition of "homeless" varies from country...
, prostitution
Prostitution
Prostitution is the act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute and the person who receives such services is known by a multitude of terms, including a "john". Prostitution is one of...
, racism
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
, obesity
Obesity
Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have an adverse effect on health, leading to reduced life expectancy and/or increased health problems...
, eating disorders, stalking
Stalking
Stalking is a term commonly used to refer to unwanted and obsessive attention by an individual or group to another person. Stalking behaviors are related to harassment and intimidation and may include following the victim in person and/or monitoring them via the internet...
, lie detector
Lie Detector
"Lie Detector" is a CD single by The Reverend Horton Heat. It was released in October 1998 on Sub Pop.-Personnel:*Jim "Reverend Horton" Heath - lead vocals, guitar*Jimbo Wallace - upright bass, vocals*Scott Churilla - drums, vocals...
tests and paternity
Paternity (law)
In law, paternity is the legal acknowledgment of the parental relationship between a man and a child usually based on several factors.At common law, a child born to the wife during a marriage is the husband's child under the "presumption of legitimacy", and the husband is assigned complete rights,...
.
As noted, Wilkos' show deals with more serious topics than Springer usually covers, most involving criminal justice
Criminal justice
Criminal Justice is the system of practices and institutions of governments directed at upholding social control, deterring and mitigating crime, or sanctioning those who violate laws with criminal penalties and rehabilitation efforts...
issues. He recently did a show that included a mentally unstable man who had killed his own infant child. Wilkos will often refuse to let guests accused of misbehavior, convicted of certain crimes (especially sex offenses and spousal/child abuse
Child abuse
Child abuse is the physical, sexual, emotional mistreatment, or neglect of a child. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Children And Families define child maltreatment as any act or series of acts of commission or omission by a parent or...
) to sit down in the chairs on his soundstage. Wilkos will sometimes toss these chairs aside when he is angry and for dramatic effect. He often notes in his show that the reason he does so is because when the accused committed the crime against the victim, they weren't making them "comfortable" and as such, they don't deserve to be "comfortable" while on his show. Irrespective of any heinous behavior, Steve typically lets pregnant women and teenagers sit on his stage.
Wilkos often gets into close confrontations with guests by not letting them have a seat and raises his voice, but avoids physical contact with them unless necessary to defend himself or other guests. When guests get aggressive, Wilkos has threatened them with arrest. When guests flee backstage to try to get away from Wilkos, he often follows them and continues the confrontations. Almost always, when Steve has had enough of a particular guest, he will throw said guest off the stage, yelling "Get off my stage!", and with increasing frequency, will have them forcibly removed from the studio as well.
Changes
In the show's first season, Wilkos frequently closed episodes with readings of both positive and negative e-mails he received from viewers. He would preface the readings by saying, "If I read your letter, and if you're not a knucklehead, moron or belly-rubber, I'll send you a free t-shirt." He also proclaimed his show to be "Moron-Free TV", and declared that those who sent him negative e-mails were "not allowed to watch". In the second season, these readings are less frequent, Wilkos no longer uses the "knucklehead," "moron," "belly-rubber" or "Moron-Free TV" labels, and everyone who has their e-mail read gets the free t-shirt.Also in the second season, Wilkos began dividing some episodes into two segments, each one dealing with different guests and issues.
According to the Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Sun-Times
The Chicago Sun-Times is an American daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois. It is the flagship paper of the Sun-Times Media Group.-History:The Chicago Sun-Times is the oldest continuously published daily newspaper in the city...
, show creator and executive producer Richard Dominick
Richard Dominick
Richard Dominick is the former executive producer of NBC Universal Domestic Television Distribution's The Jerry Springer Show for almost 18 years. Dominick also served in the same capacity on The Steve Wilkos Show for its first season, as well as the truTV police series Bait Car...
was forced from the program by Springer and NBCU Domestic Television after encouraging Wilkos to become extremely physical with a guest. Rachelle Wilkos
Rachelle Consiglio
Rachelle Lynn Consiglio-Wilkos is an American television producer.Wilkos is a former senior producer on The Jerry Springer Show and, now executive producer of the The Steve Wilkos Show .When longtime Springer executive producer...
, Wilkos' wife and a long time Springer crew member, is now the program's executive producer.
Wilkos' third season premiered September 14, 2009
2009 in television
The following is a list of events affecting American television in 2009. Events listed include television show debuts, finales, cancellations, and new channel launches.-January:-February:-March:-April:-May:-June:-July:-August:...
, now originating from the Stamford Media Center in Stamford, Connecticut
Stamford, Connecticut
Stamford is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 census, the population of the city is 122,643, making it the fourth largest city in the state and the eighth largest city in New England...
complete with a new studio. Fellow NBC-Universal talkers Maury
Maury (TV series)
Maury is a syndicated American tabloid talk show hosted by Maury Povich.When the series first aired in 1991, the show was called The Maury Povich Show and was produced by MoPo Productions in association with Paramount Domestic Television...
and Springer made the move, as well. On October 25, 2010, it was announced that his show was picked up by NBC Universal
NBC Universal
NBCUniversal Media, LLC is a media and entertainment company engaged in the production and marketing of entertainment, news, and information products and services to a global customer base...
through the 2013-14 season.
Wilkos' fifth season premiered September 19, 2011, debuting new graphics.
See also
- Kenny EasterdayKenny EasterdayKenny Easterday is an American man born with a rare disability called sacral agenesis. To improve his mobility, his legs were amputated at the hip when he was six months....
- Jerry Springer: The OperaJerry Springer: The OperaJerry Springer: The Opera is a British musical written by Richard Thomas and Stewart Lee, based on the television show The Jerry Springer Show. The musical is notable for its profanity, its irreverent treatment of Judeo-Christian themes, and surreal images such as a troupe of tap-dancing Ku Klux...
- The Jeremy Kyle ShowThe Jeremy Kyle ShowThe Jeremy Kyle Show is an award-winning British daytime television tabloid talk show presented by Jeremy Kyle that has been broadcast on ITV since 4 July 2005. The show is recorded and produced by Granada Television at the Granada Studios on Quay Street in Manchester city centre and broadcast each...
(UK version) - The Jeremy Kyle Show (U.S. TV series)The Jeremy Kyle Show (U.S. TV series)The Jeremy Kyle Show is an American daytime television tabloid talk show presented by Jeremy Kyle that debuted in the United States and Canada on September 19, 2011. The series is based on Kyle's successful British talk series of the same name, which has been broadcasting on the UK's ITV since July...
- Face to Face (Philippine TV series)Face to Face (Philippine TV series)Face to Face is a Reality TV Show aired by Filipino broadcasting network, TV5. It is based on The Jerry Springer Show with a Filipino cultural perspective, predominantly with "marginalized and impoverished guests". It is advertised in the Philippines as the First talakserye on Philippine...