“Jerry Springer shares a touching story about a pig”
Exclusive Interview by Michael Aaron Gallagher of StayFamous.Net
Jerry Springer signs autographs at the New York State Fair. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher of StayFamous.Net.
If you think you know legendary talk show host Jerry Springer of the long-running series, “The Jerry Springer Show” (now in its 21st season), you may be surprised to learn that when he isn’t corralling outrageous guests on the set of his talk show, he is actually a caring livestock owner, whose emotional fair story is equally as entertaining.
As he talked with fairgoers about his newest show, one thing was clear – Jerry Springer was a welcome guest, who is no stranger to the fair. In addition to the food, which he enjoys eating, Springer remembers a promise he once made at a county fair in Florida that changed his life forever.
“I once bought a pig,” Springer said.
When he received a letter from a girl in the 4-H club, explaining that she would be showing her 1-year-old pig, whom she had raised from birth, he decided to go to the county fair along with his wife to watch the competition.
“So we went to the fair and there she is showing off Bella – beautiful pink pig. And she wins the blue ribbon,” Springer said. “Ah, this is great! Everyone’s cheering, we’re congratulating her, they’re taking pictures.”
Moments later the girl began to cry as they took the pig to the next tent, where Bella was to be auctioned off at $4 a pound, for bacon, Springer said.
“And I’m suddenly feeling bad,” he recalled about the moments he witnessed as the girl pleaded with them not to take her pig.
“So I told her, I would agree to bid on the pig, but if I get the pig, you’ve got to raise it and you can’t then turn around and sell it for $4 a pound. You’ve got to raise the pig. I’ll send you $100 a month to feed Bella.”
When the bidding began, it quickly became competitive. But he knew he couldn’t risk losing and letting the girl down.
“So I finally won the bidding – $1,000,” Springer said. “A thousand dollars for a pig!”
But for Springer, who is Jewish, the kind gesture also presented a new religious challenge.
“Now it gets worse,” he said. “My Rabbi calls me and we’re not supposed to eat pork.”
The Rabbi asked, “What are you doing buying a pig?”
Springer replied, “Rabbi, listen. By buying the pig I prevented her from being used as bacon. So I’m making America Kosher one pig at a time… and then he blessed me.”
Bella, who now weighs 500 pounds, still receives the occasional visit from Springer, who sends the pig $100 a month ($1,200 per year) for food.
“But here’s the worst part,” Springer said. “Bella, if you don’t slaughter her, will live 25 years. Well, I’m not going to live another 25 years. So I’ve got to put Bella in my will, otherwise the day I die, she goes.”
At age 67, Springer is showing no signs of slowing down, and his exciting guests are sure to keep him young.
With chants of “Jerry, Jerry, Jerry,” the popular host arrived at the New York State Fair autograph booth in the Time Warner building recently to meet fans and sign memorabilia. In his first visit to Central New York in nearly a decade, he was in town to promote his show “Baggage,” the No. 1 rated show on GSN (Game Show Network), now in its third season. The show recently taped its 300th episode.
“It’s your traditional dating show,” Springer said. “A guy comes out and he has to choose among the three beautiful women for a date and they’re all saying, ‘Choose me, choose me.’ The twist is that during the course of the show they have to reveal three items of baggage, something in their personality or in their life situation, which would make you think twice about going out with them.”
Fans line up to meet television host Jerry Springer at the New York State Fair. Photo by Michael Aaron Gallagher of StayFamous.Net.
“Jerry Springer shares a touching story about a pig”
Copyright 2011 by Michael Aaron Gallagher
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