The sad reason people still go on the Jerry Springer show

Yes, The Jerry Springer Show is still being filmed and yes, people are still willing to embarrass themselves on the program.

But why?

"If I had to guess, for so many of our guests, no one ever asks them a question," 73-year-old Springer said on Today.

"They live their lives - they don't have kids who ask them their opinion, they don't have parents who ask them their opinion, they're not in a job where their opinion is valued - for one day in their life, people are really paying attention. They're talking about something that is important to them. We take it for granted."

"They're not coming on to be famous, and they don't even use their real names in most cases," he said.

The show started way back in 1991 and at first it was a serious show, but after a few seasons "it started going crazy," Springer said.

"No one is watching because of me, they're watching because the stories are crazy and the people are outrageous," Springer said.

The crazier the guests, the higher the ratings went and at one stage The Jerry Springer Show had more viewers than Oprah's talk show.

Over the years the show has featured guests from every walk of life and no topic is off-limits.

"We've had on our show Neo-Nazis, and my family was exterminated by the Nazis," Springer said.

"If I can do a show where I'm okay that they're on, then what am I going to say no to?"

Springer is well aware that the show is "stupid" and during the Today interview he jokingly apologised because he's "ruined the culture."

"It's just a circus," he said of the program, and with recent episode titles including: You had sex with my mum, Menage a transsexual, Gay crush on my best friend and Tiny twerk off, it's hard to disagree.

Till next time, take care of yourselves and each other.