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00:00Jerry was good to everybody. So everybody in that documentary, Jerry was good to.
00:04And then for you to come on and say these total falsehoods, what, I don't know, was it a paycheck?
00:13Virtual Reality.
00:17Steve Wilkos, The Man, The Myth, The Legend, Season 19, premieres today.
00:23Today.
00:23Can you believe it? How are you feeling about it?
00:24I feel great because, you know, every year you stay on is, you know, a success.
00:31Yeah.
00:31And I remember when my show got launched, I don't think anybody there would have said, oh, this guy's going to last 19 years.
00:39And truthfully, the first couple of years is so hard with a new show.
00:43You're just trying to stay on the air where now we're so established and the show's so well run that, you know, we just kind of cruise along at this point.
00:53And just when you say 19 years, it's like Groundhog Day, you know, season 17, 18, 19.
01:01And I'm hoping to do for a few more years, so.
01:03Yeah, well, people are still eating you up.
01:05You walked into the New York Coast offices.
01:06There were audible gasps when you walked in.
01:08People were so excited to see you.
01:09Does that still blow your mind?
01:11How much people love you all these years later?
01:14Well, it's a nice feeling because nobody's saying you suck.
01:17So, I mean, it's nice when people, you know, they see you and they're a little excited.
01:23And I'm glad that after all these years, people are still interested in me.
01:28What would the 30-year-old cop version of yourself think about everything that you've accomplished in nearly 20 seasons?
01:33It would probably blow my mind, right?
01:35Like, you know, when I was 30, I, you know, on my 30th birthday, I had worked on Springer like one time.
01:43And if you would have told me, hey, you're going to be there 31 years later, you're going to leave the police department, you're going to have your own show.
01:51I mean, that's just like crazy talk, right?
01:53Like he'd say, like, you're out of your mind.
01:54Quit drinking so much, you know.
01:56But I am here.
01:58I still wake up every day and I say, man, how did this happen?
02:01But I'm really grateful for it because it's made my life great.
02:05I thought it was really cool.
02:05I was watching your interview with The Breakfast Club from last year.
02:08And you mentioned that when Jerry Springer did Dancing with the Stars, it sort of opened the door for you to fill in for him.
02:14And then because of those 30 shows that you did, that was essentially the catalyst for you getting your own show.
02:21When you were doing those 30 shows, did you have any idea that it was like in some ways kind of like an audition?
02:28It was almost like you were doing your own pilot.
02:30Yeah, I didn't have any idea.
02:32And I was just excited because when I hosted the show, I was paid extra.
02:39And they didn't even want to do that.
02:40And I was like, you know, when they came to me and said, you're going to host the shows.
02:43And I said, so what am I going to make?
02:45And they're like, oh, you're not going to make anything.
02:47So I go, well, wait a second.
02:48I'm the director of security, not the host of the show.
02:52So you're going to pay me something.
02:53So I was just really excited.
02:54I was making a little bit of money.
02:56You know, I just never looked at myself like that, you know.
03:00You know, I still felt like a policeman.
03:04You know, that was my career.
03:06And then eventually I left the police department, worked full-time on Jerry.
03:09But my wife, who's my executive producer now, she had told me, why don't you leave the police department?
03:15I came home bloody.
03:16My uniform was all bloody.
03:17And she couldn't believe that people fought the police.
03:19And she said, you need to leave that because once the Springer show's over, we're not going to stick around.
03:26Chicago, you being a policeman, she goes, I'm going to have to go to L.A. or New York.
03:30And then you'll do whatever you do, and I'm going to be a producer.
03:33And I said, that sounds great.
03:35But we did that not having a clue I was going to get my own show.
03:39Do you love working together?
03:41Is it so much fun?
03:42Yeah.
03:43Somebody asked me earlier what would happen if your wife decided she didn't want to do it anymore.
03:49Well, then I wouldn't do it anymore because I'm not working with anybody else but my wife.
03:53We have such a great, first of all, she's the best wife in the world, but she's also the greatest producer in the world.
04:00So I got best of both worlds and I couldn't imagine, you know, looking over at the podium and not seeing her.
04:08Yeah.
04:08How do you balance the work relationship and your marriage?
04:12Is there a separation?
04:13When we're at home, you know, she works from home now.
04:16Pandemic changed a lot of things, so she does a lot of Zoom calls and stuff.
04:21We, she has her own office down in our house.
04:24I don't listen to anything.
04:26We never talk about the show.
04:27We never talk about the show at home.
04:29So, you know, but we have a couple of kids in college and we're both involved in a lot of things, so we're busy enough.
04:36And the worst thing you can do is make the, any, any job in the world, whether it's being a policeman or anything, if the job is your whole life, you're in big trouble.
04:47And I saw that with my dad.
04:49My dad was a policeman.
04:50He retired.
04:51He really didn't have anything.
04:52I've known other talk show hosts that once their show was over, they real struggled with being retired because your job becomes your whole identity.
05:02And I never said, I never wanted that to happen with me.
05:05It's cool that you two have that separation.
05:08And, but I do love that you appreciate her work on your show.
05:11And I also, I think you've said that she came in a little bit after the show premiered and really sort of transformed the show.
05:18Well, yeah.
05:18Yeah, so when they, our old exec producer from Springer kind of oversaw my show in the first year and then he moved on and my wife took over.
05:30And the greatest thing was that first year I felt overly produced.
05:34I was told what to say, what to do.
05:37And then when my wife took over, she goes, you be you.
05:40Yeah.
05:40And you just be yourself and do it the way you want to do.
05:44So, and thank God, because there's no way I would have lasted this long being produced a certain way.
05:50She lets me do my thing.
05:52Of course, she'll guide me where she wants me to go, but you're seeing me on stage.
05:57Right.
05:57Is there any part of the show today that you feel like is a direct homage to Jerry Springer?
06:05And like, do you try to honor him in any way?
06:07We have honored him, especially when he passed away.
06:09We've dedicated a show to him.
06:11Yeah.
06:12I mean, listen, a lot of what I have in my life I owe to Jerry, but they're two completely different shows.
06:17Right.
06:19And we had to do that.
06:20We had to distance myself from the Springer show because we, if we would have just tried to copycat Jerry, there's only one Jerry Springer show and we would have failed.
06:31We could have never done it as good as he did it.
06:33So we said, okay, we're going to go in a completely different direction and it's worked out well for us.
06:38Yeah.
06:39Jerry obviously is so missed.
06:41Do you feel like you're still grieving his death or do you feel like you've moved on?
06:45No.
06:45I mean, there's something about me that death doesn't linger with me.
06:51My father died and my mother called me up.
06:54We tape on Wednesdays.
06:55And my mom called me up and said, your dad passed away.
06:58And I said, is there anything you need me to do right now, mom?
07:00She said, no.
07:01And I went to work and I taped shows that day because it's inevitable, right?
07:08It wasn't shocking.
07:09I knew my dad was up there and he was in poor health.
07:13And with Jerry, Jerry was shocking, but you move on with life.
07:18I'm not a, I don't believe in myself.
07:22Like, maybe it's just not in me.
07:24I don't grieve that long.
07:25Like, I love Jerry.
07:26He will always be a part of me the rest of my life, just like my own father.
07:30But you move on and life goes on, unfortunately.
07:32I mean, it just does.
07:34Yeah.
07:34You were outspoken about the documentary about Jerry Springer.
07:37How do you feel about it today?
07:38Are there any more reflections on it?
07:39Uh, you know, I remember like there was, everybody wanted to produce documentaries with Jerry.
07:46And I would say, Jerry, are you doing this?
07:48And he'd be like, no, I don't want any part of that.
07:50And I said, well, I don't respect him.
07:52I would never do it.
07:53The Netflix thing I'm very disappointed in because the people that appeared in that, uh,
07:59Jerry was good to every one of them.
08:01And I'll say it.
08:03A lot of those people just outright lied on Jerry.
08:07Lied.
08:07And it's, I think it's terrible.
08:10The man has passed on.
08:12You're speaking untruths about him that, you know, the guy can't defend himself because
08:18he has passed away.
08:19Um, I don't think they've portrayed it in a very good light.
08:23And I'm ashamed that all those people that participate.
08:26And if you notice people that were really a big part of the Springer show, Milo security
08:32guys, myself, my wife, Selena, who's now a co-exec producer on my show.
08:37Nobody participate in that.
08:39So the people that were really there that were really involved in the success of the
08:43show, uh, didn't participate in it.
08:46Was there anything in particular that you thought was outrageously misconstrued in the
08:51documentary that you would like to clear up?
08:52There are things, but I'm not, I don't want to be specific because, you know, that chapter
08:59of my life is over.
09:00It was a great time in my life.
09:01Yeah.
09:01But, um, I think it's terrible that, uh, you're fabricating stories that never happened
09:08so you could be on Netflix.
09:10And I think that's terrible.
09:12And, you know, Jerry was good to everybody.
09:15So everybody in that documentary, Jerry was good too.
09:18Yeah.
09:19And then for you to come on and say these total falsehoods, what, I don't know, was it a paycheck?
09:25I don't know if they got paid or not, but, um, I think they all should be ashamed of themselves.
09:29You were also very outspoken about the Wendy Williams documentary.
09:32And I know that you really appreciate Wendy Williams.
09:34I love Wendy.
09:35Everything that she, uh, you know, contributed to the daytime TV space.
09:39I think you mentioned that you didn't really watch daytime TV, but you were tuning in for
09:42hot topics here and there.
09:43I loved Wendy.
09:45I loved her show.
09:46I think she's iconic.
09:47Um, it's sad for me to see what's happened to her since, but, uh, yeah, I loved, and Wendy
09:54treated me great.
09:56Uh, my wife and I went to her 50th, but we were born in the same year.
10:00Yeah.
10:01Uh, so when she turned 50, we flew out, we were in Wisconsin, our lake house.
10:05We flew back over the summer to attend her 50th birthday party.
10:08So I wouldn't say that we were super close, but we had a lot of respect for each other.
10:13And I love Wendy and, uh, I, I kind of wish somebody would reach out to me so I could
10:18just talk to her and just say how much I care about her.
10:22Oh, I know that would mean a lot to her.
10:23I mean, she's been out and about, like she was just out for a New York fashion week.
10:26I saw that.
10:27It seems like.
10:27She seemed creeping out more.
10:29Yeah.
10:29It's like he's doing better.
10:30And I hope I get a chance to talk with her cause I'm a, I'm a big Wendy fan.
10:34Would you like to see her back on TV?
10:36Do you feel like.
10:37That's not going to happen.
10:38You don't think so?
10:38For a lot of numerous reasons, because, you know, they're very cautious, first of all,
10:44who they're going to hire.
10:45And with the situation that she's been through, uh, somebody would have to take a big roll
10:51of the dice to do that.
10:52Um, unfortunately I think it's moved on.
10:55Um, and, and I think the focus should be on Wendy is getting her health back on her percent.
11:00Yeah.
11:01Uh, and I hope that happens.
11:02Yeah.
11:03Same.
11:03I know.
11:03Fingers.
11:04I would love to see Wendy's back on TV.
11:05I just.
11:06I know.
11:06She's so hysterical.
11:07Yeah.
11:07She's the best.
11:08I thought she was the best.
11:10Um, but I just don't think that's going to happen.
11:12Yeah.
11:12She's a good time.
11:13I actually, I used to work on a column with her at one of the weekly magazines that I used
11:17to work at.
11:17We would write it together every single week.
11:19And it's just, it's so wild to see like how, how in it and how on she was versus what ended
11:24up happening.
11:24But I, do you know what?
11:25I feel like I believe in her.
11:27I feel like she could do it.
11:27Maybe not like a full daytime TV show, but like something.
11:30I would hope something.
11:32What I loved about Wendy, and I see a little myself in her, like she tells the truth.
11:39And she gives her opinion and she's not going to be held back.
11:42Yeah.
11:42Like, she's just going to say the way she feels that, you know, she's like, some of the
11:46lot of these celebrities are managed and, you know, say this, say that.
11:50And I didn't get that from her.
11:51I think she really spoke out of what she believed in and what, you know, she thought she, and
11:56she didn't get with them.
11:57And I love that about her.
11:58Yeah.
11:59Very authentic.
11:59And you're also very authentic too.
12:01You stay true to who you are.
12:02When you look back on all 19 seasons of the Steve Wilco show, is there a, is there a type
12:06of story that you always look forward to digging into on the show?
12:10I mean, you, you've covered a lot at this point, but is there anything that like gets
12:14you really pumped up for the day?
12:15Uh, you know, I know, I never know what the stories are.
12:20My wife tells me right before we go on.
12:22So are you serious?
12:23Yeah.
12:23So I go on blind.
12:24Yeah.
12:25Um, there are stories I don't like that.
12:29I don't like doing, but they rate really well, which is like, uh, accusations of molestation
12:34and stuff.
12:35I hate doing those shows.
12:36Yeah.
12:37But it does make a great connection with our audience because a lot of people have suffered
12:41this.
12:41Um, and I think people like seeing people exposed for doing bad things.
12:45Um, but it's not my favorite.
12:47And my wife knows after we've done so many in a certain timeframe that I need a break and
12:53we'll do something much lighter, like cheating or, you know, so, and I, I, and I like to have
13:00fun and I like to be funny.
13:01So when we do those types of stories, I, I feel like I get to be something I want to be.
13:07Um, uh, I'm still the cop at heart.
13:11And when I have to play tough guy cop, it's not my favorite thing to do, but it's in me.
13:16Yeah.
13:16You can't write.
13:17So, you know, but yeah, I, I kind of like the latter moments on the show sometimes.
13:22Looking back at your childhood, were there any indicators that you could and would thrive
13:29on TV or in the entertainment space one day?
13:31Like, were you kind of a showman when you were a child?
13:32They thought something was wrong with me because I didn't speak until I was about five or six
13:37years old.
13:38I didn't, couldn't speak anywhere and they thought there was something wrong with me.
13:41So it took me, um, I don't remember this obviously, but, uh, I think even in kindergarten,
13:47I didn't know how to talk.
13:48Wow.
13:49So I don't think anybody certainly must have thought.
13:53A lot of progress.
13:54Yeah.
13:54I guess so.
13:55But, uh, I remember my mom telling me that and I think, uh, you know, nobody's kind of
14:02potential that I would have a talk show someday, you know?
14:05That's so great.
14:06Well, thank God.
14:06I think they didn't even have talk shows.
14:08That was way back then.
14:09That is amazing.
14:10Well, thank God you have a talk show.
14:12We all love it.
14:1319 seasons later.
14:14I certainly say thank God for my talk show.
14:16And you said you want to do this for a little bit longer.
14:18You know, my son is a sophomore at Syracuse, um, and I definitely would like to keep doing
14:24a show while he's in college.
14:25Cause once he's out of college, you know, then me and my wife are kind of pretty much
14:30free to do whatever we want.
14:32We're at the position now.
14:33My daughter's, uh, at Northeastern in Boston and my son's at Syracuse and we can get in
14:38the car and go drive and see like this weekend, we're going up to see my son for a parent's
14:43weekend.
14:44Um, so it's nice being able to be, jump in a car and see either one of your kids.
14:49Yeah.
14:49Um, but once they both graduate, my daughter's going to be graduating soon here, um, for my
14:56wife and I to have the freedom where we don't have to stay in one place and just travel around.
15:01That's going to be nice.
15:02Yeah.
15:02Where, where do you want to go?
15:03Where do you want to spend your time?
15:04I don't want to spend any of my time anywhere permanent.
15:07Right.
15:07So, you know, we live in Connecticut.
15:09Um, I had bought a lake house when we lived in Chicago and Wisconsin and we get back there
15:15now more that my kids are kind of gone.
15:18Yeah.
15:18Uh, and we bought a place down in Florida that I love because I can't do the winters all
15:24winter anymore.
15:24So we get down there.
15:26It's nice to escape.
15:27Get a lot of great sun.
15:29Um, so I'm, I'm really enjoying it, but I, I don't think ever in my life, I, at this point
15:34in my life, I want to be in one spot.
15:36Yeah.
15:36So I like going to Wisconsin.
15:38I love Connecticut.
15:39My friends, I golf with every day and I certainly enjoy the time in Florida.
15:43Okay.
15:44Yeah.
15:44I mean, you have the, you have the Florida tan.
15:46But I don't want it in Florida in the summer.
15:47God, man.
15:48Oh yeah.
15:48That's rough.
15:49How do you maintain this tan?
15:51It's, you have such a good, I'm so jealous as someone who doesn't tan very well.
15:54If I think if you look back at my life, I don't think there was ever a time where
15:57I was like white.
15:58No.
15:59I got that.
15:59I've been always dark for some reason.
16:01So, uh, my wife's like, you know, you spend one minute in the sun.
16:05You got like, you know, adult and tan.
16:07I am so jealous.
16:08Well, keep glowing, Steve.
16:10Thank you so much for taking the time.
16:12I appreciate it.
16:13Keep glowing.
16:14Exactly.
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