I despise this stuff so much that I have to be honest that I have never actually seen a Springer or Oprah Winfrey show. But the ones that deserve the greatest of my scorn are the many court tv things, Court TV, Judge Judy, etc. People just like to see someone more hapless than themselves I suppose.
Muleteam1
I got into trial coverage myself for awhile... CourtTV used to cover trials that were good legal intrigue... I watched part of a handgun liability suit, the nanny shaken baby case, even the OJ trial and others about murders where the facts were in dispute and the cases on each side interesting. But they've become monolithic; ALL now are about sex, torture, sex, perversion, and sex.
And they're typically watched here on FR by people who would never give themselves permission to watch movies about such vile plots... they think it's OK because it's news.