In April 2003, a musical written by comedians Richard Thomas and Stewart Lee opened at the National Theatre in London. It took its inspiration from the controversial American talk show Jerry Springer and combined opera with profanity, musical theatre with “white-trash TV”.
In the musical, Jerry was condemned to a life in purgatory, settling arguments between Satan and Jesus, Adam and Eve, then Mary and Jesus, all portrayed in the manner of deviant and unruly guests.
The show swept the awards and stars including Oliver Stone and Harvey Keitel flocked to see it. But some thought the show was sacrilege.
When the BBC decided to screen Jerry Springer: The Opera in January 2005, it received a record 63,000 viewer complaints. The cast and crew found themselves bombarded with hate mail and had to cross picket lines to go into the theatre. BBC2 controller Roly Keating was forced into hiding.
Kirsty is joined by composer and writer Richard Thomas, who had the initial idea for the show, and his co-writer and the show’s director Stewart Lee, who was brought to the brink of financial ruin by the protests. Mezzo Soprano Lore Lixenberg helped develop and played the roles of Peaches and Baby Jane and was with the production from its Battersea Arts Centre beginnings. David Bedella won an Olivier Award for his role as Warm-Up Man and Satan in the show. Married to a vicar at the time, David found himself a target for the Christian protesters. And there are two men who played Jerry Springer in the show – Michael Brandon who met and became friends with the real Jerry Springer as a result of his performance, and David Soul who played Jerry Springer during the show’s West End Run.
Producer: Emily Williams
Series Producer: David Prest
A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian