Geraldo (talk show)

Geraldo is an American daytime television tabloid talk show hosted by Geraldo Rivera that aired in syndication from September 7, 1987 to June 12, 1998. The last two seasons aired under the title The Geraldo Rivera Show.

Geraldo
Also known as
  • Geraldo (1987–1996)
  • The Geraldo Rivera Show (1996–1998)
GenreTabloid talk show
Created byGeraldo Rivera[1]
Presented byGeraldo Rivera
Country of originUnited States
Original language(s)English
No. of seasons11
Production
Production location(s)
Camera setupMultiple
Running time40 minutes
Production company(s)Investigative News Group
Tribune Entertainment
Distributor
Release
Original networkSyndicated
Picture format4:3
Original releaseSeptember 7, 1987 (1987-09-07) –
June 12, 1998 (1998-06-12)

The series was a production of Investigative News Group and distributed by Tribune Entertainment. For its first three seasons, Paramount Domestic Television served as co-distributor. For its final two seasons, King World Productions assisted Tribune as co-distributor.

Controversy

In November 3, 1988, an episode involving white supremacists, anti-racist skinheads, black activists, and Jewish activists was aired. A confrontation between John Metzger (the son of Tom Metzger) and Roy Innis (in which Metzger goaded Innis by referring to him as "Uncle Tom") led to Innis walking over to Metzger and forcefully grabbing him by the neck after Metzger stood up in Innis’ face, and subsequently, a full-scale brawl broke out. Audience members, several stage hands, and Rivera himself got involved. In the process, Rivera was struck in the face by a chair and wound up with a broken nose. He did not press charges, saying he did not wish to be "tied up with the roaches", and also claiming "if there ever was a case of deserved violence, this was it".[2] The ratings for this show increased as news of the fight attracted attention to the episode even before it aired.

In August 1992, Rivera would scuffle with KKK members again at a Klan rally in Janesville, Wisconsin. Rivera suffered cuts and a bite to one of his thumbs.[3][4][5]

Parodies
  • The 1989 film UHF, starring "Weird Al" Yankovic, parodies Geraldo, including the infamous 1988 brawl.
  • The season 2 opener of Saved by the Bell features Kelly's dream sequence in which Screech Powers (Dustin Diamond) is now Geraldo Screech at Bayside, which takes place at The Max.
  • The Family Guy episode "Fifteen Minutes of Shame", which featured the Griffins appearing on a talk show, parodied the infamous 1988 brawl by having Peter shout "Who are you calling 'Uncle Tom'?!" and throwing a chair.
  • In a season five episode of Empty Nest titled "Dirty Harry", Rivera appears as himself and mocks the brawl. In the episode, Harry, Carol, and Charlie appear on the talk show; during their appearance, Harry inadvertently hits Geraldo in the nose with a coffee mug.

References
  1. Rosenberg, Howard (December 1, 1993). "Doc Hollywood Takes a Scalpel to the Viewers Again Television: The `first-ever televised sex-change operation in talk-show history as far as we know' on `Geraldo' is oversold, overblown and overcooked". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 3, 2010.
  2. "Geraldo Rivera's Nose Broken In Scuffle on His Talk Show". The New York Times. November 4, 1988.
  3. "TV Host Geraldo Rivera Fights With Klansman, Both Arrested - Los Angeles Times". Articles.latimes.com. May 7, 2001. Retrieved October 12, 2013.
  4. When Geraldo comes to town: KKK fight put Janesville in national spotlight
  5. Charges against Geraldo Rivera dropped
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