I was just looking around on YouTube and found this video. Jerry Springer hosting it aside (it was serious back then, and more notable for the topic than him), this is a pretty accurate picture of the early '90s from my impressions.

I was shocked to find this, because I remember seeing parts of it around the time it originally aired, when I was 11 or 12. Despite his appearance, I thought that Tweaky Dave guy was actually pretty cool. He'd just had a hard life, and I felt sorry for him. I remember the other two being a little scary to me though, lol. It's also ironic in a nice way seeing Jerry hosting a serious and compassionate show, which is totally unlike how most people know it since the late '90s.

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQhjsCX-N6U
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWo1WkYN-6s&mode=related&search=
Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FcyBae5kio&mode=related&search=
Part 4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKnvm6NxBes&mode=related&search=
Part 5 (audience questions): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xChUa5SaUYU&mode=related&search=
Part 6 (Final Thought): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dmRNPxbeeo&mode=related&search=

*Bump

Just wondered if anyone had the chance to watch this ep (for the record, it's nothing like the "stereotypical" Jerry Springer show).

Not necesarilly about this show itself, but I think it was hearing about things like this (either on TV, or indirectly from people I knew, such as kids at school who had harder lives) which sorta made me understanding/compassionate to what other people were going through. Even if I couldn't personally relate to it. Every time period has events like this, but it did seem to be a big part of the more gritty '90s.

wow...I watched the whole darn thing!! :o  Poor Tweaky Dave....that's a sad story...I heard that he died a few years later.

Yeah, I can't help but really feel for people like him. He really seemed like a nice dude who was just in one tragic situation after another. I also heard he died in the late '90s - it's too bad he never really got the chance at a better life.

I sorta felt for the other guy Chap, although mugging people isn't the answer. Wendy, the chick in the audience in Part 5 said it best, I believe. Christina probably just felt stifled by her mom (who struck me as caring and sweet, but probably also kinda old-fashioned) and wanted freedom to be independent, but running away from a loving home was silly.

Yeah, I can't help but really feel for people like him. He really seemed like a nice dude who was just in one tragic situation after another. I also heard he died in the late '90s - it's too bad he never really got the chance at a better life.

I sorta felt for the other guy Chap, although mugging people isn't the answer. Wendy, the chick in the audience in Part 5 said it best, I believe. Christina probably just felt stifled by her mom (who struck me as caring and sweet, but probably also kinda old-fashioned) and wanted freedom to be independent, but running away from a loving home was silly.


Chap reminded me of one of my cousins. Basically his mom was never there for him (too busy partying and stuff)...and he turned out sort of the same way (not homeless)...but into drugs and stuff. :(

That Christina seemed like an ungrateful brat, to me. She had a wonderful mom who truly cared about her...but she wanted to do her own thing. Actually her brain seemed kinda fried to me (either due to the drugs, or maybe she was always a bit slow).

Hahahaa....on a very funny note...I had a dream last night that involved Tweaky Dave!! ;D  I was living on the streets and I ran into Tweaky Dave, and he was stirring this BIG pot of soup. He goes to me, "Have some soup..it'll make you feel REAL good...it tastes just like cream of broccoli".....then I find out that instead of using broccoli, he used weed....so after eating a bunch of it, I was pretty much stoned.

I have some truly crazy dreams...this was one of the craziest though! ;D :D ;D :D

^ That's funny, and I almost could envision him saying/doing something like that (I bet he was actually a pretty cool dude with a sense of humor too). Since dreams involve our subconcious, and you had just watched the episode, it was probably on your mind at the time. ;)

In a way, it wouldn't be too hard to imagine that since there was also a follow-up that aired not too long ago (as a "classic episode"). It was a year after this one in early 1994, where Jerry went to L.A. to visit Dave and people he knew on the streets to talk about what their life was like.


I agree with what you said though. The sad thing is, I'm sure Chap's an okay person who just fell into the wrong lifestyle after his mom took off, and got into drugs. There's probably a better chance he's doing good today than with Christina (although it'd be nice to think they both are). I agree that chick was selfish and unappreciative of what she had, although not necesarilly a bad person.

Today Chap is 30, Christina would be 31, and if Dave were alive would've been 33.

P.S. On a lighter note, when I first watched this all the way through a month or so ago, Chap's voice was a dead ringer for this guy I hang out with sometimes who used to work with me, he's like a white rapper (heck, he even calls himself Vanilla Ice as a joke sometimes, lol).

^ That's funny, and I almost could envision him saying/doing something like that (I bet he was actually a pretty cool dude with a sense of humor too). Since dreams involve our subconcious, and you had just watched the episode, it was probably on your mind at the time. ;)

In a way, it wouldn't be too hard to imagine that since there was also a follow-up that aired not too long ago (as a "classic episode"). It was a year after this one in early 1994, where Jerry went to L.A. to visit Dave and people he knew on the streets to talk about what their life was like.


I agree with what you said though. The sad thing is, I'm sure Chap's an okay person who just fell into the wrong lifestyle after his mom took off, and got into drugs. There's probably a better chance he's doing good today than with Christina (although it'd be nice to think they both are). I agree that chick was selfish and unappreciative of what she had, although not necesarilly a bad person.

Today Chap is 30, Christina would be 31, and if Dave were alive would've been 33.

P.S. On a lighter note, when I first watched this all the way through a month or so ago, Chap's voice was a dead ringer for this guy I hang out with sometimes who used to work with me, he's like a white rapper (heck, he even calls himself Vanilla Ice as a joke sometimes, lol).



It's hard to believe that they are/would be that old now....when I was watching it...I sort of forgot how old the clips were.  I really liked Jerry Springer in a more serious role though....it was so much better than the trashy ways of his more recent shows.

It's a sad shame to think about how some children/teens have to grow up and live....we who have good homes and families take that for granted so many times.

Yeah I know, it's easy to think of it in a "present" context since that's what we've got to work with.

I agree about the show's format too. It's too bad it got such low ratings back then from what I've heard. It slowly changed over time, but the 1994-1997 time was probably the best of both worlds. It was aimed more at a younger audience with Jerry as like a "cool Uncle" type then, but my guess is that the producers got greedy when they saw how popular the crazier episodes were, so they decided to make it all about cheating and stuff.

Yeah I know, it's easy to think of it in a "present" context since that's what we've got to work with.

I agree about the show's format too. It's too bad it got such low ratings back then from what I've heard. It slowly changed over time, but the 1994-1997 time was probably the best of both worlds. It was aimed more at a younger audience with Jerry as like a "cool Uncle" type then, but my guess is that the producers got greedy when they saw how popular the crazier episodes were, so they decided to make it all about cheating and stuff.


ya, I guess they had to go with what made the ratings higher, no matter how tacky or trashy it was. ::)

BTW, another sign of huge change is the theme music (you can get a decent listen to it as the credits are rolling, after the Final Thought). Doesn't it seem like it could've been the backing instrumentation to a late '80s soft rock song?

BTW, another sign of huge change is the theme music (you can get a decent listen to it as the credits are rolling, after the Final Thought). Doesn't it seem like it could've been the backing instrumentation to a late '80s soft rock song?



yes, I noticed that too. ;D

NO, You Did Not.  :D

NO, You Did Not.  :D



oh snap...I totally did too! :D

Blah!

oh snap...I totally did too! :D
NO, You Did Not.  :D

hmmm....this thread is attracting the same type of people that the Jerry Springer show seems to attract! :D

hmmm....this thread is attracting the same type of people that the Jerry Springer show seems to attract! :D
NO, You Did Not.  :D

hmmm....this thread is attracting the same type of people that the Jerry Springer show seems to attract! :D


Well, this thread has progressed like Jerry's actual show - starting out serious and now it's kinda like the current '00s version, lol.

Well, it's now kinda turned into being like the 2007 Jerry Springer show, even if it started out like the 1993 Jerry, lol.
NO, It Did Not.  :D

NO, It Did Not.  :D
You Mean, "NO, You Did Not".  :D

Looks like the flurry of guests has died down for now - *unlocked*

tweaky dave was a legend in H'wood

Bump

Unfoturnately, the links I posted got deleted recently (although someone else uploaded a new version, who knows how long that'll last). However, if anyone is interested, a couple weeks ago, someone commented on it who said he was a friend of Chap's to this day. He didn't elaborate, but that must mean he's still alive.

I also contacted that guy Neil in Part 4, who took them in (he still runs that program) asking what became of them. He hasn't gotten back to me, although that's understandable, I'm sure organizations like that get tons of Emails.

Here's the new link (this is part 1, and the others should be in the sidebar) if anyone wants to see it again:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fygLN535HQk

I was blessed to actually know him and he was a wonderful person I only wish I could still talk to him.... He helped me out when I really needed it...

I think The Maury Show has become another Jerry Springer.

Hi, im a teenage girl. This JERRY SPRINGER is SO much more tolerable. I LOVE TWEAKY DAVE!!! :) RIP I hope in my life I meet someone as down-to-earth and a good a person as him.

I knew Tweeky Dave.. I was homeless as a teen with him..trust me what he said was all lies...