Springer unleashes tough guy Steve on daytime TV

With Monday's launch of spinoff talker "The Steve Wilkos Show," Jerry Springer is building himself a TV empire that arguably parallels that of Oprah Winfrey. But the daytime syndication veteran, whose own talk show kicks off its 17th season September 17, laughs off any comparison to the queen of daytime.

"It's not fair to Oprah to put me in the same sentence," Springer says. "Oprah is in a world of her own; she's the best there is or has ever been."

Still, it's hard to deny the similarities in the TV paths forged by the two Chicago-based talk show hosts, including introducing cable extensions of their daytime series, having presences in musicals and films and spinning off talkers. Springer also recently had a good run on ABC's "Dancing With the Stars" -- he's now mulling the idea of releasing a dance-themed DVD -- and will return next summer as host of NBC's "America's Got Talent."

But the likable host -- who is worlds removed from his guests, whom he regularly warns that he would never go on his own show -- is modest about his international success.

Source: www.reuters.com