Jerry Springer Thinks Donald Trump Disrespects America With His Theatrical Ways

The man who won our hearts with stripper smackdowns, KKK dudes starting brawls, and scandalous secrets about the love lives of tooth-deficient Styx fans has a message: Donald Trump is disrespecting the United States of America with his presidential run.

Jerry Springer, the ex-mayor of Cincinnati who’s been serving up TV of unapologetically bad taste with charm and a wink for decades, has already said that the battle for the GOP nomination was essentially a rip-off of his show. (He’s talking about The Jerry Springer Show, but Baggage could also be apt.) In a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Springer wants you to know that he recognizes how Trump can be viewed as entertainment, but that should not be used as a measurement for White House credentials.

“For us, it’s entertainment right now, but good lord, this is serious,” Springer stresses. “Donald’s an entertainer … he has no knowledge or the temperament or the understanding of the decisions you have to make [to be president].”

Springer, who identifies as a Hillary Clinton supporter, understands why the public might be inclined to root for a candidate from outside the traditional government realm. But in the eyes of the 72-year-old media personality, Trump is approaching his run for office like it’s a TV show. A tactic that he considers to be the opposite of making America great again®.

“I don’t believe he is evil, that this is all a show, but the fact that he plays it as a show, shows a disrespect for the country,” Springer told THR.

In Springer’s estimation, it was inevitable that someone from the entertainment sphere would run to become commander-in-chief.

“Did we know it was going to be Trump? Of course not. But we should have seen that it was going to be an entertainer who hated the American government, and disrespected Washington and the president.”

He continues, “We’ve never had a major party candidate run against the idea of America. He wants to replace the symbol of the Statue of Liberty with that of a wall and barbed wire.”

There’s an upside for Trump if he’s offended by Springer’s pointed critique. There’s a place where the two can sort out their differences and still have time for a “Final Thought.”

(via The Hollywood Reporter)