I Am Steve Wilkos of The Steve Wilkos Show, AMA!

As a former marine and a Chicago area firefighter i have one question for you. Did you ever dream that taking that sidejob for security on Jerry Springer would lead you to where you are in life?

Never in a million years.

I was gonna be a cop like my dad - my dad was a cop for 30 years and I was gonna be a cop for 30 years.

You gotta remember that I never wanted to be on TV - I never auditioned to be on TV. I'm the only guy in history who got his own TV show who never wanted to be on TV.

Are you the father?

I am a father!

What was your scariest moment working security on Jerry Springer?

Um, nothing was too scary because it was me and probably like 5 other Chicago police officers. Everyone that comes in the studio goes through a metal detector.

There was no one I was really scared of. Springer show I don't really think of scary moments, I think of hilarious moments.

well then what was the funniest moment?

Oh geez.

Um - the funniest I couldn't really even tell you!

It probably was - we had this really big, fat guy on stage. All he had on was a baggy pair of athletic shorts. He was standing on stage in front of the stage stretching out to the audience and I came up behind him and pulled his shorts down. He had nothing on underneath - he was totally naked!

Mr. Wilkos, thanks for coming to Reddit! What's the most memorable moment you've had on your show?

Well, the best moment on my show was when I got hit in the head by a bowl. It produced the highest ratings ever. Check that out on Youtube - it's probably the first thing that comes up!

How can I obtain an autograph?

Write in to the show! I'll send you one!

What question doesn't let you sleep at night?

Whether I'm gay or not. LOL!

What's your go to story when you were on the police force?

Um - oh god, there's like a million.

One time I was getting shot at, that was pretty scary. I buried myself in the wheel well of a car and started shooting back. That was pretty scary.

We ended up kicking her door down, we got I think 15 guns from that. Tons and tons of ammunition. It was 2 lifetimes ago.

What's up dude!!

Thanks for doing an AMA.

What is the bloodiest confrontation you've had to separate on the springer show??

How much of the Springer show is scripted and how many stories are actually real?

Um - I don't remember blood so much as I do remember hair. The girls would pull each other's hair out.

So what we did was - I started this like ball of hair. So all the hair I would pick up off stage and roll it into a ball. It probably got the size of two bowling balls.

It was just like a thing - it was black, white, red hair and I just started pulling it together. You know people who do balls of twine. I do balls of hair.

When I was on, it was always real. Sometimes it's exaggerated, but the stories were real. I haven't been on in 9 years though, so I can only say from when I was on the show.

As a former Chicago Police Department officer, how do you feel about the current state of the CPD? If you were appointed the new CPD Superintendent, what would be some of the first improvements you'd make?

You know - it's a no win situation when you become in that position. Because you know things happen as a policemen - somethings they make mistakes and the Superintendent ends up being a fall guy.

I think McCarthy who came from New York to Chicago - I thought he did a great job. But ya know, something happened and he got blamed for it.

It's a job I certainly wouldn't want - I loved being a policeman but I wouldn't do it again.

Have you ever received any death threats as a result of Jerry Springer? Did you take it seriously?

I only received death threats once I got my own show!

If you could tell your 15 year old self one thing what would it be?

Uh - Don't drink.

What's your favorite pair of shoes you own?

Ferragamo.

You gots class and style.

Why, thank you!

Who is the craziest guest you've ever had to deal with?

Laughs

I was gonna say the woman that hit me with the bowl, but...

Back in the day, I wouldn't say craziest gust but the craziest show, we had the KKK. We would do KKK stuff - it was crazy because not only because we had to worry about fights on stage, but because people in the audience would want to fight the guests. One show people in the audience started throwing chairs and stuff on the stage. It was nuts.

Have you ever had a stalker or someone try to confront you outside the show?

I've had stalkers, but I've never had anybody confront me.

Have you ever had a story you couldn't air?

Uhhh - I'm sure it has happened but it's too expensive to do a show and not air it. It might have happened once or twice in the 9 years we've done the show. It's usually because of legal matter or because I thought the show was fake.

Do you go to the gym? How often do you work out?

I have a gym in my house, and I work out probably 6 days a week.

Nice! Do you know martial arts?

I studied Shaolim and Kung Fu for a while.

How often do you travel? What's your favorite holiday spot?

Cayman Islands - I mean I travel all the time. But my favorite travel destination is the Cayman Islands. We just got back - every year, day after Christmas, we go down there. Best place in the world.

what were the creepiest people that you ever had on your time at jerry springer and your own show?

Everybody.

I mean, you know.

The very first show we did was a guy that had a pedophile site. And he kind of like argued that being a pedophile was the most natural thing in the world. He probably was the most creepy guy.

What stands out as a significant accomplishment from your time on Jerry Springer as well your own show?

Well, probably being nominated for 3 Prism awards. Ya know, I was on Jerry's show for years and we never got nominated for anything. The fact that we got nominated for the Prism award, which is about doing shows about people addicted to drugs and stuff - it's probably the thing I'm most proud of.

Why is the Oculus Rift priced so damn high?

I don't have any idea what that even is, nor do I care!

Steve,

I remember hearing your interview on Stern and you were great. I didn't realize how much of a ladies man you were.

Honestly, how much action were you getting before you got married?

A lot.

I've always gotten a lot though, had nothing to do with TV. I mean, look at me!

You're my hero, Steve.

Thank you!

What would surprise people most about your experiences on your show?

My whole life was changed because of the show. I met my wife, I had my kids - my career. I live in Connecticut now, all because of a TV show!

Have you ever maintained a friendship with any of your guests after the show? What was the hardest episode you had to do that was difficult to walk away from?

I've never maintained a friendship with anybody that appears on the show - I have not really talked to them after the show.

After the show is over, I don't really think about it. Once it's over I got home and hang out with my wife - she's my Executive Producer and we don't talk about it at home. Once it's over, I walk away from it. It's my job, I don't think about it once it's done.

What is your most useless talent?

Useless talent?

Riding my son's hoverboard! I can do that, but not very good.

What would you say to someone who feels your show is exploitative of abuse victims and offers nothing beyond cheap entertainment?

Well - we don't exploit anybody. Everybody that comes on the show wants to come on the show. We do help people. We've got people off drugs, and put them in jail. So if that's exploitative, than exploitative if shall be.

I've been nominated 3 times for Prism awards for raising awareness of substance abuse and other issues.

From me personally: GFY

I have no idea if the info is out there: How tall / big are you? You seem to be a rather imposing presence

6' 3". 224 lbs.

Do you have anything you do before every show?

No - I mean, I come in, I eat, I drink tea. And I just go out. There's no special preparation I do.

I don't even know the stories beforehand. I kind of go into them like a cop on the scene, I'm just finding out for the first time.

Hi Steve! My dad is a retired police officer and he really misses the job. What made you decide to leave your job and become a talk show host and do you miss it?

I left the job because they gave me a TV show. And no - I don't miss it.

Nobody calls the police to say "Hey wanna come over for a barbecue?" They call the police because the are distressed. Not a lot people like the police, but I love the police. Just as a point of fact.

What has been your go to response to people who have said over the years that The Jerry Springer Show is mostly staged?

"GFY."

Where do you get your security guards from?

Uh - most of them are. Well Mike McDermott - he's still an active policeman. We were partners together in Chicago, he runs my security. The rest of the guys are retired either New York or Connecticut policeman.

I've seen your show many times, and I remember seeing many episodes involving alleged pedophiles/child molesters/sexual assaulters, and other types of alleged criminals. Has your show ever resulted in a criminal case against a guest, for their alleged crime?

Yes! If you Google it, you'll see many cases of it.

Another question: What story of a guest touched you the most? Many are very very sad.

Yea, I mean. Anything that involves abuse of a child touches me because I have children. Any show that deals with that - it effects me because I think of my own children.

Hello Steve. I am a big fan of your show and watch from the UK! Do you find it hard to keep calm when you have a child molester on your stage? And if so how do you separate your life at home with the stories of molestation and abuse that you do on your show? You do an amazing job! Thank you :)

Well, I don't keep calm! If you watch the show, I explode, but I think that's why people like the show.

But at home - when I walk out of the studio, I don't think about the show. I'm fortunate to have a very good marriage and great kids, so when I'm at home I have a great time. I don't think about the show.

Whenever I watch the show I sometimes feel like I have to take a shower afterwards? Do you ever get that way while working day to day?

I took a shower after every show!

Some days I take two showers.

Hi, love your show, although being in Italy I get to see it only via youtube. Do you still have a relationship with Jerry? How accurate are the lie detector tests?

Jerry's my friend - I've known him for 21 years now. We're very close - he'll be my friend for the rest of my life.

The lie detector tests are like 99% accurate.

What made you decide to move the show from Chicago to Stamford? Where did the throwing chairs come to play when you started your show?

It wasn't my decision to move from Chicago to Stamford - it was NBC's. They were trying to cut production down for all 3 shows - Maury, Jerry and myself. They put us all in one studio, which cut the costs down significantly.

The chairs - it's kind of an urban legend. Oh you're gonna throw chairs?? I've done like 1500 shows, and I've thrown 43 shows. I can't tell you the last time I've thrown a chair.

When was the last time you were truly intimidated?

Every time I see my father.

What's your best advice for time management?

Don't waste time!

Get off Facebook and social media. People live their lives on Facebook, Facebook, Facebook. It's destroyed more marriages - people are looking up old girlfriends or whatever. Get off Facebook. Don't live your life through the computer or TV.

Read a book!

Got any big, exciting plans for the future?

Retirement!

Hi Steve I'm a huge fan! You've mentioned your cameo role on The Simpsons was the highlight of your career, have you thought about expanding your horizons and perusing anything further in acting?

No, because I did AUSTIN POWERS 2 and making movies is tedious and long and boring and I have no interest in it at all.