Jerry Springer reflects on ‘The Masked Singer’ and shares if he’ll ever be in ‘full retirement’

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Jerry Springer talks about keeping 'Masked Singer' appearance a secret

Jerry Springer discusses keeping his participation in ‘The Masked Singer’ a secret and all the confusion that caused in certain situations.

Jerry Springer is detailing his experience as a contestant on "The Masked Singer" as well has his longevity in Hollywood and what it means to be semi-retired.

Springer was eliminated on Wednesday night's episode of "The Masked Singer," something he claims he saw coming from the moment he heard the other contestants sing. While his opponents' identities remain unknown, Springer admits they were much more talented vocalists than him.

According to Springer, when he told his wife he had an offer to participate on the show, she asked if the producers had ever heard him sing. He joked that, with his wife's encouragement, he decided to accept the offer, noting he is happy he did.

"It turned out to be exactly what I thought. It would be a total fun day," Springer said. "The people were so incredibly nice and professional and talented. I mean, the two acts that were on the show with me, oh man. I mean, I knew I didn't belong on that show." 

Jerry Springer was eliminated on Wednesday night's episode of "The Masked SInger" but claims he had a great time. (Fox)

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He compared himself to a seat filler at the Academy Awards, adding the producers needed to mix in some filler contestants with the talented ones for the show to make it through its one-hour time slot. Springer also said he knew he would be eliminated that night because he only had one song he had been rehearsing. 

"I knew I wasn't going anywhere because I only had that one song. I mean, just for a second, what if I hadn't been voted off? I didn't have another song. There were no rehearsals. They wouldn't even know what song to play the music to. But no, it was so much fun to do," Springer explained.

Keeping his involvement on the show a secret was difficult for Springer, who says he followed the rule because it was one of the conditions to participate. He did admit to letting certain family members know the night before his episode aired that they may want to watch, telling them "you'll have a nice surprise."

The production team's commitment to keeping the element of secrecy is one of the things that impressed Springer most. He explained the team took every measure possible to keep his identity under wraps. He further explained that all contestants stay in different hotels and wear something to cover their heads during the duration of filming. 

Springer recalled one instance in which the driver of a car waiting to pick him up didn't even know who he was picking up. 

Springer was impressed by the producers' efforts to maintain the element of secrecy while filming the show. ( Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images)

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"I was supposed to get a ride to the studio when I was out in LA, and I was standing out there for a half hour waiting for the car, but the car was to pick up this guy named Beetle," Springer recalled. "The concierge … he was waiting for the car, and he says, 'There's a car here, but it's not for you,' because he said Jerry Springer, and the guy didn't know he was picking me up. He's picking up a guy named Beetle. So there was a lot of that confusion."

When it came down to assessing which show was more difficult to film, "The Masked Singer" or "The Jerry Springer Show," Springer said without a doubt "The Masked Singer" was more difficult because he "had to perform," but that "it was a hoot."

He said it didn't take much to keep "The Jerry Springer Show" going and make sure it was successful. All he needed to know how to do was say, "You did what? Come on out. We'll be right back" and "if you can do those three lines, you're there." 

"I tend not to be a judgmental person to begin with, and I think maybe that got through to the guests on the show, that they could tell me anything, and I wasn't going to judge them. I wasn't going to be mean to them or something like that. Everyone's got issues in life to deal with, and I just happened to be lucky," Springer said. "I never was any better than the people on my show. And I kind of know that. And that kind of keeps you grounded."

Springer's ability to remain neutral and nonjudgmental during some of the more explosive moments on his show is why "The Jerry Springer Show" stayed on the air 27 years. 

Springer says it takes a number of people to make the decision to keep a show on the air. (Gary Gershoff/Getty Images)

"The people have to enjoy what you do, the sponsors have to be there, the network has to be there. There are so many people involved in the decision as to whether or not you keep continuing," Springer said. "You have to go through not offending anybody, so maybe I've been lucky in life not to have done that. But, otherwise, it's just luck. I don't know how to tell someone else how to have a show that lasts 28 years."

After his show left the air in 2018, Springer went into what he calls semi-retirement, which to him means he will take a job occasionally but won't take on any projects that will have him working every day.

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"If I get invited to be on a show or be in a movie that's within a certain period of time, I do it, but it's not an everyday job. I'm 78. To go into work every day is not how I want to spend my remaining years of good health," he explained. "Pray God, I want to be able to enjoy my grandson. Your priorities shift when you get to be my age. People retire at 65, and I've been working every day since I was 16, so I'm tired." 

When it comes to full retirement, Springer doesn't see himself going for that anytime soon, explaining that while he enjoys vacations, he "like(s) to know when the vacation's over, (he's) going back to do something." The only thing he has ruled out is a show he has to film every day. 

"As long as I'm mentally alert, no. I'll always want to do something, whether it's podcasts or political shows," Springer explained. "I'll always find something to do because I don't mind going on vacation, but I want to have something to vacate from. So, no, I don't think there'll be a full retirement."

As long as he is mentally alert, Springer says he will not retire.  (Roy Rochlin/Getty Images)

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"The Masked Singer" airs Wednesday at 8 p.m. EST on FOX.