Jenny Jones (presenter)

Born Janina Stranski on June 7, 1946 to Polish Catholic emigré parents in Bethlehem, Mandate Palestine, Jenny Jones was the host of a television talk show called The Jenny Jones Show which aired in the United States from 1991 to 2003. The show was taped in Chicago, Illinois. She also plays the drums and speaks Polish, which was her first language, fluently.

Related Topics:
June 7 - 1946 - Polish - Catholic - Bethlehem - Mandate Palestine - Television - United States - 1991 - 2003 - Chicago, Illinois - Drum - Polish

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Her parents immigrated to Canada shortly after her birth. She appeared as a contestant on Press Your Luck and Match Game. In 1986, she was the first female comedian to win Star Search. After that, Jones was the opening act for Sammy Davis Jr., Smokey Robinson, Kenny Loggins, and Engelbert Humperdinck. She is also a former backup singer for Wayne Newton.

Related Topics:
Immigrate - Canada - Press Your Luck - Match Game - 1986 - Comedian - Star Search - Sammy Davis Jr - Smokey Robinson - Kenny Loggins - Engelbert Humperdinck - Singer - Wayne Newton

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In 1991 she became the host of her own daily TV talk show, The Jenny Jones Show. The show established many of the now most cliched elements of daytime talk, including shows themed around paternity tests, makeovers, "geek to chic" transformations, and on-air revelations of secret crushes.

Related Topics:
1991 - Talk show

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Early in her show's run, Jones spoke of her own health complications from breast implants, and warned women about their dangers. Jones says her show was not at all like Jerry Springer. The difference, she says, is that her show was fun, never exploitative, and didn't thrive on conflict and confrontation.

Related Topics:
Breast implants - Jerry Springer

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The show received negative publicity in the wake of a murder of a homosexual man, Scott Amedure, on March 9, 1995. Amedure confessed his love for another man, Jonathan Schmitz, on the show just three days prior (as part of the episode "Same-Sex Secret Crushes"); Schmitz later killed Amedure, and was convicted of second degree murder in the case. The episode was never aired.

Related Topics:
Murder - Homosexual - Scott Amedure - March 9 - 1995 - Jonathan Schmitz - Second degree murder

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Schmitz received 25-50 years in prison, and the producers of The Jenny Jones Show were sued by Amedure's family. They argued that the show's staff should have known Schmitz had a long record of alcohol and drug abuse, mental illness, depression, suicide attempts, and a thyroid condition, not to mention homophobia. The show's producers were ordered to pay $25 million to Amedure's family, but that verdict was tossed out by a higher court.

Related Topics:
Alcohol - Drug abuse - Mental illness - Depression - Suicide - Thyroid - Homophobia

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In publicity interviews, Jones has repeatedly said Schmitz knew in advance his "secret admirer" might be male, but Schmitz said he was led to believe that his admirer was a woman. And in her deposition, Jones said she did not want Schmitz to know his "secret crush" was a man. "I cared that he not know," she said under oath, "otherwise we wouldn't have had a show."

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The ratings dwindled for several years after the murder. The Jenny Jones Show was cancelled in 2003, and Jones hasn't yet announced her next project.

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