THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, March 21, 1995 TAG: 9503210068
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: LARRY BONKO
LENGTH: Medium: 73 lines
THE NORFOLK man who is Jenny Jones' boss - he runs the company that distributes her talk show to more than 100 stations, including WAVY in Portsmouth - says the episode that became a prelude to a violent death in Michigan will never be broadcast.
``No way will we ever air that show,'' said Dick Robertson, president of Warner Brothers Domestic Television Distribution in Burbank, Calif. Robertson is referring to the March 6 taping of ``Jenny Jones'' on which the topic was secret infatuations.
During that taping in Chicago, a guest, Jonathan T. Schmitz, appeared to meet his secret admirer, who turned out to be another man, Scott Amedure. Three days after they met on the set of ``Jenny Jones,'' Amedure, 32, was dead of gunshot wounds to the chest, and Schmitz, 24, was in custody.
Schmitz reportedly told police in Orion Township, Mich., that the taping left him devastated. The shooting touched off a new wave of criticism of the daytime talk shows, which have turned sleazy of late. The sleaze factor increases during a ratings period.
Robertson in Burbank defended Jones and her staff, insisting that they did nothing wrong. Schmitz was not ambushed on the set of ``Jenny Jones'' as some stories have suggested, he said.
``It is a tragedy that one life has been lost and another ruined,'' he said. ``It happened through no fault of Jenny Jones or her staff. There was full disclosure. Jonathan Schmitz was told in advance that his secret admirer could be a man. He indicated that he would have no problems with that. Jenny Jones does not do ambush television.''
After viewing a tape of the show, Robertson said: ``Nobody was embarrassed on that show. Nobody was humiliated. There was not a hint of a problem. The guests indicated that they had a great time. Who knows what happened after that?''
On her show last Friday, Jones re-enforced Robertson's statement, saying: ``Mr. Schmitz was told in advance that he would me meeting a secret admirer who could be a person of the same sex. He knew it could be a man. The show was in no way confrontational. The guests were clearly at ease. It was a lighthearted hour.'' The Jenny Jones shows airs Monday through Friday at 3 p.m. on Channel 10.
In Burbank, Robertson said no advertiser has pulled out of ``Jenny Jones,'' and no station has dropped the show since the shooting.
Robertson presides over a company that distributes more than a dozen series, including ``Babylon 5,'' the ``Extra'' entertainment magazine and ``Kung Fu: The Legend Continues.'' The arm of Warner Brothers also distributes films, specials and talk shows, including ``Jenny Jones,'' and will soon launch a new talk show starring singer Carnie Wilson.
Jones' show was about to be canceled in its first season when Robertson initiated a change in format. Jones shifted from doing a lightweight hour - she once worked as a stand-up comic - to heavier topics.
``Today, Jenny has the third highest rated talk show in syndication,'' said Robertson. Only Oprah Winfrey and Ricki Lake have higher numbers.
She made the climb, said Robertson, without doing the ambush TV that has the critics so stirred up.
``I have seen shows where they bring on a man and his wife and then shock the wife by bringing on the man's mistress,'' Robertson said. ``That is beyond poor taste.''
Robertson added, ``Jenny Jones will never do that kind of a program. We stand behind her. People are using this unfortunate incident to put the entire talk-show genre on trial.''
Some will say that it's about time the talk shows were held accountable for doing TV that is too often tasteless and exploitive.
But it is profitable TV.
Industry insiders estimate that the syndicated talk shows generate $1 billion in revenues annually.
Today, people are asking at who's expense these profits are generated. by CNB