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Last night, Air America threw a cocktail party in honor of TV trash-talk host Jerry Springer, to celebrate his new radio show on Lizz Winstead's favorite dial. So we sent Gawker rentboy K. Eric Walters* to brave the salsa at Rosa Mexicano on the Upper West Side — but not without preparing him for a possible assault from irate transgendered left wingers. Instead of chair-throwing, however, he found a surprisingly reasonable, seemingly sane Jerry Springer. The exclusive, guacamole-fueled interview after the jump.

Gawker: Radio is different from TV, right?

Springer: Not only is it technically different, my role is different. On television I run a circus. I'm supposed to be an entertainer. It's comedy. On radio I'm talking about substantive news and issues of the day that people care about.

G: So no tranvestite Liberals debating transsexual Republicans?

Springer: I don't care what their sexuality is. The importance of doing radio is to be part of the American conversation, which I think needs other points of view then those that have dominated radio for ten, fifteen, twenty years. Hats off to the right. They figured it out first but America needs to hear something else.

G: Does it suck to be called a liberal?

S: No. I take pride it in actually. You have to judge me after hearing me. I think I 'm more a populist than anything else. More times than not, the little guy gets screwed simply because the way our politics is set up. To get into a position of power you need a lot of money to get elected so the people who get put into office are either people who have the money themselves or raise the money off the interests. [This is where I stopped listening/KEW] Once in office they tend to reflect the wealthy interests, so it's not surprising that the laws and policies of our government inherently tend to benefit people like me rather than people who sweat five days week.

G: You were once mayor of Cincinatti. Do you want to get back into politics?

S: Maybe one day, but it's off the radar right now. I do more good spending three hours a day being part of this American conversation than I would seeking office. We're not going to change the politics until we understand the culture. That's where Democrats are getting it wrong. They're talking about a strategy to win an election without first understanding that we have to offer a combination that reflects the culture.

G: And since your show has been called the lowest point in American culture, you think you can help the Democrats understand?

S: I think what I bring to the table is life experience dealing with more kinds of people, whether as mayor or as a talk show host. In other words, I feel a connection with regular folks in America.

G: If you and Al Franken were in a tag team wrestling match against Bill O'Reilly and Rush Limbaugh, who would you bet on?

S: Unless Al Franken knows how to wrestle, we'd get our asses kicked.


*DISCLAIMER: K. Eric Walters has never watched a full episode of the Jerry Springer Show, nor listened to any program on Air America. His political biases include NASCAR, Neo-Stalinism, and the Church of Scientology. In fact, he was totally unqualified to conduct this interview.