ETV

The Steve Wilkos Show is an American talk show which is hosted by the former director of security on The Jerry Springer Show, Steve Wilkos. The show has Wilkos expanding on his successful "Steve To The Rescue" shows that he did while serving as a substitute for Springer whenever Springer took breaks or was doing other projects.

On the show, Wilkos normally introduces a guest on the show, informing the audience of the problem and asking the guest a question regarding the cause of the problem. The guest will then answer Steve's question and other parties involved may then come out on stage. Steve questions the guests and attempts to reconcile the problems concerning them.

Typical problems include teens who are involved in dangerous situations and their concerned parents or family members, drug addiction, abuse, deadbeat dads, husbands who drink and abuse their wives, and prostitution. Wilkos typically conducts the proceedings in a confrontational, "tough love"-style, which he tends to use when his guests either make excuses for their behavior, are unwilling to change or accept responsibility for what they've done, or (if Wilkos believes) they're not telling the truth.

Almost every show involves the guests submitting to lie detector tests. Other times certain guests try to justify their behavior to Wilkos, who will usually resort to either arguing or mocking the person to varied results (arguing back; guest leaving stage and studio usually followed by more badgering from Wilkos as they leave; etc., etc.). This, in almost every episode leads to Wilkos screaming in the guests face.

Furthermore, Wilkos does not allow certain guests to sit down on the stage, usually taking their chair from under them and throwing it across the stage along with his so they don't feel tempted to use it - based on things they say during the course of the segment or what they are accused of. It doesn't always stop the guest from attempting to sit on the chair though.

Usually, by show's end, whenever he is so angered and disgusted by guests who make absolutely no effort to clean up their lives, he usually yells at them at the top of his voice, "GET OFF MY STAGE!!!"

Other shows involve Wilkos going on location to either help people out of a bad situation (homelessness, prostitution, drug dealing) or to be on hand for an arrest of a criminal. Sometimes Wilkos will go into prisons for these on-location shows, usually talking to child molesters and murderers.