Kriti Mehrotra
With Netflix’s ‘Jerry Springer: Fights, Camera, Action’ exploring arguably the world’s most controversial show’s origins, meteoric rise, and baffling fall, we get a docuseries unlike any other. That’s because it incorporated not just archival footage but also exclusive interviews to really shine a light upon the behind-the-scenes of this original production hosted by the titular journalist. Amongst those to this feature in this original were none other than some long-time producers, including Melinda Chait Mele.
Melinda Chait Mele Was Let Go From The Jerry Springer Show
While not much is known about Melinda’s upbringing or early years as of writing, we do know she reportedly always had an interest in the entertainment industry. That’s why, even though she attended the University of Florida to pursue a degree in Humanities from 1988 to 1990, she soon found herself dabbling in journalism. In fact, she was the Editor-in-chief of the local student newspaper, The Beacon, took journalism and English classes, and eventually earned the Columbia Scholastic Press Award as well as the Peter Masiko Leadership Award.
Then, by the time 1997 rolled around and ‘The Jerry Springer Show’ was essentially at the peak of success, Melinda ended up landing a job there as a producer. It was her responsibility to find authentic guests with real stories, which she tried her best to do every step of the way. Apart from this, she was also responsible for all show content, including concept, production, basic planning/scripting, budget, and managing associate producers, production staff, and interns. It was a high-stress situation for her every single day, yet she powered through because she loved what she did.
As per Melinda’s own accounts, it was her job to put out interesting, over-the-top stories every single day, but they were under strict instructions not to fabricate anything at any point. Therefore, when a trio from Boston claiming to be in a love triangle was shortlisted by her, only for them to actually clearly fake a fight when they came up on stage, she was fired for not having done her due diligence. It was one girl and two boys, and one of the latter fakes punched the other, just for him to go flying even though there was no contact – it was all carefully choreographed by them, as per her statements in the aforementioned original.
Despite a Brief Break, Melinda Chait Mele is Still Dedicated to the Entertainment Industry
Despite the fact that Melinda was let go from her position as a producer by ‘The Jerry Springer Show’ in 2000, her journey in this position was far from over. After all, she subsequently landed a job as a News Producer at WBAL-TV before quickly proving her mettle and evolving into a Promotions Producer by the time 2006 rolled around. She held this position until 2007, after stepping away from work for over a decade for personal reasons before returning with full force in 2022. However, this time around, she was in front of the cameras rather than behind.
In May 2022, Melinda established her brand LaVieille Fashionista, essentially evolving into a digital creator and influencer who never shied away from sharing her life with the world. She is presently most known for her Instagram reels/shorts series called Cocktails in the Closet, as well as for sharing tips on maintaining curly hair. As if that’s not enough, she has since even launched Melinda to the Max, where she showcases designs that either interest her or she has made from the ground up. From painting to sculptures to ceramics, this dog mom admittedly does it all, and we can’t wait to see what’s in the cards for her next. Her own talk show ‘LaVieille Fashionista’ is also scheduled to premiere soon.
Read More: Annette Grundy: Where is The Jerry Springer Show’s Producer Now?
