Richard Peterson's appearance on 'Springer' landed him in hot water. 

                                            Richard Peterson 

 Richard Peterson's appearance on 'Springer' landed him in hot water. 

         From Jerry Springer to jail

 

February 24, 2010 4:59 PM

Diane Turbyfill

LINCOLNTON — Richard Peterson’s 15 minutes of fame cost him 72 hours in jail.

The Lincolnton man appeared on a recent episode of “The Jerry Springer Show.” Bragging rights could’ve been what led him into trouble with his probation officer.

Peterson told District Court Judge Anna Foster Wednesday that he boasted about being on the show with the topic, “It was the greatest one-night stand.”

He told Foster he’s no longer crowing.

Probation Officer Melissa Seals told the judge how she came to learn of Peterson’s brush with infamy.

“I was at lunch the other day and found out he was at the show,” Seals said.

Seals confirmed Peterson’s appearance on the show filmed in Stamford, Conn., by looking it up on Springer’s Web site.

The show featured people who had cheated on their significant other. Peterson revealed the truth of his one-night stand to his girlfriend on the show.

A video clip on Springer’s Web site shows Peterson running around the stage dodging swings from his girlfriend.

While the couple fought, a stripper started twirling around a pole and flashed her censored breasts to the audience. When Peterson’s girlfriend learned that the stripper was the “other woman,” the women followed Springer Show etiquette and engaged in a fistfight.

Peterson admitted his cameo on the show during court. The 30-hour all-expenses-paid trip for Peterson and his girlfriend was hardly worth it, he told the judge.

Peterson stood before Foster in an orange jumpsuit often holding the chains that connected his handcuffs to his leg shackles.

The courtroom erupted in laughter as Peterson told of the circumstances that led him to the Jerry Springer stage.

Peterson and his father are big fans of the show. When he called producers to nominate a neighbor for one of the topics, Peterson said he was approached about flying up for a taping.

“They really suckered us into the whole deal, and I feel like an idiot for going,” said Peterson. “They made me look like an idiot.”

The courtroom lost its serious tone as Peterson told his story. Everyone in the room laughed at least once.

“This might be my most humorous time as a judge in 11 years,” Foster said.

But Foster also addressed the seriousness of Peterson’s infraction, violating his probation by traveling outside the state without permission.

Peterson was serving a year’s probation for possession of marijuana and resisting a public officer. The 30-year-old man broke into tears a couple of times while telling the judge about his attempts to change the direction of his life. He spoke of getting sober and earning an associate’s degree.

Peterson’s probation officer confirmed that he always made appointments, passed drug tests and paid most of his payments.

Foster showed some concern that Peterson didn’t use money he earned from the Springer Show to pay his debt.

Peterson said the production paid him $150, which he split with his girlfriend.

Foster ruled to release Peterson after 72 hours in jail and imposed a $161 fine