For those of you who think that it was Jerry Springer who finally succeeded in dragging daytime television into the toilet, I respectfully submit that Maury Povich is making sure that it stays there.  I have been catching a bit of Maury in the afternoons when I am changing clothes after work. To be honest, I am not so sure that Maury ever came anywhere close to being a "respected" journalist or television host.  Like Bill O' Reilly, Maury spent some time amongst the ranks of "tabloid television" when he hosted "A Current Affair." When he finally got his own show, I don't think he necessarily went all to hell right off the bat, but rest assured that Maury is definitely a bottom-feeder these days.

From time to time, Maury features shows on cheating spouses, shocking makeovers and a few of the other standard talk-show topics.  But these days, it seems the focus of his show has shifted to paternity testing.  For those of you who are unfamiliar with this spectacle, the Maury show regularly (I think 2 or 3 times per week) invites women onto the show who are unsure as to the identity of the father of their child (or children).  The alleged fathers also appear on the show. After the stage is set, a confrontation ensues between the two parties but this is quickly quashed by Maury who announces that he has the results of paternity tests in hand.  Once Maury announces the results of the test, one of the two outcomes listed below follows:

(1) Maury announces that the alleged father is indeed the biological father of the child/children in question, at which time the father takes back everything he said about how ugly the woman's kids are and he pledges to be a "man" and pay child support, et cetera.

(2) Maury announces that the alleged father is not the father of the child/children in question, at which time the vindicated man jumps up whooping and cursing at the now disgraced woman, calling her every name in the book as she runs off the stage crying and screaming...while being chased by Maury and his camera crew.

It's all good and well for Maury to say that he's giving tons of free paternity tests to people who might otherwise be unable to afford them.  Then again, paternity testing might just as well be covered under a national healthcare plan, which is something I'd prefer over Maury Povich any day of the week.

The obvious answer to the question "How does Maury Povich sleep at night?" is that he sleeps with his wife, the once-respected television reporter Connie Chung.  Perhaps the better question would be: "How does Connie Chung sleep at night?"
Further Reading
Maury Show (official site)
The Origin of the Family, Private Property and the State by Frederick Engels