In the mid-1990s, daytime talk shows thrived on outrageousness. From brawling guests to startling revelations, shows like The Jerry Springer Show and Maury kept audiences glued to their screens with high-octane drama. Jenny Jones, a former stand-up comedian turned talk show host, was among the prominent figures in this sensationalist wave. Her show often pushed boundaries, tackling controversial and provocative subjects designed to shock and engage. Yet, the events of March 6, 1995, would reveal the dark side of this formula, culminating in a tragic murder and a reckoning for daytime television.
The Setup: A Dangerous Surprise
The ill-fated episode, Revealing Same-Sex Secret Crush, was typical of The Jenny Jones Show. Guests would disclose secret affections, often surprising an unsuspecting friend or acquaintance in front of a live studio audience. The episode introduced Scott Amedure, a 32-year-old bartender from Michigan, as the secret admirer. Amedure had a long history of struggling with substance abuse and difficult relationships but was known as a kind and light-hearted individual.
The object of Amedure’s affections was 24-year-old Jonathan Schmitz, a man he barely knew beyond casual interactions. Schmitz, described as shy and soft-spoken, had agreed to appear on the show after producers allegedly implied that his admirer might be a woman. When Amedure was revealed as the admirer, the audience exploded with cheers and laughter. Amedure shared a playful but risqué fantasy about Schmitz, prompting more laughter. Schmitz, visibly uncomfortable but smiling, awkwardly declared he was “completely heterosexual.” The segment ended without incident, but the humiliation Schmitz felt simmered beneath the surface.
The Spark: From Studio to Suburb
Three days later, the tension reached a breaking point. After the show’s taping, Amedure reportedly left a suggestive note on Schmitz’s door. The note’s exact contents were never made public, but it was described as flirtatious. Schmitz, who struggled with mental health issues including bipolar disorder and Graves’ disease, reportedly viewed the note as a provocation.
The day after receiving the note, Schmitz withdrew money from his bank account, purchased a 12-gauge Mossberg shotgun, and drove to Amedure’s trailer. Confronting Amedure about the note, Schmitz claimed that Amedure’s response—a smile—triggered him. Schmitz returned to his car, retrieved the shotgun, and shot Amedure twice in the chest, killing him instantly. He then drove to a nearby payphone, called 911, and confessed to the murder, saying he had acted out of humiliation and rage.
The Legal Fallout
The murder led to a high-profile criminal trial, during which Schmitz’s defence team employed the controversial “gay panic defence.” They argued that Schmitz had been humiliated and provoked into a state of temporary insanity, exacerbated by his mental health conditions. The prosecution countered that Schmitz had acted deliberately, pointing to the fact that he purchased a weapon and drove to Amedure’s home.
In 1996, Schmitz was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to 25–50 years in prison. However, his conviction was overturned on appeal due to procedural errors. In a 1999 retrial, he was again found guilty of second-degree murder, and his original sentence was reinstated. Schmitz served 22 years before being paroled in 2017.
The Role of The Jenny Jones Show
The tragedy raised profound ethical questions about the role of The Jenny Jones Show in the events that unfolded. Amedure’s family filed a civil lawsuit against the show, Warner Bros., and Telepictures, arguing that the producers had negligently exploited Schmitz for entertainment. They claimed that Schmitz had been misled into believing his admirer was a woman and was ambushed onstage in a manner designed to provoke maximum humiliation.
In 1999, a jury awarded the Amedure family $29.3 million in damages. However, the verdict was later overturned by the Michigan Court of Appeals, which ruled that the producers could not have foreseen Schmitz’s violent reaction. The Michigan Supreme Court declined to hear the case, leaving the appellate court’s decision intact.
Amedure’s Life: A Story Cut Short
Scott Amedure was born on January 26, 1963, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the youngest of six siblings. Aged 17, he dropped out of high school and joined the Air Force, serving for four years before returning to Michigan. Despite his struggles with addiction and relationship difficulties, Amedure was known as a charismatic and friendly individual. He worked as a bartender at Club Flamingo, a popular gay bar in Pontiac, Michigan, and had a passion for talk shows, often watching them with fascination.
His appearance on The Jenny Jones Show was meant to be light-hearted, but it inadvertently placed him in a deadly situation. His death sparked national discussions about media ethics, LGBTQ+ representation, and the boundaries of personal privacy in public entertainment.
The Legacy
The murder of Scott Amedure remains one of the most infamous incidents tied to reality television. It highlighted the ethical pitfalls of exploiting personal vulnerabilities for ratings and prompted many to question the responsibility of producers when creating sensational content. While The Jenny Jones Show continued to air for several years, its reputation was irreparably damaged by the incident.
Today, the segment that led to Amedure’s death exists as an unsettling relic of an era when shock value trumped sensitivity. The case is often cited as a cautionary tale about the consequences of prioritising entertainment over human dignity, leaving a chilling legacy that continues to resonate in the world of reality television.
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