Iconic Jerry Springer guest — the 70lb baby — reflects on being made into TV ‘circus act’

nypost.com:

One of Jerry Springer’s most famous guests — the 70lb baby — said it made him feel like a “circus act”.Zach Strenkert, now 29, appeared on the show for the first time in 1996, and is speaking out after the release of Netflix documentary Jerry Springer: Fights, Camera Action.He has Simpson-Golabi-Behmel syndrome (SGBS) — a rare genetic condition which causes rapid and excessive growth.His early life was marked by numerous appearances on shows like Oprah, Maury, and Inside Edition, which chronicled the then-17-month old’s extraordinary condition which made him grow an inch, and gain 2.5lb, every two weeks.Zach, from Port Jervis, New York, said his mom was simply searching for help, when she agreed to take him on TV.But instead it left Zach feeling ostracized.“I was known as the kid that was on TV,” said Zach, who has transformed his body due to huge weight loss.“And that wasn’t what my mom was looking for.

We weren’t especially well off.“We just wanted help with geneticists, which wasn’t easy to come by with our insurance.“In hindsight, it felt like a circus act.

They presented me as different, which only separated me further from everyone else.“I really wish I had the capacity to articulate that to my teachers, but people are starstruck.”Speaking of the show which aired this month, he added: “I think it’s just a spin on what’s already out there.“It didn’t reveal anything new.

It’s the same content, just packaged with bells and whistles.”During Zach’s first appearance in 1996, he came on stage with his mother, Laurie Strenkert, 57, who is disabled and currently lives in Port Jervis, New York with him.“I don’t remember anything about that,” Zach said. “I do recall coming and going out of limos and things like that.