It was conceived as an alternative to the tabloid talk shows of the early 1990s, with producers hoping to replicate the success of Jones's nightclub act Girls' Night Out.

The show prevailed in a highly-publicized negligence lawsuit filed by the victim's family, and a national discussion over shock value and tabloid television ensued.

In addition to how-to and expert advice segments, Jones hosted recurring segments such as Purse Check, where Jones gave $100 to whoever could produce a specified item from their purse first; Jenny's Male Bag, where male viewers shared their pet peeves; Jenny's Baby Book, where viewers sent in their baby photos to be shared on the show; and Take a Bow, which highlighted a person who had done something special for their local community.

[9] Jones's performances received positive reception from audiences, which inspired her to develop her own nightclub act, Girls' Night Out.

[11] Jim Paratore, senior vice president of Telepictures Productions, offered Jones her own talk show, as he believed that audiences would find her relatable.

[10] According to executive producer David Salzman, the studio wanted to replicate the formula of Girls' Night Out, in which Jones would "tell jokes, sing comic songs and discuss casual topics, always leaving time for the crowd to air a few pet peeves.

[19] The trial run was tested on KVVU-TV in Las Vegas—an unmetered market—which allowed Jones to gain experience and for producers to fine-tune the show without concern for overnight ratings.

[9] The trial run episodes included interviews with celebrities such as Phyllis Diller, Rip Taylor, and Kenny Kerr.

[21][22] The producers typically presented Jones with an episode's topic the night before it was taped, in which they provided her with a folder of background information on the guests and a loose script to follow.

[28] Giovanna Breu of People summarized the show's typical content as "sex, divorce[,] and dieting", while Rick Kogan of the Chicago Tribune described it as "viewer-friendly fluff".

[29][30] The show's premiere featured discussions about eating, in which the audience was provided cake, and an interview with a pet expert who brought puppies and cats.

[30] Subsequent episodes featured interviews and segments such as the secrets of soap-opera actors, a boy who is allergic to everything, a woman whose husband fled the country with all her money, and a female photographer for Playgirl.

"[31] On February 27, 1992, a single-topic episode was broadcast where Jones revealed that she had suffered complications from silicone breast implants for the past eleven years.

[37] It began to feature more controversial and sensational topics, such as "I Hate My Father for Marrying a Black Woman", "My Stepfather Is Now My Lover", and "Pregnant Women Who Cheat".

[39] However, Jones and the producers made a conscious decision to avoid nudity and physical confrontations, which frequently appeared in other shows in the subgenre.

[41] The New York Times's David Sedaris claimed that the show limited itself to makeovers following the 1995 murder of guest Scott Amedure.

"[44] In addition to makeovers and boot camp, the show continued to feature topics such as paternity tests, secret crushes, neighborly disputes, and unruly teenagers.

[51] A Chicago Tribune staff writer summarized the show's typical subject matter as "give a lie detector test to my cheating, DNA-test-taking baby’s daddy so my bad kid can go to boot camp".

[52] Its topics were typically reflected through exaggerated episode titles, such as "I Roll with My Teen, Because Ecstasy Is Our Scene" and "I Flash My Body 'Cuz I'm the Next 'Girls Gone Wild' Hottie!

[17] The show additionally featured a series of recurring guests, such as drill sergeant Raymond Moses and comedian Rude Jude.

[56] Prior to their appearance on the show, all guests were required to provide production staff with their Social Security numbers and photo identification, in addition to signing an agreement affirming that their stories were authentic.

[69] The show gave a daytime platform to numerous artists, including Usher, Ludacris, Chubby Checker, Nelly, and Three 6 Mafia.

[76] The show's ratings surged in its fourth season, which resulted in Jones signing a five-year deal with Warner Bros.

[43] The show additionally received international success; at one point it was one of the top five programs for its parent channels in countries like Canada, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands.

[106] The Chicago Sun-Times's Robert Feder described the show as "creatively bankrupt", in which he cited episodes such as "His Bachelor Party Ruined Our Marriage" and "Mom Stole My Boyfriend".

[108][109] The Orlando Sentinel's Hal Boedeker claimed that Jones was the "queen of trash TV" and that the show was a "garbage-riddled freak fest".

[111] Philip Kennicott of The Washington Post criticized the show's fluctuation between serious and tabloid-style topics, with specific focus on its boot camp episodes.

[134] Three days after the episode's taping, Schmitz purchased a shotgun, drove to Amedure's home, and killed him by firing two shots into his chest.

[136] The following week, Jones issued a statement on the show where she extended her sympathy to Amedure's family and emphasized "that this tragedy is about the actions of [Schmitz]."

The jury found in favor of Amedure's family for a damages award of $25 million; however, the show ultimately prevailed after the decision was overturned by the Michigan Court of Appeals.