Can Someone Call Jerry Springer?

OK, I paid a visit to my mother this afternoon. It was our normal, nice visit. We sat in her room watching Judge Hatchet. There was a case where a woman told her now grown daughter when she was 11 that the man she thought was her father probably wasn't.

As you can imagine that put quite a rift between the daughter and her "father". They began to distance themselves over the ensuing years.

Fast forward 15 years and their relationship was quite strained. Judge Hatchet ordered a DNA test because neither party was 100% sure of the paternity. The test was done and low and behold the man actually was the father!

My mother turns to me and says, "Myrna told Peter that Janet wasn't his daughter. She told Janet who her real father was."

The power of speech escaped me for a good 5 minutes. I just sat there trying to gather my thoughts and force my mouth to work. Some background, Peter is my uncle (my mother's brother) and Myrna is his now ex wife and Janet is their oldest daughter.

Janet is now 34 years old and this revelation was made 5 years ago when Myrna and Peter's divorce became final.

"Are you kidding me?" was all I muster up.

"I'm serious as a heart attack."

I responded, "I can't freaking believe this."

What would possess someone to knowingly lie about their child's paternity then spill the beans almost 30 years later?

This is some Jerry Springer shit.