Jerry Springer, Talk Show Host and Former Mayor, Dies at 79
A Legendary TV Host and Politician
Jerry Springer, the onetime mayor and news anchor whose namesake TV show featured a three-ring circus of dysfunctional families willing to bare all on weekday afternoons, including brawls, obscenities, and blurred images of nudity, died Thursday at 79.
Ratings Powerhouse and U.S. Cultural Pariah
At its peak, “The Jerry Springer Show” was a ratings powerhouse and a U.S. cultural pariah, synonymous with lurid drama. Known for chair-throwing and bleep-filled arguments, the daytime talk show was a favorite American guilty pleasure over its 27-year run, at one point topping Oprah Winfrey’s show.
Educational Background
Gerald Norman Springer was born Feb. 13, 1944, in a London underground railway station being used as a bomb shelter. His parents, Richard and Margot, were German Jews who fled to England during the Holocaust, in which other relatives were killed in Nazi gas chambers. They arrived in the United States when their son was 5 and settled in the Queens borough of New York City, where Springer got his first Yankees baseball gear on his way to becoming a lifelong fan.
Early Life and Career
He studied political science at Tulane University and got a law degree from Northwestern University. He was active in politics much of his adult life, mulling a run for governor of Ohio as recently as 2017.
TV Show
Springer began his talk show in 1991 with more of a traditional format, but after he left WLWT in 1993, it got a sleazy makeover. TV Guide ranked it No. 1 on a list of “Worst Shows in the History of Television,” but it was ratings gold. It made Springer a celebrity who would go on to host a liberal radio talk show and “America’s Got Talent,” star in a movie called “Ringmaster,” and compete on “Dancing With the Stars.”
Personal Life
Springer quickly bounced back politically, winning a council seat in 1975 and serving as mayor in 1977. He later became a local television politics reporter with popular evening commentaries. He and co-anchor Norma Rashid eventually helped build NBC affiliate WLWT-TV’s broadcast into the Cincinnati market’s top-rated news show.
Legacy
Despite the limits Springer’s show put on his political aspirations, he embraced its legacy. In a 2003 fund-raising infomercial ahead of a possible U.S. Senate run the following year, Springer referenced a quote by then National Review commentator Jonah Goldberg, who warned of new people brought to the polls by Springer, including “slack-jawed yokels, hicks, weirdos, pervs and whatnots.”
Conclusion
Jerry Springer was a complex figure, known for his controversial TV show, his political ambitions, and his ability to connect with people from all walks of life. His legacy is a testament to the power of television to shape culture and politics.
FAQs
Q: What was Jerry Springer’s net worth at the time of his death?
A: According to various sources, Jerry Springer’s net worth was estimated to be around $100 million.
Q: What was the title of Jerry Springer’s book?
A: Jerry Springer wrote a book called “Ringmaster: Lessons of a Lifetime from the Television Show That Changed America Forever.”
Q: What were some of the most infamous episodes of “The Jerry Springer Show”?
A: Some of the most infamous episodes of “The Jerry Springer Show” included “Stripper Sex Turned Me Straight,” “Stop Pimpin’ My Twin Sister,” and “Hooking Up With My Therapist.”