Jerry Springer, a TV presenter and former mayor of Cincinnati, passed away at the age of 79. His publicist confirmed his death to CBS News on Thursday, and according to the Associated Press, he died at his home in Chicago after an illness.
According to Jene Galvin, a family spokesperson and a close friend of Jerry Springer since 1970, Jerry’s success in politics, broadcasting, and even in casual interactions with people on the street was due to his ability to connect with people. In a statement following Jerry’s death, Galvin said that Jerry’s intellect, heart, and humor will always be remembered, and although his loss is deeply felt and he is irreplaceable, his legacy will endure.
Jerry Springer, who had previously worked as an attorney and politician, served as the 56th mayor of Cincinnati from 1977 to 1978. He is most recognized for his talk show, “Jerry Springer,” which ran for almost thirty years and was notorious for its wild and turbulent episodes featuring dysfunctional families. In addition to his talk show, Springer had a brief stint as a judge on the popular competition show “America’s Got Talent” from 2007 to 2008. Later, he hosted the NBC reality series “Judge Jerry,” which was set in a courtroom.
Jerry Springer’s political career began with an unsuccessful campaign for Congress in 1970, before he was elected to the Cincinnati City Council in the following year. He served in this position for three years until he resigned in 1974 after a widely publicized sex scandal. In the early 1980s, he ran for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in Ohio but was not successful. It was after these political endeavors that he found his calling in television.
Jerry Springer gained worldwide recognition with his highly controversial but widely watched daytime talk show “Jerry Springer,” which premiered in 1991. The show was known for its dramatic on-screen outbursts, including chair-throwing, and consistently received high ratings. The show eventually came to an end in 2018 after airing over 4,000 episodes. Despite his success in the entertainment industry, Springer remained connected to politics, and in 2003, there were rumors that he might run for the U.S. Senate. However, these plans were put on hold due to his involvement with the talk show.
Springer was born on February 13, 1944, in London and moved to the United States with his family during his childhood, settling in Queens. He began his career in politics as an adviser to Robert F. Kennedy before later working at a Cincinnati law firm. He married Micki Velton in 1973, and they remained married for almost 20 years before their divorce in 1994. They have one child, Katie Springer, who was born in 1976.