Jerry Springer, whose long running talk show was one of the most sensational and controversial on television, has passed away at the age of 79.
Springer hosted the popular “The Jerry Springer Show” for 27 years. During that time it morphed from a political oriented show modeled after the “The Phil Donahue Show” to one that embraced tabloid sensationalism, including guests who were billed as everyday Americans confronting each other on stage. The encounters frequently turned violent, including chair throwing, and necessitated the presence of security guards.
The show became extremely popular with viewers and by 1998 was rated higher than “The Oprah Winfrey Show” in many US markets, with an audience of over 6.7 million.
A spokesperson for Springer’s family said that he had been dealing with a “brief illness” before he died. But sources told TMZ that he had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer several months ago and that his condition has worsened in the last week.
Spring was born in London, England in 1944 to German Jewish refugees in the Highgate underground station while it was in use as a shelter during Nazi bombings in World War II. When he was four, the family moved to the United States, settling in Kew Gardens, Queens.
Springer first went into politics, starting as a campaign advisor to Robert F. Kennedy. After practicing law in Cincinnati, he was elected to the city council in 1971 but he resigned in 1974 after admitting to hiring a prostitute. In 1977, the council chose him to serve as mayor for one year.
Soon after, he was hired as a political commentator for Cincinnati's NBC affiliate, WLWT.
When his talk show debuted in 1991, it was driven by serious political discourse but soon, in need of higher ratings, it took a turn for the sensational, taking on controversial topics that frequently saw guests battling it out in angry and violent outbursts with each other that were said to have been staged.
After the end of his talk show, Springer appeared on television with his own courtroom program, “Judge Jerry.” The show lasted three seasons.