Jerry Springer
Gerald Norman Springer is an English-American television presenter, politician, news presenter, actor, producer, musician, and former lawyer. He hosted The Jerry Springer Show, a tabloid talk show, between September 30, 1991 and July 26, 2018 and debuted the Jerry Springer Podcast in 2015. Springer currently hosts a courtroom show called Judge Jerry.
Early life
Gerald Norman Springer was born in the London Underground station of Highgate while the station was in use as a shelter from German bombing during World War II, and grew up on Chandos Road, East Finchley. His parents, Margot and Richard Springer, were Jewish refugees who escaped from Landsberg an der Warthe, Prussia. His maternal grandmother, Marie Kallmann, who was left behind, died in the gas trucks of Chełmno extermination camp. His paternal grandmother, Selma Springer, died at the hospital in the Theresienstadt concentration camp. Selma Springer's brother, Hermann Elkeles, was a renowned Berlin doctor who also died at Theresienstadt concentration camp.In January 1949, Springer emigrated with his parents to the United States, settling in Kew Gardens, Queens, New York. He later attended Forest Hills High School. One of his earliest memories about current events was when he was 12 and watching the 1956 Democratic National Convention on television where he saw and was impressed by John F. Kennedy.
Education and pre-political career
Springer earned a B.A. degree from Tulane University in 1965, majoring in political science. He earned a J.D. degree from Northwestern University in 1968.Political career
In 1970, Springer ran for Congress. He failed to unseat incumbent Republican Donald D. Clancy, but took 45% of the vote in a traditionally Republican district. He had previously spearheaded the effort to lower the voting age, including testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee in support of ratification of the 26th Amendment. Three days after announcing his candidacy, Springer, who was also an Army reservist at the time, was called to active duty and deployed to Fort Knox. He resumed his campaign after he was discharged.Springer was elected to the Cincinnati City Council in 1971. He resigned in 1974 after admitting to soliciting a prostitute.
In 1977, he was chosen to serve one year as mayor by the City Council.
In 1982, Springer sought the Democratic nomination for governor of Ohio. TV commercials for Springer's campaign referenced his use of a check to pay a prostitute, saying that he was not afraid of the truth "even if it hurts".
Springer considered running for the United States Senate in 2000 and 2004, but he backed down due to negative associations with The Jerry Springer Show.
Politics to journalism
Springer was hired as a political reporter and commentator on Cincinnati's NBC affiliate, WLWT, which had, at the time, the lowest-rated news program. Later, having been named primary news anchor and Managing Editor, he needed a broadcast catchphrase in the model of other great newsmen. With the help of some others at WLWT, he created his signature line: "Take care of yourself, and each other." Within two years he was Cincinnati's number-one news anchor, along with partner Norma Rashid. For five years, he was the most popular one in the city, garnering ten local Emmy Awards for his nightly commentaries, which were frequently satirized by Cincinnati radio personality Gary Burbank. Those commentaries would eventually become his "Final Thought" on Springer. Springer would remain commentator at WLWT until January 1993. He resided in Loveland, Ohio, during this time.In 1997, the Chicago-based NBC-owned station WMAQ-TV hired Springer to serve as a news commentator. However, this proved to be unpopular among viewers, as it resulted in the resignation of long-time news anchors Ron Magers and Carol Marin. After performing only two commentaries, Springer resigned as commentator.
Hosting
''The Jerry Springer Show''
In early 1994, Springer and his new producer, Richard Dominick, revamped the show's format in order to garner higher ratings. The show became more successful as it became targeted toward tabloidish sensationalism. Guests were everyday people confronted on a television stage by a spouse or family member's adultery, homosexuality, prostitution, transvestism, hate group membership, or other controversial situations. These confrontations were often promoted by scripted shouting or violence on stage. The show received substantial ratings and much attention. By 1998, it was beating The Oprah Winfrey Show in many cities, and was reaching more than 6.7 million viewers.On July 10, 2002, the sons of guest Nancy Campbell-Panitz – who was murdered by her ex-husband after they appeared on a May 2000 episode with his girlfriend – filed suit in Sarasota County against Springer, his producers, and his distributor, claiming he created "a mood that led to murder."
In 2005, a UK version of the show aired on Britain's ITV network titled The Springer Show. A subdued and more tongue-in-cheek version of the U.S. show, it beat its talk-show rival Trisha Goddard five to one in the ratings.
The VH1 "celebreality" series The Springer Hustle, which took a look at how The Jerry Springer Show is produced, premiered in April 2007.
In April 2015, Springer debuted The Jerry Springer Podcast on his website, JerrySpringer.com.
Jerry Springer is the second American talk show host to travel to Cuba, after Conan O'Brien, for the Jerry Springer Podcast.
Other
Springer hosted America's Got Talent on NBC in the U.S. for two seasons, replacing Regis Philbin, before leaving to concentrate on other projects.From January 17, 2005, to December 5, 2006, Springer hosted Springer on the Radio, a liberal talk show on Cincinnati's WCKY-AM. He did the show from the Clear Channel studios in Kenwood on Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays, and in Chicago on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
From 2010 to 2015, Springer hosted a dating game show called Baggage, which aired on GSN.
From January 2014, Springer hosted Investigation Discovery series Tabloid.
He hosted The Adam Carolla Show on April 25, 2014, where he sat in for Adam Carolla.
Springer guest hosted the 22nd-season premiere episode of WWE Raw on September 8, 2014 in an attempt to conduct an intervention with The Bella Twins.
UK
After a few years of his U.S. talk show being broadcast in the UK, ITV approached Springer, who temporarily co-hosted This Morning with Judy Finnigan in March 1999 and again in 2000. In summer 1999, ITV made 12 episodes of the UK-based version of the series, Jerry Springer UK, filmed at the same studios as his US show.In September 1999, Jerry made a pilot for a Letterman-style talk show for ITV called Jerry Springer on Sunday. The show received good reviews and ratings and a further four episodes were commissioned to be broadcast in May 2000.
The series was picked up by Channel 5 and renamed Late Night with Jerry Springer. Two series were made in 2000 and 2001 with 16 episodes. While working for Channel 5 In 2001, he was the host of the UK version of Greed, and a stand in host for The Wright Stuff.
Springer covered the 2016 United States presidential election for ITV's Good Morning Britain.
Acting career
Springer starred in the 1998 film Ringmaster as a talk show host largely based on himself, though named "Jerry Farrelly". Ringmaster offers a behind-the-scenes look at would-be guests who apply to a Springer-like show. The same year, Springer also released an unrelated autobiography named Ringmaster. He quipped, "I can only think of one title a year."As himself
Other television appearances
He was interviewed by satirist Chris Morris in his surreal radio series Blue Jam. On January 23, 2004, Springer was featured in an episode of This American Life titled "Leaving the Fold".In late 2006, Springer was a contestant on the third season of Dancing with the Stars, with his professional dance partner, Kym Johnson. He wanted to appear on the show so he could learn the waltz for the wedding of his daughter, Katie. Springer and Johnson were eliminated in the seventh week of competition.
Springer appeared in an episode of BBC One's television series Who Do You Think You Are? on August 27, 2008.