In a life that included being a political figure as well as a talk show legend, Jerry Springer was never at a loss for words. Becoming a cultural icon through The Jerry Springer Show, the Chicago based entertainer exploded that syndicated chat program into a worldwide phenomenon. Today we honor his memory, as news has come down that Jerry is dead at the age of 79.
TMZ broke the news, as Springer’s passing was apparently due to a recent bout with cancer. An update from a family spokesperson indicated that the TV personality's condition had been diagnosed months earlier, and that his passing was as unexpected as the setbacks that Jerry Springer had suffered this past week.
Most notably, the world knew Springer as the host of The Jerry Springer Show, which ran for 27 years until its 2018 cancellation. Originally formatted as a forum for political and personal issues upon its 1991 debut, the more salacious and scandalous format would take effect just a couple years into the show’s lengthy run.
Outside of Jerry Springer’s infamous talk show history, he had taken on roles in both politics and entertainment that might surprise some. Springer was most politically active in the ‘70s and ‘80s, through both failed bids to be elected to Congress and as the Democratic candidate for Governor of Ohio; as well as a one-year term as the mayor of Cincinnati.
Meanwhile in pop culture, Jerry was seen appearing as himself in various projects, usually playing himself through the invocation of The Jerry Springer Show. Films like Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, as well as TV series such as The Simpsons, Sabrina The Teenage Witch, and even in a wild cameo for SyFy’s Happy!. The late ‘90s/early ‘00s were a very powerful time for Jerry Springer and his show, so much that the satirical comedy movie Ringmaster was made to cash in on the craze, with Springer playing the role he was born for: a fictitious version of himself.
In the recent post-cancellation years, Jerry had kept busy in the realm of television. For three seasons it looked like Jerry Springer tried to become the next Judge Judy through his series, Judge Jerry. Plus, in what would become known as his final appearance on TV, Springer’s love of music saw him try his hand as a guest on Fox’s The Masked Singer. Though as Springer told CinemaBlend’s own Mick Joest in a post-reveal interview, he didn’t expect to be on the show for very long, as fun as it was.
Whether you know him as the face of The Jerry Springer Show, the former mayor of Cincinnati, or just as Jerry Springer, the man has left a mark on the pop culture landscape that so few can claim. Though his eponymous talk show was once named one of the most offensive TV shows by Senior Living, most people could claim to have a good memory or two from seeing Jerry’s varied appearances in media. After all, how could anyone be mad at the time Springer rap battled fellow talk show maven Ricki Lake?
We here at CinemaBlend extend our deepest condolences to Jerry Springer’s friends and family, as they navigate this time of grief and memory. In honor of his legacy, it only seems fair to close out with those words Mr. Springer himself would use to sign off of each episode of his own show: "Take care of yourselves, and each other."
