Jerry Springer
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Gerald Norman "Jerry" Springer (born February 13, 1944 in London, England) is a former Democratic mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio, United States, who hosts a television tabloid talk show bearing his name, The Jerry Springer Show. Also, he now hosts a talk radio program called Springer on the Radio on the Air America Radio network.
Early years
Springer was born in an Underground station in East Finchley, London, England. His parents were Jewish refugees from Nazi Germany. In January 1949, he emigrated to the United States from the United Kingdom with his family on the RMS Queen Mary. He earned a bachelor of arts from Tulane University in 1965, majoring in political science. He earned a juris doctor (J.D.) degree from Northwestern University in 1968. He then became a political campaign aide to Robert Kennedy; after Kennedy's assassination, he joined a Cincinnati law firm.Political career
In 1970, Springer ran for Congress, but failed to unseat incumbent Republican Donald D. Clancy, although he won a surprising 44% of the vote. He had previously spearheaded the effort to lower the voting age, and had testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee in support of ratification of the 26th Amendment.Springer was elected to the Cincinnati city council in 1971. He was forced to resign in 1974 after a police raid on a Fort Wright, Kentucky "massage parlor" unearthed a check he had written for its "services". Instead of denying it, he came clean at a press conference. His honesty helped him win back his seat in 1975. In 1977, he was chosen to serve one year as mayor by the City Council.
Politics to journalism
His broadcast career started while he was still Mayor of Cincinnati with album-oriented rock radio station WEBN FM, noted for its laid-back and irreverant radio format. The station featured commentaries by Springer under the banner "The Springer Memorandum". The popularity of these commentaries helped launch his broadcasting career.In 1982, having not sought reelection to the city council in 1981, Springer failed in his bid to win the Democratic primary for governor of Ohio coming in third behind former Lt. Gov. (Richard F. Celeste won the primary and general elections) and Ohio Attorney General William J. Brown. He was hired as a political reporter and commentator on Cincinnati's NBC affiliate, WLWT TV, which had, at the time, the lowest-rated news program. As commentator, he ended each segment with what became his catch phrase: "Take care of yourself, and each other". Within two years he was their number one news anchor, and for five years, the most popular one in the city, garnering 10 local Emmy Awards in the process. It was a position he held until January 1993.
The Jerry Springer Show
The Jerry Springer Show debuted on 20 September 1991. It was developed by WLWT-TV to replace its Phil Donahue Show. It started as a politically-oriented talk show, a longer version of Springer's commentaries. Guests included Oliver North and Jesse Jackson, and topics included homelessness and gun politics.The need for higher ratings forced him to revamp the format. It became more and more successful as it became more and more lowbrow. It now included outrageous situations like adulterers, post-op-transexuals, paternity tests, the Ku Klux Klan and other hate based groups, and, in one of the most famous episodes, an exposee of shock rock featuring El Duce from The Mentors and GWAR. Since 1999, the show has adhered to a no-violence rule: guests can no longer fight, use foul language, or perform lewd or obscene acts.
Though under some harsh criticism, Springer has always maintained that he had no control over the guests. If they were making up their story to get their fifteen minutes of fame, he and his producers knew nothing of it. He showed outtakes in which a lesbian couple was caught lying about their affair.
On 10 July 2002, the sons of guest Nancy Campbell-Panitz, who was murdered by her ex-husband after they appeared on an 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 was shown on ITV1 entitled The Springer Show. It beat its talkshow rival Trisha Goddard five to one in the ratings.
On May 12, 2006, The Jerry Springer Show celebrated its 3000th episode.
Modern political involvement
Outside of his show, Springer remains politically active, particularly in Ohio. He has contributed large sums to the Ohio Democratic Party and he was a member of the Ohio delegation to the 2004 Democratic National Convention. Many Ohio Democrats hoped that he would challenge George Voinovich, who ran for re-election to the United States Senate in 2004. However, Springer decided early on that his contractual obligation to his television program would prevent him from running for elective office in 2004.Springer had expressed interest in running for office in 2006, but he has stated that should he decide to do so, he would resign from the television show at least 18 months prior to the election date, which would have been in May of 2005. It had been widely surmised that he is either considering a run for the United States Senate against incumbent Republican R. Michael DeWine, who is up for re-election in 2006 or a run for the Ohio governorship, where Republican Bob Taft would be barred from running due to term limits. Ultimately, however, Springer chose not to run for either the Senate or the governorship.
In 2004, the Ohio Democratic Party named Springer Democrat of the Year for his fund-raising efforts on behalf of the party.
Springer lives part time on Bird Key, in Sarasota County, Florida, where he occasionally helps raise funds on behalf of the local Democratic Party.
Latest endeavors in entertainment
On January 17, 2005, Springer began hosting Springer on the Radio, a liberal talk show on Cincinnati's WCKY-AM. He does the show from the Clear Channel studios in Kenwood on Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays, and in Chicago, Illinois (where his television show tapes) on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The show is also broadcast in Cleveland, Detroit, Miami, and San Antonio. On March 24, 2005, it was announced that the show will also be carried on Air America Radio beginning April 1. It is now widely syndicated through Air America. He also hosted the Miss World beauty pageant in 2000.In June the same year Springer traveled to the UK where he hosted a British version of his show entitled The Springer Show on ITV1. In an interview he claimed that he had expected British guests to be more sedate, but found them to be even noisier and more argumentative than Americans.
Jerry also hosted the British version of the game show Greed on Five, but it was even more of a flop than the American version.
In 2006, Springer appeared as a contestant on the revival of I've Got a Secret. His secret was his place of birth.
See also:
- Election Results, U.S. Representative from Ohio, 2nd District
- Election Results, Ohio Governor (Democratic Primaries)
Inspired by Springer
Springer essentially portrayed himself in the 1998 movie Ringmaster, though his TV host character is named Jerry Farrelly. "Ringmaster" offers a behind-the-scenes look at would-be guests who apply to a Springer-like show.A musical by Stewart Lee and Richard Thomas, Jerry Springer - The Opera, is based on his show. It first became popular at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2002. It has since played at the Royal National Theatre in London, and has moved to London's West End. It was also screened on BBC 2 Television, causing some controversy.
The 2002 Brad Paisley country music video for "I'm Gonna Miss Her (The Fishin Song)" featured a Jerry Springer episode with the show's title being "My Husband Left Me For a Fish" during the music video's run.
The Peter Gabriel song entitled "The Barry Williams Show" (released on the Up album) is a reference to The Jerry Springer Show and shows like it.
Dutch punk rock band Heideroosjes made a song called "Jerry Rules In the Land Of the Free" that was featured partly in a compilation of clips in a Jerry Springer show episode.
Jerry Springer made a cameo appearance in as himself during an episode of his show featuring Dr. Evil and his estranged son Scott Evil
Jerry Springer made a cameo appearance in Domino (Film) as himself during an episode of the show featuring Mo'nique.
"Weird Al" Yankovic wrote a parody of "One Week" by the Barenaked Ladies called "Jerry Springer" that appeared on the Running With Scissors album.
Springer has also appeared on the improvisational comedy show Whose Line Is It Anyway?, as well as on the 2006 version of I've Got a Secret. On episode 25 of the show (first aired May 19th of that year), he revealed that he was born in the East Finchley station of the London Underground during World War II. This was because all women in their final month of pregnancy spent their nights in the stations, which were being used as bomb shelters during The Blitz.
The popular Peruvian talk-show Laura en América features on-air fights amongst guests and scandalous topics similar to the Springer Show.
On the NBC soap opera Passions Jerry Springer made an appearance as "Larry Winger" and as the same type of talk show host. During his appearance, he was featured in Eve's nightmare, where she believed her daughter was impregnated by her son.
References
- John Kieswetter. "Springer ready to take radio show national". Cincinnati Enquirer. March 21, 2005. D1.
External links
- [The Jerry Springer Show]
- [Springer on the Radio]
- [Springer for Ohio political website]
- [Springer] at the William Morris Agency
- [A story about Springer] (in RealAudio format), with clips of his political speeches, from This American Life
- [Jerry Springer - the Opera]
- [NNDB Profile: Jerry Springer]
- [Independent Air America Radio IRC Chat channel (chat room) on Undernet]
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