Legendary talk show host Jerry Springer died peacefully Thursday at his home in suburban Chicago, WLWT reported. He was 79. According to TMZ, the talk show host died of pancreatic cancer.
Most famous for ushering in an era of “trash TV”, Springer began his “The Jerry Springer Show” in 1991 and continued hosting it for 27 years with nearly 4,000 total episodes. The series stood out among its competitors, beating out contemporary offerings such as Ricki Lake and Sally Jesse Raphael in the ratings. The show even competed with Oprah Winfrey’s iconic TV series.
Prior to his foray into daytime TV, Springer had a career in law and then politics — culminating in service as the 56th mayor of Cincinnati in 1977. The politician-turned-talk-show-host abandoned a possible run for the U.S. Senate in 2004, but once considered running for governor of Ohio.
Following his political career, Springer took on a new role as a news anchor and commentator at WLWT, a Cincinnati-based television station.
“Jerry’s ability to connect with people was at the heart of his success in everything he tried whether that was politics, broadcasting or just joking with people on the street who wanted a photo or a word,” Jene Galvin, a lifelong friend and spokesman for the family, told the news station. “He’s irreplaceable and his loss hurts immensely, but memories of his intellect, heart and humor will live on.”
Details concerning a funeral service and memorial gathering to honor the legendary talk show host’s passing have not yet been released. In lieu of flowers, the family of the deceased has asked fans of Springer to consider donating to charity or committing an act of kindness to someone in need.
