More Than a TV Icon Springer’s success with WLWT led to the start of his own talk show in 1991. The Jerry Springer Show originally aired as a political talk show with episodes that focused on topics such as the social effects of rock ‘n’ roll, gun control, and homelessness. The nature of his show shifted in 1994 when the new focus became targeting a younger audience. His show moved its origination from Cincinnati to Chicago and began reaching more than 6.7 million viewers. In 1998, Barbara Walters labeled Springer as one of the world’s “10 most fascinating people” and in 2007, The Jerry Springer Show was picked up by NBC-Universal. Springer branched into radio talk in 2005. The following year he became a contestant on the show Dancing with the Stars, and in 2009 played the role of Billy Flynn in the Broadway production of Chicago. The multi-talented Springer has recorded a country music CD, created and starred in a talk-TV spoof in the feature film Ringmaster, and developed a late-night variety show in England and South Africa. He also hosted NBC’s America’s Got Talent and The Miss Universe Pageant. Springer has appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone, Esquire, and New York Magazine and now he enjoys speaking on college campuses throughout the United States — like today, at Illinois State University.
Dr. Lance Lippert on Jerry Springer:
“This is a tremendous learning opportunity for our students. Jerry Springer is such an accomplished individual having been a lawyer, journalist, politician, and entertainer. He routinely challenges college students to make a difference and pay more attention to their citizenship. Don’t expect any talk show trash talking. He’ll be talking about politics, the media, and the current state of the nation.”
Jerry Springer: M Today, he is best-known as the host of The Jerry Springer Show, but Jerry Springer’s 50-year professional career has made an impact in law, politics, entertainment, media and performing arts. From service to Robert F. Kennedy’s 1968 presidential campaign, to starring on Broadway in the production of Chicago, Springer has known success in a variety of venues. The grandson of holocaust victims, Springer earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Tulane. After he earned his Juris Doctor degree from Northwestern University School of Law in 1968, he joined the RFK presidential campaign. Following Robert Kennedy’s assassination, Springer took a job with Frost and Jacobs law firm in Cincinnati, Ohio. At age 25, Springer spearheaded the Ohio movement to lower the national voting age from age 21 to 18. In 1970, Springer ran for Congress in Ohio and, a year later, he won a seat on the Cincinnati City Council. He was elected the Mayor of Cincinnati in 1977. When his term ended, Springer began his television career as an anchor and editor with the Cincinnati NBC affiliate WLWT. He took the station to first place in the local news ratings and his nightly commentaries helped him earn seven Emmy awards. He was voted television’s best anchor five times by readers of Cincinnati Magazine.