Jerry Springer, Controversial Icon Of Trash TV, Has Died At 79

Jerry Springer, one of the most well-known and controversial figures in talk show history, has died at age 79.

According to TMZ, a family spokesperson confirmed that he was battling a "brief illness" and died at his Chicago home on Thursday, April 27. The outlet also claims that Springer was suffering from pancreatic cancer, which worsened in recent weeks and forced the host to stop working entirely.

Springer is best known for his work as the host of the hit talk show "The Jerry Springer Show" for a whopping 27 years, starting in 1991. The daytime program was a cultural touchstone of the 1990s and was known for its raucous, out-of-control fights and controversial subject matter. It ended up becoming something of a watering hole for folks with open schedules — namely stay-at-home moms — to watch something wild during the day among the slightly neutered soap operas. The show became a phenomenon.

But before making a splash on TV, Springer was a politician, though his legacy in entertainment certainly outweighed his civic achievements. He ran a failed campaign for United States Congress in 1970 before getting elected to Cincinnati, Ohio's City Council the following year. In 1977, he became the city's mayor, but only served one term. Interestingly enough, Springer originally focused on issues that were politically important in the early days of his show before the drama and chaos made ratings soar.

"The Jerry Springer Show" went off the air in 2018, but the following year, Springer started another series that allowed him to fully utilize the law school education that made him want to be a politician. "Judge Jerry" ran for three seasons in syndication, but was canceled in 2022. His last television appearance was that same year on "The Masked Singer," where he portrayed The Beetle and was eliminated in the fifth episode.

If there's one thing '90s kids remember about their childhoods when it comes to daytime television, it is certainly seeing glimpses of "The Jerry Springer Show" as your mom tried to quickly cut away but had a hard time finding the remote. The show was a major part of the zeitgeist, and for better or worse, it changed the landscape of talk show programming as we knew it. No matter how you slice it, that is one hell of a legacy.

Springer is survived by his daughter, Katie Springer, and will be missed.