Jerry Springer

Biography: Say what you will about this silver-haired tabloid talk-show host, he certainly parlayed what could have been 15 minutes of fame into a long and healthy career. Although his eponymous series---which became a smash syndicated hit with its never-ending parade of trash-talking exes and decked-out drag queens---was decidedly low-rent, Springer is an intelligent ex-politico with a dramatic history. Born in England to Jewish refugees who fled Nazi Germany, Springer immigrated to the U.S. as a child. After graduating from law school, he worked as an aide to Robert F. Kennedy but joined a Cincinnati law firm after his boss was assassinated. In the 1970s, Springer was elected to local government, serving as a city councilman until a scandal forced him to resign in 1974. (He patronized a prostitute and was caught because he paid for her services by check!) But a few years later, he spun his illegal activities into a campaign platform of honesty, was reelected councilman and later servedSay what you will about this silver-haired tabloid talk-show host, he certainly parlayed what could have been 15 minutes of fame into a long and healthy career. Although his eponymous series---which became a smash syndicated hit with its never-ending parade of trash-talking exes and decked-out drag queens---was decidedly low-rent, Springer is an intelligent ex-politico with a dramatic history. Born in England to Jewish refugees who fled Nazi Germany, Springer immigrated to the U.S. as a child. After graduating from law school, he worked as an aide to Robert F. Kennedy but joined a Cincinnati law firm after his boss was assassinated. In the 1970s, Springer was elected to local government, serving as a city councilman until a scandal forced him to resign in 1974. (He patronized a prostitute and was caught because he paid for her services by check!) But a few years later, he spun his illegal activities into a campaign platform of honesty, was reelected councilman and later served as the city's mayor. During the 1980s, he traded politics for journalism, becoming a popular newscaster and radio personality. In 1991, he went national with the syndicated Jerry Springer Show. Although it started out as a subdued, serious Donahue clone, the host spiced things up in order to improve the ratings and he ended up becoming an international entertainment icon simply by sitting back and letting his guests behave badly. No matter how violent or outrageous the episode, he always closed the show with his incongruous catchphrase, "Take care of yourself, and each other." Springer's fame led to a plethora of TV and film cameos, a starring turn in the thinly veiled autobiographical 1998 flick Ringmaster and a country album. A ubiquitous pop-culture punch line---there's even an opera named after him---Springer has a more serious side as a high-profile Democratic fund-raiser, activist and political commentator. In 2006, the so-called Sultan of Salaciousness melted viewers' hearts when he signed on to Dancing with the Stars so he could learn to waltz for his physically challenged daughter's wedding. He took his dancing shoes to the stage in 2009, playing Billy Flynn in the musical "Chicago" in London and on Broadway. Expand

Jerry Springer's Scores

Average career score: 57
Highest Metascore: 67 The Rosie Show : Season 1
Lowest Metascore: 39 Thank God You're Here: Season 1
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 4
  2. Negative: 1 out of 4
4 tv reviews
Title: Year: Credit: User score:
tbd Countdown: Season 60 Jan 12, 2009 Guest tbd
tbd Chelsea Lately: Season 3 Jan 6, 2009 Guest tbd
tbd MADtv: Season 14 Sep 13, 2008 Guest tbd
tbd America's Got Talent: Season 3 Jun 17, 2008 Host / Host 5.6
tbd Dancing With the Stars: Season 6 Mar 17, 2008 Appearing tbd
tbd Jimmy Kimmel Live: Season 6 Jan 3, 2008 Jerry Springer tbd
tbd Maury: Season 10 Sep 17, 2007 Jerry Springer tbd
tbd MADtv: Season 13 Sep 15, 2007 Guest tbd
tbd The View: Season 11 Sep 10, 2007 Jerry Springer tbd
tbd America's Got Talent: Season 2 Jun 5, 2007 Host - Season 2 / Host 6.5
tbd The Springer Hustle: Season 1 Apr 15, 2007 Himself tbd
39 Thank God You're Here: Season 1 Apr 9, 2007 Appearing 4.9
tbd George Lopez: Season 6 Jan 24, 2007 Wayne Hill tbd
tbd Jimmy Kimmel Live: Season 5 Jan 3, 2007 Jerry Springer tbd
tbd The Jerry Springer Show: Season 16 Sep 25, 2006 Host tbd
tbd Dancing With the Stars: Season 3 Sep 12, 2006 Season 3 - Celebrity Dancer / Reality Cast Member tbd
tbd Jimmy Kimmel Live: Season 4 Jan 4, 2006 Jerry Springer tbd
tbd The Jerry Springer Show: Season 14 Apr 19, 2005 Host tbd
tbd I Love The 90's: Season 1 Jul 12, 2004 Himself/Final Thought Of... tbd
tbd Jimmy Kimmel Live: Season 2 Jan 1, 2004 Jerry Springer tbd
tbd Late Show with David Letterman: Season 11 Oct 13, 2003 Guest (Cameo) tbd
tbd The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Season 12 Sep 2, 2003 Guest tbd
tbd Whose Line Is It Anyway?: Season 5 Sep 9, 2002 Guest tbd
tbd The View: Season 6 Sep 9, 2002 Jerry Springer tbd
tbd The View: Season 5 Sep 4, 2001 Jerry Springer tbd
tbd Son of the Beach: Season 2 Mar 13, 2001 Commissioner tbd
tbd Suddenly Susan: Season 4 Sep 20, 1999 Himself tbd
tbd Malcolm & Eddie: Season 3 Oct 5, 1998 Jerry Stein tbd
tbd V.I.P.: Season 1 Sep 26, 1998 Himself tbd
tbd Early Edition: Season 3 Sep 26, 1998 Himself tbd