Google News 
Jerry Springer, one of the most influential and polarizing figures in the history of American television, has passed away at the age of 79. Springer was best known for his eponymous talk show, "The Jerry Springer Show," which aired for 27 years, and was renowned for its salacious and controversial content.
From Political Roots to TV Circus
Springer began his career as a politician, running for US Congress in 1970, and later serving as a member of the Cincinnati City Council and Mayor of the city. However, it was his foray into television that would ultimately cement his legacy.
Initially, "The Jerry Springer Show" tackled political issues, but it soon pivoted to focus on intimate relationships, infidelity, and other taboo topics. The show was known for its physical confrontations and profanity, and at its peak, was more watched than Oprah Winfrey's talk show.
Controversy and Criticism
The show's guests and their relatives would often engage in physical altercations, and the audience would cheer and chant "Jerry, Jerry, Jerry!" as the bodyguards intervened. The show also revealed the results of paternity tests and other shocking revelations, such as a husband cheating on his wife with her mother, or a husband who was actually a woman and a wife who was a man.
Despite the criticism, Springer remained unapologetic about the direction his career had taken. In 2002, TV Guide magazine listed "The Jerry Springer Show" as the worst TV show of all time, a distinction that Springer embraced.
"Folks Just Taking a Moment"
Despite the criticism, Springer saw his show as a platform for "regular folks of no fame, little if any wealth, and very little influence" to share their stories with the world. In his 1998 biography, "Ringmaster!", he wrote, "It was time to listen to the public, to show another side of life rarely, if ever seen on television." Winfrey, on the other hand, was not a fan of Springer's show.
In a 1999 interview with the Sunday Times of London, she stated that the "vulgarity circus" of Springer's show made her consider leaving her own program. "Unless you are going to kill people on the air, and not just hit them on the head with chairs, and unless you are going to have sexual intercourse - and not just, as I saw the other day, a guy pulling down his pants and pulling out his penis - then there comes a point when you have oversaturated yourself," she said.
Lasting Legacy
Despite the criticism and controversy, Springer remained a popular figure in American television and appeared in numerous series and shows. His last appearance on television was on the show "Masked Singer" in 2022.
Jerry Springer will be remembered as a controversial icon of American television, and his legacy will continue to be discussed for years to come.