HOUSTON (KIAH) — The CW39 family is saddened by the passing of Jerry Springer, the famous talk show host who aired on the station for several years.
Springer, the former Cincinnati mayor and news anchor whose namesake TV show unleashed strippers, homewreckers and skinheads to brawl and spew obscenities on weekday afternoons, has died. He was 79.
A family spokesperson died Thursday at home in suburban Chicago. At its peak, “The Jerry Springer Show” that ran for 27 years ending in 2018 was a ratings powerhouse and a U.S. cultural pariah.
The show known for chair-throwing and bleep-filled arguments was a favorite American guilty pleasure, at one point topping Oprah Winfrey’s show.
The show ran on CW39 in Houston since 2010 — including its reruns currently — and had a lot of fans to watch the carnival-like antics of his show.
He also made time to talk to CW39’s hosts and anchors about his show and his career. In 2015, Springer came to the CW39 studio, along with actor/comedian Tom Green while on a promotional tour for his show.
Anchor Sharron Melton talked with Springer last in 2021 and recalled his kindness when they spoke.
“Each time I talked with Jerry Springer it was always a joy! He would talk to me as if we’d been friends for years and with so much respect,” Melton said. “And no matter how serious the topic, he always tried to find a silver lining of hope to make things better. That spirit and his love for life and helping people is something I will always remember about Jerry Springer.”
The Jewish immigrants’ son who was born in a World War II London underground bomb shelter was active in politics most his adult life.
2019: Jerry Springer talks debut of new show, ‘Judge Jerry’
2018: Jerry Springer is headed back to daytime TV as ‘Judge Jerry’
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
