Portal:Cincinnati/Selected biography/3
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Gerald Norman "Jerry" Springer (born February 13, 1944) is a British-born American celebrity; a former Democratic mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio; musician; television personality; and host of the controversial television tabloid talk show bearing his name, The Jerry Springer Show, since its debut in 1991. He is also the current host of America's Got Talent.
Springer became a political campaign aide to Robert F. Kennedy. After Kennedy's assassination, he joined the Cincinnati law firm of Frost & Jacobs, now Frost Brown Todd.
In 1970, Springer ran for Congress, but failed to unseat incumbent Republican Donald D. Clancy, garnering 45% of the vote. He had previously spearheaded the effort to lower the voting age, and had testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee in support of ratification of the 26th Amendment.
The Jerry Springer Show debuted on 20 September 1991. It was developed by WLWT-TV to replace its Phil Donahue Show. It started as a politically oriented talk show, a longer version of Springer's commentaries. Guests included Oliver North and Jesse Jackson, and topics included homelessness and gun politics.
