Many entertainers make the leap from show business to politics. It is more of a natural change than people think. True, experience is always a concern but there are parallels between being an entertainer and being a politician. Both require steady nerves, confidence, and the ability to perform.
But some go the opposite route and shift from media work to political work, and one of those people was none other than daytime talk icon Jerry Springer. Springer went from being a Cincinnati politician to being the household name he is thanks to The Jerry Springer Show. But how did he get there? How did make the leap from city council to counseling baby daddy drama?
8 Jerry Springer Ran For Congress In 1970 And Lost
His first foray into politics happened in 1968 when he became an advisor for Robert Kennedy's run for president. After Kennedy was assassinated, Springer went into law as a partner at his firm Grinker, Sudman & Springer. He remained with the firm until 1985 but while there he began his first political campaign in 1970 when he ran for congress. Springer lost the election, but he managed to pull 45% of the vote while running as a democrat in a mostly Republican district.
7 Then He Ran For City Council In 1971 And Won
His first successful political campaign came a year later in 1971 when he was elected to the city council of Cincinnati, Ohio. Springer would find himself enmeshed in a sex scandal in 1974 when it was revealed Springer had hired prostitutes for sex. He was caught because he had paid one of his dates with a personal check, making the paper trail easy to follow back to Springer. One might think this would end Springer's political career, but he ran for city council again in 1975 and won in a landslide. Experts say that his honesty about the scandal endeared him to the public.
6 He Was Mayor Of Cincinnati In 1977
Before the law was changed to a direct vote, Cincinnati's City Council would elect one of the council members as mayor. In 1977, the council chose Springer to be mayor for a year-long term. No, that is not a misprint, the man who handles the seediest drama in America on daytime television was once the mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio. While serving as mayor, Springer advocated for electoral reforms that would have expanded voting rights in the city and made the city council more answerable to the public.
5 He Ran For Governor Of Ohio In 1982
In 1982, Springer threw his hat into the ring for the Democratic nomination for the Governor of Ohio. Refusing to let his opposition get the best of him, Springer used the story of his scandal as a part of his campaign ads, saying he was not afraid to tell the truth, "even when it hurts." Although he took the chance away from his opponent to use the story against him, it was not enough to win. Springer lost the nomination and came in 3rd place.
4 He Was Doing Media Work At The Same Time
While Springer was climbing the political ladder, he was also getting work as a journalist and in the media. While in college he dabbled in radio and political commentary, which he continued to do even as mayor. He then became a resident political commentator for WLWT, NBC's Cincinnati affiliate. He remained their commentator until 1993. While on the network, he was one of Cincinnati's most popular news anchors.
3 In 1991 He Got His Iconic Talk Show
In 1991, The Jerry Springer Show debuted on WLWT following a format that matched similar daytime talk shows like The Phil Donahue Show. Although it would soon evolve into the trailer park drama that it is now famous for being, it started as a serious political commentary show. Original guests included Oliver North, who was the center of the Iran-Contra scandal, and Jesse Jackson, the civil rights leader and presidential nominee.
2 He Is Now A Television Institution
Everyone knows the rest of the story, Springer was soon picked up for national syndication and over time the show started to get more and more outrageous guests. Springer became famous for his "final thoughts" at the end of each show, and his sign-off line, "Take care of yourself, and each other." At its peak, his show got nearly 10 million viewers a day.
1 He Almost Returned To Politics In 2000, 2004, and 2018
After he lost the Democratic nomination for Governor, Springer put his political career on hiatus to focus on his journalism and media presence. Springer did however briefly consider returning to politics in 2000 and 2004, mulling over a run for the U.S. senate. He chose against running both times to focus on his show which was pulling in millions of viewers. He considered running for Governor again in 2018 but decided not to due to his age. Today, he continues to navigate some of the most bizarre and unsettling drama in the country, and he enjoys a net worth of $60 million.
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