Jerry Springer Dead at 79

Jerry Springer, of The Jerry Springer Show fame, has passed away, his family has confirmed. WLWT5 first broke the news.

Springer died earlier today at his Chicago home at the age of 79, according to WLWT5, which serves the Cincinnati, Ohio, area where Springer was once mayor.

“Jerry’s ability to connect with people was at the heart of his success in everything he tried whether that was politics, broadcasting or just joking with people on the street who wanted a photo or a word,” Jene Galvin, a lifelong friend and spokesman for the family told the publication. “He’s irreplaceable and his loss hurts immensely, but memories of his intellect, heart and humor will live on.”

According to TMZ, a spokesperson said that Springer passed after a battle with a "brief illness," with sources reporting that he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer a few months ago, which took a turn for the worse earlier this week.

Springer's career began in politics, where he joined the city council in Cincinnati in 1971, after a failed congressional campaign the year before. In 1977, he became the city's 56th mayor, serving one term.

In 1991, the show that would make him a household name debuted, running until 2018. He had one more brief run on television his with courtroom show Judge Jerry, which ran for three seasons, and a stint on The Masked Singer as the beetle.

According to TMZ, he only stopped working about a month ago, when he stepped back from a folk music show he was hosting on a local radio station.

Springer is survived by his daughter, Katie, and older sister, Evelyn.

Funeral and memorial services have yet to be scheduled, but the family asks that in lieu of flowers, fans consider making a donation or committing to an act of kindness for a person or organization in need, following his favorite sendoff, “Take care of yourself, and each other.”

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