Jerry Springer, son of Jewish refugees, dies at 79

(JTA) — Jerry Springer, the son of Jewish refugees who set aside a promising political career to become the ringleader of a circus-like syndicated talk show featuring feuding couples, angry exes and frequent fisticuffs, died April 27, 2023, at his home in the Chicago area.

A family spokesperson told TMZ that Springer, who was 79, had been battling a “brief illness.”

Over nearly 5,000 episodes beginning in 1991 and lasting until 2018, Springer transformed daytime television conventions with a program designed to encourage conflict among its guests. Where rivals like Oprah Winfrey and Phil Donah...