Former WWE RAW guest host Jerry Springer has passed away at the age of 79.
A family spokesperson said Springer had been battling a “brief illness,” according to TMZ. Sources told TMZ that Springer was battling pancreatic cancer, which was diagnosed a few months ago. Thee illness got much worse one month ago, and this week he took a turn for the worse. Springer died Thursday morning, peacefully at his home near Chicago.
Springer hosted “The Jerry Springer Show” for 27 years. The hit program premiered in 1991, but before that Springer was into politics, running a failed campaign for the United States Congress in 1970. He was elected to Cincinnati’s City Council in 1971, and then became the Cincinnati Mayor in 1977. He served one term. Springer also had his “Judge Jerry” court room TV show, which ran for 3 seasons. Springer was hosting a folk music show on a local Cincinnati radio station when he had to stop working about a month ago.
Springer made multiple WWE TV appearances over the years. He hosted RAW on February 15, 2010, worked a segment with WWE Hall of Famers The Bella Twins in 2014, and later hosted his “WWE Too Hot For TV” show on the WWE Network in 2015.
Springer was also a main influence for the WWE Attitude Era. Former WWE head writer Vince Russo took to Twitter today to pay tribute to Springer, confirming that he and Ed Ferrara used to watch Springer episodes before booking the next episode of RAW.
“Man, I must acknowledge this. Make NO BONES ABOUT IT-‘The Jerry Springer Show’ was 100% the INSPIRATION behind the @WWE Attitude Era. ‘Fast’ Eddie Ferrara and myself would sit there and watch episode after episode of Springer as we wrote next week’s show. Jerry-RIP-and THANK YOU!,” Russo wrote.
Below is Russo’s full tweet, along with clips of Springer on WWE TV, and a clip of WWE Hall of Famer Razor Ramon (Scott Hall) appearing on the show in 1996 to present his WWE Intercontinental Title belt, WrestleMania 12 tickets, and other merchandise to two young fans who had AIDS.
Razor Ramon gives 2 kids Wrestlemania tickets as well as his Intercontinental Championship
RIP to both legends Jerry Springer and Scott Hall 🙏🙏 pic.twitter.com/vaI36HuNXl
— Vick (@Vick_8122) April 27, 2023
Man, I must acknowledge this. Make NO BONES ABOUT IT-"The Jerry Springer Show" was 100% the INSPIRATION behind the @WWE Attitude Era. "Fast" Eddie Ferrara and myself would sit there and watch episode after episode of Springer as we wrote next week's show. Jerry-RIP-and THANK YOU! pic.twitter.com/c4MmCLTEQK
— Vince Russo (@THEVinceRusso) April 27, 2023
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