Springer Eagerly Awaiting His Return

September 5, 1997 Homecoming '97 3 Springer eagerly awaiting his return

Tulane College alum Jerry Springer, world, part of it, l'rµ sure was New sometimes it isn't going to be now a successful syndicated television Orleans. When 1 went back there, it controlled. That's what talk show host, will return to his alma certainly educated me in the area of civil gives it some interest. It's mater next week to emcee the rights. This was 1961, when they were regular people Homecoming pep rally. just integrating the schools. I remember emoting. But they're Springer, 53, came to Tulane in the getting involved immediately in the civil real people. It's not fall of 1961 from Kew Gardens, N.Y., and rights activity. I majored in political bad. Otherwise, graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in science, and I think that got me television gives political science in 1965. In between, he interested in politics. I guess I owe quite such a phony joined the now-defunct fraternity Tau a bit to my Tulane experience. view of life. Epsilon Phi, serving as scribe his I've had sophomore year, pledge-warden his junior H: Though you are one of Tulane's more ｮ ･ ｯ ｾ ｎ azis year and president his senior year, worked famous alums, you are not mentioned in on; they're at the campus radio station WTUL and prospectus packets as a distinguished alum despicable, was president of Campus Nite in 1965, nor is your picture up in the Tulane College but we the year the group put on the Broadway offices, despite the fact that many people on ought to show "Damn Yankees." campus feel you should be included. How do know they're Following college, Springer attended you feel about this? out there. Northwestern University, where he. Otherwise we earned a degree in law. He then went to S: Well ... there are probably no good can't defend work for Sen. Robert F. Kennedy.'s pictures of me. With a face like mine, I do ourselves presidential campaign. After Kennedy better in print. It doesn't matter. I'm against them.' was assassinated in 1968, Springer joined proud to have gone there, that's for other a law firm and then worked towards people to decide. Maybe they don't like H: You were ratification of the 26th amendment to my show. · involved in some the U.S. Constitution, which lowered controversy the voting age from 21 to 18. In 1971, he H: You were a politician, and a successful was elected to Cincinnati's city council one at that. Why did you make the jump to and became one of the country's youngest the broadcasting and journalism world? mayors when he was elected mayor of earlier Cincinnati in 1977. S: Term limits. I was done being this year When his term as mayor was over, mayor, and I was offered a job by the when you Springer went to work for Cincinnati's NBC affiliate in Cincinnati to anchor were offered a s : It's just WLWT-TY, serving as a political reporter their news. And I did that for ten years. I commentating job something that I and commentator and then an anchor. In really enjoyed it. To go from politics to on a Chicago 1V station ought to do as a human September 1991, he began hosting "The news, at least the subject matter is the and one of the anchors quit in being. All of us, whether or not Jerry Springer Show," which now airs in same, even if the view is different. protest. How was that finally resolved we're celebrities, every one ought to more than 150 U.S. markets and 30 and would you like to make any comment on spend part of their life maki.rig someone foreign countries. H: Lately, there has been a move in the that now? else's' life better.... I'm not special The Hullabaloo interviewed Springer daytime 1V market from shows like yours to because I do this. I don't deserve any by telephone from Chicago, where his more of a variety show like Rosie O'Donnell. S: As we later found out, it wasn't a credit for this. Jerry Lewis is special, he's show is taped, last week. The following is How much longer do you see the Jerry matter of her quitting. Her contract spent his whole life doing this. That's just a transcript of that interview. Springer show continuing? wasn't renewed. I didn't know it at the what being a human being is all about. time, but it was basically a cover-up to Hullabaloo: How do you feel about S: Well, I just signed on for five more make it look like she was quitting on · H: Where do you see yo11trself in 10 coming back to Tulane? years, so I know I'll do it for another five principle. I was just going to do it on a years? years, and then we'll see. volunteer basis, once a week. It wasn't Springer: I love it. Some of the something I particularly had to do. As we S: I hope alive. You know, the planet happiest moments of my life were spent H: What sort of topics will we see on the later found out, they just weren't going to Earth would be good. I don't know, at down there, and I remember being back Jerry Springer show in the future? keep her on board and this became a some point in my life, I'd like to teach. I there for the 25th reunion ... and I really . more dramatic way of leaving. try not to think about it too much. enjoyed that. I'm just really excited about S: Outrageous. That's the Maybe write or teach. doing that. requirement. I'm not saying normal H: You opened up for Billy Ray Cyrus a I gotta tell you, back when I was there, behavior doesn't belong on television, · couple of years ago and you've sung rock and H: What do you feel your greatest we didn't have much reason to be peppy. I'm just saying it doesn't belong on our roll at a few clubs. Is that your next career achietJement has been? I think we went the first two years I was show. We can't just have mainstream move, from talk show host to singer? WiU we there 0-10 and then the third year, we behavior on television in a free society, see an album anytime soon? · S: Being a good dad was first. And I finally won a game, and we all went we have to make sure we see the whole was a pretty good mayor. I think those running to the bell and someone had panorama of human behvavior. The show S: Somebody once said I had a face for were the two highlights of my life. either stolen the bell or the bell cracked, is not about what I like, it's about what's radio and a voice for newspapers. I can't but I just remember something going out there. It's just like the news. sing, I'm horrible. I was just doing that for -- Andrew Kirkpatrick, wrong. fun. I'd written this song making fun of H: How do you deal with all the chaos on talk shows, but nobody ever accused me Associate News Editor H: How do you feel Tulane has helped your show? of being a singer. you in life? S: Sometimes I don't. It depends on H: Let's talk about your charitable work S: Well, it opened my eyes to the how good I am that day. The point is, it's for a moment. What does it mean to you world. Part of it was Tulane, part of it was honest. When you don't have a script, serving as co-host of the Jerry Lewis the fact that I was 17 and ready to see the when you have real people out there, muscular dystrophy telethon?