NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — The New Orleans community is saddened to hear of the death of Jerry Springer, the viral TV host who not only attended college in the Big Easy, but came back to play a key role in multiple Mardi Gras parades and even visit WGNO.
In 1968, the British-born broadcaster graduated from Tulane University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science, which would lead into his career as a campaign advisor and politician, which most recently included a run for Ohio governor in 2017.
In the midst of his success with The Jerry Springer Show, Springer returned to New Orleans in 1998 where he was the Grand Marshal for the Krewe of Endymion, one of the city’s superkrewes. He would return to the city for Mardi Gras in 2016 as he celebrated the show’s 25th anniversary, where he again took to the Endymion floats and even had a king cake created in his honor.
VIDEO: Haydel’s Bakery welcomes Jerry Springer to the Big Easy with a specially-made king cake
In an interview with WGNO, Springer told us that it was New Orleans that set the idea for The Jerry Springer Show. “Mardi Gras is where we got the idea for the show. The craziness and the needs,” Springer said.
Like he was no stranger to Mardi Gras, Springer was also no stranger to WGNO. During his visit back to NOLA in 2016, Springer hosted our “News With a Twist” show alongside WGNO’s Susan Roesgen and LBJ.
Springer died after a brief illness, the statement added. A family spokesperson told TMZ that Springer had been diagnosed with cancer a few months ago. He was 79.
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