Celebrity concierge • January 2014
Cincinnati mayor, political commentator, actor and musician, Jerry Springer is also the man responsible for some of daytime TV’s most lurid moments. As his new crime commentary show, Tabloid, airs in January 2014, Jerry gives us a glimpse of his cultured, sensitive, much-travelled side
Interview by Anisha Patel
What’s next for a man who’s done it all?
I’m at a point in my life where I can choose things that are either enjoyable or important – the political stuff is important; the showbiz stuff is for fun. We’re in the 23rd year of filming The Jerry Springer Show. It’s really bad because we’re starting to have on the children of our original guests. We may be the only show ever to ‘grow’ our guests. I’d do the stage production thing again, but I’m nearly 70, so it would have to be something that I could do physically.
Do you enjoy flying?
I travel to London a lot and I fly on British Airways. I love it. It was the first plane I’d been on where you got the flatbed in First Class. I thought that it was great.
Where’s your favourite place in London?
I always go back to my old neighbourhood in East Finchley, where I lived until I was five. But I tell people visiting London to go to the Churchill War Rooms. They’re remarkable. I once had a private tour through the ‘backstage’ areas and ended up in the famous room where Churchill sat at that long table. Visitors can only look through a glass window, so you can imagine the horror on their faces when Jerry Springer walks into this poignant room – what a culture shock.
Where in the world would you like to go back to?
My wife and I love Italy. We try and escape there for two weeks every year. I always say that when God made Italy, he was showing off. We usually spend a week in Tuscany and a week in Capri or on the Amalfi Coast. I like the relaxed pace of life there.
Best place you’ve ever stayed?
I love Villa San Michele in Florence, which used to be a 15th-century monastery and is up on a hill overlooking the city. When we’re in London, we stay at The Dorchester or the Soho Hotel.
Which places are top of your bucket list?
Russia and China. How can you live in the 21st century and not visit those two countries? I like history. That’s what’s so great about travelling. In America if we have a McDonald’s that’s been open for 25 years closing down, there’s a protest because it’s a ‘historic’ preservation. In England, you find buildings that are 300 years old – older than our country.
Have you had any unexpected fan welcomes abroad?
I was in a tiny town near Dundee in Scotland, on a country road, and people just started screaming “Oh my God, it’s Jerry Springer! What’s he doing here?” That was unexpected and weird. I also had a great reception at the airport in Johannesburg when I travelled to South Africa. Wherever I go, people are nice. My wish for them is always: may you never be on my show.
Where do you go to escape the crowds back at home?
We live right on the Gulf of Mexico in Sarasota, Florida, so I’d say if you don’t have a boat, rent one and get out there on the Gulf.
Tabloid airs on Investigation Discovery, Sky Channel 522
This article has been tagged Opinion, Travel Tips