Transgender activists have branded legendary TV host Jerry Springer ‘transphobic’ just hours after his death.
Many said they were ‘not sad’ to see Springer die aged 79, with his family confirming he passed away on Thursday morning after a battle with pancreatic cancer.
Millions mourned the loss of the TV giant – with ‘The Jerry Springer Show’ being a guilty pleasure to many Americans with its wild and outrageous guests.
But those in the trans community seemed pleased after Springer’s death was announced, accusing him of ‘sensationalizing trans people into a mockery for profit.’
They also accused him of portraying them as being ‘deceptive’ and the men who went on the show with them as victims who were being ‘exploited’.
But those in the trans community celebrated the death of Springer, accusing him of ‘sensationalizing trans people into a mockery for profit’
Springer died at the age of 79, with his family confirming he died Thursday morning after a short battle with pancreatic cancer
Of the thousands of episodes aired, one was entitled ‘Dude, Try A Transsexual’ while another said ‘Spoiler Alert: She’s a Man!’ and a third was called ‘Turned up and Transgender’.
One person said: ‘Rest in p*** Jerry Springer, you hateful little slimeball. He mercilessly exploited minorities & the poor, incl. trans women, particularly of color.
‘And ruthlessly exposed them to violence & humiliation as entertainment. Eat dirt, lowlife scum.’
Alejandro Carabello wrote: ‘I don’t think anything else kept me in the closet longer than the way Jerry Springer sensationalized trans people into a mockery for profit.
‘This isn’t ancient history, he continued to do it till this year. I’m not exactly sad to see him pass.’
They clarified that while the show ended in 2018 the YouTube channel for the show continued to repost old clips.
Katelyn Burns added: ‘Jerry Springer’s show was one of my first ever exposure to trans women.
‘The memories of his crowds jeering those poor desperate women has stayed with me for decades.
Springer himself said that he wasn’t interested in offending anyone after he faced a backlash in 2014 for an episode title ‘Tr***ies Twerk It Out’
They also accused him of portraying them as being ‘deceptive’ and the men who went on the show with them as victims who were being ‘exploited’
‘I feel nothing about his passing.’
Another Twitter user said he ‘spearheaded irreparable damage… to my psyche as a young trans person growing up in a world with very little trans representation.
‘His stage was where the seeds of a lot of shame and self-loathing were planted.’
Springer himself said he wasn’t interested in offending anyone after he faced a backlash in 2014 for an episode titled ‘Tr***ies Twerk It Out.’
He vowed he would stop using the term in all future shows, telling TMZ at the time he had ‘just been educated’ on the matter after the furor in the LGBTQ community.
Springer’s family asked fans to make charitable donations in his name after the TV host passed away ‘peacefully’ at his home in Chicago.
Tributes have flooded in for the ‘irreplaceable’ talent, with his family adding: ‘As he always said, take care of yourself, and each other’.
Appearing to hint at his illness, Springer said during an interview last year he wanted to retire while he was ‘still healthy’, following NBCUniversal canceling his latest show Judge Jerry. He added: ‘I don’t have to make a living. I want to enjoy life.’
He often told people, tongue in cheek, that his wish for them was ‘may you never be on my show’
Some of the last episodes of the show were titled: ‘Stripper Sex Turned Me Straight,’ ‘Stop Pimpin´ My Twin Sister,’ and ‘Hooking Up With My Therapist’
A statement from his family confirmed that he passed away ‘peacefully’ at his home in Chicago after being diagnosed with cancer
Family spokesman Jene Galvin said: ‘Jerry’s ability to connect with people was at the heart of his success in everything he tried whether that was politics, broadcasting or just joking with people on the street who wanted a photo or a word.
‘He’s irreplaceable and his loss hurts immensely, but memories of his intellect, heart and humor will live on.’
On his Twitter profile, Springer jokingly declared himself as ‘Talk show host, ringmaster of civilization’s end.’
He also contended that the people on his show volunteered to be subjected to whatever ridicule or humiliation awaited them.
His audience would cheer his name, as his outrageous guests would get into crazy fights – with many expletive-filled rants being bleeped out.
Springer called it ‘escapist entertainment,’ while others saw the show as contributing to a dumbing-down decline in American social values.
He often told people, tongue in cheek, that his wish for them was ‘may you never be on my show.’
His show was so popular in the 90’s that he even managed to top Oprah Winfrey’s program in several cities.