Jerry Springer was a famous talk show host, actor, and politician who died on April 27, 2023, at the age of 79. He was known for his controversial and sensational show, The Jerry Springer Show, which featured guests with various personal and relationship problems. But what about Jerry Springer’s own family life? How many kids did he have, and what happened to them after his death? In this article, we will explore the truth behind Jerry Springer’s kids and debunk a viral hoax that claimed he had secret children.
How Many Kids Did Jerry Springer Have?
Rumor of “secret” children
In May 2023, a video clip of Jerry Springer reading his will to his supposed children went viral on social media platforms like TikTok and Twitter. The video showed Jerry revealing that he had two biracial children out of wedlock with a woman named Joan, who threatened to expose him if he tried to contact them. He then announced that he was leaving his entire fortune to his “secret” children, John and Misha, while his other two children, Jordan and Megan, only got to keep their house in New York. The video shocked many viewers who believed that Jerry had a real-life Jerry show situation.
Actual number of children
However, the video was not real. It was actually a part of a play called Blood Money, written by Lori Parquet and performed by Jerry Springer and other actors in December 2020. The play was featured in REFRAMED 2020: A Festival of New Plays on Social Justice presented by Tulane University. The play was a fictional story that addressed issues such as racism, privilege, and inheritance in America.
In reality, Jerry Springer only had one child throughout his lifetime. He had a daughter named Katie Springer, who was born in 1976 with his ex-wife Micki Velton. Katie is reportedly a schoolteacher for children with special needs.
Daughter Katie Springer
Katie Springer was born with several health challenges. She was legally blind and deaf in one ear. She also had no nasal passages, which were fixed through surgery after she was born. Despite these difficulties, Katie grew up to be a successful and independent woman. She married Adam Yenkin in December 2006 and has a son named Richard.
Jerry Springer loved his daughter very much and often talked about their relationship. He once learned to waltz on Dancing with the Stars so that he could dance with her at her wedding. He also supported her career and education choices. He said in an interview with Access Hollywood in 2006:
“She’s always been very independent. She’s always been very smart. She’s always been very determined … She’s always been very happy.”
Debunking the Viral Hoax
Will reading video was scripted
The video of Jerry Springer reading his will to his “secret” children was not real. It was a scripted scene from a play called Blood Money, which was written by Lori Parquet and performed by Jerry Springer and other actors in December 2020. The play was a fictional story that explored the themes of social justice, racism, privilege, and inheritance in America.
The video clip was posted on TikTok by Carl Briggs, who played the role of John, one of Jerry’s “secret” children. He explained in the caption that the video was part of the full play and that he did not intend to mislead anyone. He also tagged the other actors who played the roles of Misha, Megan, Jordan, and the attorney.
Identity of “secret” children
The “secret” children that Jerry Springer revealed in the video were not his real children. They were fictional characters created by Lori Parquet for her play Blood Money. The actors who played the roles of John and Misha were Carl Briggs and Space Princess (aka Kaila Mullady), respectively. They are both performers and artists who have no biological relation to Jerry Springer.
Fate of Springer’s fortune
Since the video of Jerry Springer reading his will to his “secret” children was not real, it does not reflect the actual fate of his fortune after his death. According to Celebrity Net Worth, Jerry Springer had an estimated net worth of $60 million at the time of his death. He earned most of his wealth from his long-running talk show, The Jerry Springer Show, which ran for 27 seasons from 1991 to 2018.
It is not clear how Jerry Springer distributed his fortune among his family members and loved ones after his death. However, it is likely that he left a significant portion of it to his daughter Katie Springer, who was his only child and whom he adored very much.
Jerry Springer’s Personal Life
Daughter Katie’s health challenges
Jerry Springer’s daughter Katie Springer was born with several health challenges. She was legally blind and deaf in one ear. She also had no nasal passages, which were fixed through surgery after she was born.
Despite these difficulties, Katie Springer grew up to be a successful and independent woman. She graduated from Barat College in Lake Forest, Illinois, with a degree in psychology. She then pursued a career as a schoolteacher for children with special needs. She married Adam Yenkin in December 2006 and has a son named Richard.
Previous marriage to Micki Velton
Jerry Springer was married to Micki Velton from 1973 to 1994. They met when they both worked at Procter & Gamble in Cincinnati, Ohio. They had a daughter named Katie Springer in 1976.
Jerry Springer and Micki Velton had a long and stable marriage until they decided to end their relationship in 1994. They reportedly remained friends after their divorce. The reason for their split is not known, but some sources suggest that it was due to Jerry’s busy schedule and fame as a talk show host.
Jerry Springer never remarried after his divorce from Micki Velton. He said in an interview with The Guardian in 2018:
“I’m not looking for another relationship. I’ve been there, done that, and I was very lucky.”
Conclusion
Jerry Springer was a famous talk show host, actor, and politician who died on April 27, 2023, at the age of 79. He was known for his controversial and sensational show, The Jerry Springer Show, which featured guests with various personal and relationship problems.
Jerry Springer only had one child throughout his lifetime. He had a daughter named Katie Springer, who was born in 1976 with his ex-wife Micki Velton. Katie is reportedly a schoolteacher for children with special needs.
A video of Jerry Springer reading his will to his “secret” children went viral on social media platforms in May 2023. However, the video was not real. It was a part of a play called Blood Money, which was written by Lori Parquet and performed by Jerry Springer and other actors in December 2020. The play was a fictional story that addressed issues such as racism, privilege, and inheritance in America.
