Jerry Springer returns as host of “America’s Got Talent,” NBC’s summer reality competition series, which brings the variety format back to the forefront of American culture.

Throughout an illustrious career, Springer has become a cultural and civic icon. In addition to being a talk show host, he has been the mayor of Cincinnati, political pundit, lawyer, award-winning newscaster, country recording artist, international emcee and TV personality. He has been in movies and on Broadway, he’s a progressive talk-radio broadcaster, and most recently, Springer won America’s heart with his ballroom dancing on “Dancing with the Stars.”

Today, because of the lasting popularity of his talk show, Springer is a favorite guest speaker throughout college campuses in the U.S. In recent years, Springer was welcomed at Harvard, Yale, Georgetown, Northwestern, University of Miami, University of Southern California, San Francisco State, Emory, George Washington, American University, and at his undergraduate alma mater Tulane, as well as other academic institutions. In 2000, Springer was personally invited by the Oxford Union of Oxford University to participate in their guest lecture series, during which he broke all attendance records for that longstanding series.

His popular book, “Ringmaster,” hit bookstore shelves in November 1998, and was a personal account of his experiences along with remembrances from his childhood and professional career. Also in November 1998, Springer made his first venture into feature films starring in “Ringmaster,” a fictionalized feature film chronicling his television talk show. In 1999, Springer thoroughly enjoyed working with Mike Myers, where he portrayed himself in the hit movie “Austin Powers 2: The Spy Who Shagged Me.”

During the 2003 Cannes Film Festival, Springer appeared to promote his staring role in the feature film “Citizen Verdict.” Springer played the producer of a courtroom reality TV show which co-starred Armand Assante and Roy Scheider.

Everyone knew Springer had “arrived” as a true cultural icon when he was the featured character in “The Simpsons’ 1998 Halloween Special.” He has also graced the cover of Rolling Stone, Esquire, New York magazine and Sarasota magazine and he was recently featured in Vanity Fair’s “Vanities.”

Springer, born in London, England, travels back to the U.K. frequently, doing a variety of late-night shows there.

A parody of “The Jerry Springer Show,” “Jerry Springer The Opera,” played in London to sold out crowds at the prestigious National Theater and garnered awards akin to the Tony Awards.

Additionally, Springer hosted another variety show in South Africa on M-Net. The program in South Africa, broadcast in more than 40 African nations, featured interviews with celebrities, monologues and skits in front of a live studio audience, and ranked among the most popular television show in South Africa. All proceeds from the show went to AIDS charities.

In addition to recording two CDs in Nashville, one aptly titled “Dr. Talk,” Springer has twice served as the master of ceremonies for the “Miss World Pageant” and added a Broadway appearance to his distinguished list of achievements, starring for a week in the production of the “Rocky Horror Show Live.”

Love Jerry! Real down to earth type and great host for this show!

I agree with raster. Jerry is very genuine and down to earth. He seems to really care about the people in most of the acts. I had the pleasure of meeting him and I must admit because of his talk show I was skeptical of him but he is very nice person. also all the staff of AGT were very nice.

He is one of the nicest people in show business. He was so considerate to my daughter and he truly cares.

thanks Jerry

Jery has impressed me quite a bit over the last couple of years. I used to think all he was capable of was exploiting rednecks, but he's really a pretty cool guy with a good sense of humor, and he appears to be much deeper of a person than I first thought he was. Go Jerry!!! Like him much better than Regis as a host.

In recent years, I've come to like Jerry. I had a poor impression of him because of his talk show, but have had a change of heart after seeing him on DWTS and AGT. Since he is from my home state (not to mention the home of Graeter's ice cream and Skyline Chili), I'm happy to see this positive side of him.

Jerry really is about as good a host as you can get in a show where literally anyone can audition. By now he's probably seen it all on his daytime crap show, so he's good with contestants back stage. It's also probably a dream come true for him after all that time being a synonym for "worst show ever," so he doesn't go over the line quite as often as American Idol's drama queen Ryan Seacrest or What's-His-Face on American Idol for Meat Heads (better known as Nashville Star).

Counting this season and the previous season, I only think he went over the line as a host twice. The first time was when he came out to petition they let the Elvis impersonator perform (even though the entire audience was clearly against it), and the second time when he brought the child exploitationist, er, *ahem* I mean the competitive gymnast's mother out to make a spectacle of herself.

Other than that, he's been very respectable and professional as far as I can remember. Not perfect, but as long as I can count the times he's P.O.ed me per season on one hand, he's fine by me.

Jerry is a corker. He gets my vote for the million.

Jerry is fast trying to upgrade his image. He was a great host for the Miss Universe Pageant in Vietnam. I think he is a good host, and should not be judged by his hosting of one show.

Jerry is a lot deeper than many wanted to see throughout the years. For each individual who dislikes his "talk" show, there are a dozen who enjoy watching people make fools of themselves. He filled a spot that become wildly popular, as it wouldn't have aired as long as it did if people were not eager to view it. Ratings to not lie, period. Many people who watch that silly show lie about the fact they get a thrill watching it, and often pretend to never have viewed it again after the first experience. How silly, of course everyone knows it is viewed by millions of people.

I really think Jerry is perfect as host of AGT. He shows real sensitivity and truly cares for most of the acts, even the bad ones, who get up to audition. It takes true courage to get up in front of not only three judges who will probably take a knife to your heart, but the audience who is encouraged to be as mean as they possibly can be.

Thank you Jerry for adding some real class to this show. I only wish a few others I will not name would follow suit.

yeah jerry is doing well... but he needs to research his cities that might have to say on the show so that when he is introducing an act... Galax.. come on i know it's not a place many people know about, but it's embarrasing when someone gets your hometown wrong... and that little girl is just so happy to be there the least he could do would be to get it right.

I too am from Galax and would appreciate anyone on national television getting the name right. But, I want to give Mr. Springer props for standing by Alex and holding her hand when he knew what was coming.