Jerry Springer
Springer in 2011 at the book launch party for Michael Musto's Fork on the Left, Knife in the Back
56th Mayor of Cincinnati
In office 1977–1978
Preceded by	Jim Luken
Succeeded by	Bobbie L. Sterne
Personal details
Born	Gerald Norman Springer (1944-02-13)February 13, 1944 (age 68) Highgate, London, England
Nationality	American[1]
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Micki Velton (1973–present)
Alma mater	Tulane University (B.A.) Northwestern University (J.D.)
Occupation	Former politician, talk show host
Website	jerryspringertv.com

Gerald Norman "Jerry" Springer (born February 13, 1944) is an American television presenter, best known as host of the tabloid talk show The Jerry Springer Show since its debut in 1991. He is a former Democratic mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio,^[2] news anchor, and musician.

Early life[link]

Springer was born in Highgate tube station in London, England, while the station was in use as a shelter from German bombing during World War II^[3] and grew up on Chandos Road, East Finchley. His parents, Margot (née Kallmann; a bank clerk) and Richard Springer (owner of a shoe shop^[4]), were Jewish refugees who escaped from Landsberg an der Warthe, Germany (now Gorzów Wielkopolski, Poland).^[5][6][7] His maternal grandmother Marie Kallmann, who was left behind, died in the gas trucks of Chelmno extermination camp. His paternal grandmother, Selma Springer, died at the Theresienstadt concentration camp. In January 1949, Springer immigrated with his parents to the United States, settling in Kew Gardens, Queens, New York and attended Forest Hills High School. He and his sister Evelyn were raised in a small four-room apartment. One of his earliest memories about current events was when he was 12 and watching the 1956 Democratic convention on television where he saw and was impressed by John F. Kennedy.^[8] He earned a Bachelor of Arts from Tulane University in 1965, majoring in political science.^[9] He earned a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from Northwestern University in 1968.^[6][10]

Springer became a political campaign adviser to Robert F. Kennedy.^[10] After Kennedy's assassination, he joined the Cincinnati law firm of Frost & Jacobs, now Frost Brown Todd.

Political career[link]

In 1970, Springer ran for Congress. He failed to unseat incumbent Republican Donald D. Clancy, but garnered an impressive 45% of the vote in a traditionally Republican district. He had previously spearheaded the effort to lower the voting age, including testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee in support of ratification of the 26th Amendment.

Springer was elected to the Cincinnati city council in 1971.^[10] He resigned in 1974 after admitting to hiring a prostitute.^[10] The episode was uncovered when a police raid on a Fort Wright, Kentucky "massage parlor" unearthed a check Springer had written for its "services". The check subsequently bounced due to lack of funds in the account. Springer came clean at a press conference. Long-time Cincinnati newsman Al Schottelkotte pronounced Springer's career over, but Springer's honesty helped him win back his seat in 1975 by a landslide. In a post-election interview, Schottelkotte good-naturedly reminded Springer that he had declared Springer's career over. Springer told the newsman, "I'm glad that you were wrong." In 1977, he was chosen to serve one year as mayor by the City Council.

In 1982, Springer sought the Democratic nomination for governor of Ohio. TV commercials for Springer's campaign referenced his use of a check to pay a prostitute, saying that he was not afraid of the truth "even if it hurts".^[11] He failed to win the Democratic party's nomination—finishing a distant third behind former Lieutenant Governor Richard F. Celeste and Ohio Attorney General William J. Brown, and his political career was put on hold. Springer considered running for the United States Senate in 2003,^[12] but backed down due to negative associations with The Jerry Springer Show.^[13]

Politics to journalism[link]

Springer's broadcast career started while he was an undergraduate at Tulane University, on WTUL New Orleans FM, a progressive format independent radio station. It continued while he was still mayor of Cincinnati, with album-oriented rock radio station WEBN-FM, which was noted for its laid-back and irreverent radio format. The station featured commentaries by Springer under the banner "The Springer Memorandum." The popularity of these commentaries launched his broadcasting career.

Springer was hired as a political reporter and commentator on Cincinnati's NBC affiliate, WLWT, which had, at the time, the lowest-rated news program. Later, having been named primary news anchor and Managing Editor, he needed a broadcast catchphrase in the model of other great newsmen. With the help of some others at WLWT, he created his signature line: "Take care of yourself, and each other." Within two years he was Cincinnati's number-one news anchor, along with partner Norma Rashid. For five years, he was the most popular one in the city,^[10] garnering ten local Emmy Awards for his nightly commentaries, which were frequently satirized by Cincinnati radio personality Gary Burbank. Those commentaries would eventually become his "Final Thought" on "The Jerry Springer Show." Springer would remain commentator at WLWT until January 1993. He resided in Loveland, Ohio, during this time.^[14]

In 1997, the Chicago-based NBC-owned station WMAQ-TV hired Springer to serve as a news commentator. However, this proved to be unpopular among viewers, as it resulted in the resignation of long-time news anchors Ron Magers and Carol Marin. After performing only two commentaries, Springer resigned as commentator.^[15][16]

Hosting[link]

[edit] The Jerry Springer Show

The Jerry Springer Show debuted on September 30, 1991. It was developed by WLWT to mimic the format and look of fellow talk show Donahue, all the way down to Jerry's haircut and glasses, making him look like Phil Donahue (coincidentally, both were produced by Multimedia Entertainment). It started as a politically-oriented talk show, a longer version of Springer's commentaries. Guests included Oliver North and Jesse Jackson, and topics included homelessness and gun politics.

In early 1994, Springer and his new producer, Richard Dominick, revamped the show's format in order to garner higher ratings. The show became more and more successful as it became more and more lowbrow, with an emphasis on infidelity. Its guests were typically lower class, minimally-educated, blue collar people confronted on a television stage by a spouse or family member's adultery, homosexuality, prostitution, transvestism, hate group membership, or other controversial situations. These confrontations often led to shouting, profanities, chair-throwing, fist-fights, pulling of hair by fighting women, and removal of clothing. Female guests also receive 'Jerry Beads' for exposing their breasts to the studio audience, in the style of Mardi Gras revelers. The show garnered huge ratings, and lots of attention. By 1998, it was beating The Oprah Winfrey Show in many cities, and was reaching more than 6.7 million viewers. (Waxman, 1998)

On July 10, 2002, the sons of guest Nancy Campbell-Panitz - who was murdered by her ex-husband after they appeared on a May 2000 episode with his girlfriend - filed suit in Sarasota County against Springer, his producers, and his distributor, claiming he created "a mood that led to murder."^[17] Ultimately, the estate of Ms. Campbell-Panitz dropped all monetary claims against The Jerry Springer Show and the show agreed to waive its claims for malicious prosecution against the personal representative of the estate of Ms. Campbell-Panitz and his counsel.

In 2005, a UK version was shown on ITV1 titled The Springer Show. It beat its talk-show rival Trisha Goddard five to one in the ratings, despite it being a subdued and more tongue-in-cheek version of the U.S. show.^[18]

The VH1 "celebreality" series The Springer Hustle, which took a look at how The Jerry Springer Show is produced, premiered in April 2007.^[19]

Other[link]

Springer in January 2011

Springer hosted America's Got Talent on NBC in the U.S. for two seasons, replacing Regis Philbin,^[20] before leaving to concentrate on other projects.^[21]

From January 17, 2005 to December 5, 2006, Springer hosted Springer on the Radio, a liberal talk show on Cincinnati's WCKY-AM. He did the show from the Clear Channel studios in Kenwood on Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays, and in Chicago (where his television show tapes) on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.^[22] Air America Radio syndicated the program for most of the show's run.

In the UK, Springer has hosted The Wright Stuff and 2001's Greed on the UK's Five network as well as 2007's Nothing But the Truth, the UK version of Nada más que la verdad. He also had a late-night talk show. On April 16, 2006, Springer was the guest host for the opening show for the third series of The Friday Night Project for Channel 4 and guest hosted Have I Got News for You on December 12, 2008. Springer has also co-presented UK daytime programme This Morning on ITV. In 2009, Springer appeared as a guest on the long-running British game show Countdown and hosted Miss Universe 2008. He was also the guest host for WWE Raw on February 15, 2010 at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa. Springer has also hosted the live stage show version of The Price is Right.

Since April 19, 2010, Springer has also hosted a dating game show called Baggage, which airs on on GSN.^[23]

Acting career[link]

Springer portrayed his own talk show host character in the 1998 movie Ringmaster,^[24] using the name Jerry Farrelly. Ringmaster offers a behind-the-scenes look at would-be guests who apply to a Springer-like show. The same year, Springer also released an unrelated autobiography named Ringmaster. He quipped, "I can only think of one title a year."^[24]

In 1996, he appeared on an episode of the ninth season of Roseanne and on The X-Files episode "The Post-Modern Prometheus". In 1998, he voiced a cartoon version of himself in the Halloween episode of The Simpsons titled "Starship Poopers". In 1999, he appeared in the episode Mrs. Kraft of the third season of Sabrina, the Teenage Witch with his talk show. In 2004 he was the president of United States of America in a straight to DVD "c" movie "The Defender" directed by Dolph Lundgren. In 2007, he appeared on episode #1301 of MADtv as himself.

Jerry Springer made a cameo appearance in Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me as himself during an episode of his show featuring Dr. Evil and his estranged son Scott Evil.

In 1999, he was in an episode of Space Ghost Coast to Coast.

Springer appeared in an episode of Married... with Children as The Masculine Feminist, in which he was for women getting the men's bowling night and eventually taking over at a bowling alley. Al Bundy and his friends tie Springer to a chair and take over his show with a stripper who jumps up and down for the crowd's delight. He was in several episodes of George Lopez as Benny Lopez' ex-boyfriend Wayne and made a July 2007 guest appearance on Days of our Lives as "Pete," a high roller in Las Vegas who helped Nick Fallon win $50,000. On October 19, 2007, Springer made a cameo appearance on Late Night with Conan O'Brien as a "random" audience member. In June 2009 he appeared in Chicago at the Cambridge Theatre London as Billy Flynn for a short period of time, starring alongside Aoife Mulholland and Leigh Zimmerman.

Springer giving a speech at Emory University in 2007

Springer has been a guest in the following shows: the UK daytime programme The Paul O'Grady Show on Channel 4 on November 12, 2007, Question Time on June 19, 2008, Saturday Kitchen on June 21, 2008 along with chef Theresa Griegson and Kristin Dawson, Verdict with Dan Abrams in June 2008, two appearances on Whose Line Is It Anyway? in 2003 (from the same taping), The Jason Ellis Show on June 20, 2008 and Desert Island Discs on November 1, 2009.He was also in the Wayans Bros.as a cameo.

Springer also Starred opposite Dolph Lundgren in the 2004 film The Defender.

He was interviewed by satirist Chris Morris in his surreal radio series Blue Jam (Series 2, Episode 6). On January 23, 2004, Springer was featured in an episode of This American Life titled "Leaving the Fold".^[25]

Springer appeared in an episode of BBC One's Television Series Who Do You Think You Are? on August 27, 2008^[26] In the episode he traveled to Poland, where he discovered that his maternal grandmother had been sent to Chelmno extermination camp by the Nazis and killed. His paternal grandmother died at Theresienstadt concentration camp in what is now the Czech Republic. He wept openly when he learned of how they died.

Springer appeared on the Chris Moyles Show in April 2009, along with Davina McCall and Alan Carr. On May 31, 2009, Springer was a guest on The Andrew Marr Show talking about politics and his upcoming projects.

Other projects[link]

In the mid-1990s, Springer recorded Dr. Talk, an album that mostly consisted of country music covers.

In late 2006, Springer was a contestant on the third season of Dancing with the Stars, with his professional dance partner, Kym Johnson. He wanted to appear on the show so he could learn the waltz for the wedding of his daughter, Katie.^[22][27] Springer and Johnson were eliminated in the seventh week of competition.^[28]

On May 16, 2008, Springer delivered the Northwestern University School of Law commencement address. Although many students had criticized the University's choice of speaker, he received a standing ovation from about half the audience and reviews of his speech were generally positive.^[29] In a March 2009 interview on Anytime with Bob Kushell, Springer said that in his speech he talked about "the ethical judgments we all have to make in whatever business we go [into].^[30]

Springer is the executive producer of The Steve Wilkos Show, which is hosted by Steve Wilkos, the long-time head of security on his own talk show.

In popular culture[link]

A musical by Stewart Lee and Richard Thomas, Jerry Springer: The Opera, is based on his show. It first became popular at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2002. It has since played at the Royal National Theatre and the West End in London before embarking on a UK Tour in 2006. It has recently opened in Chicago, in the US, and will be moving onto regional productions throughout the United States. It was also screened on BBC 2 Television, causing some controversy.^[31] The televised version is now available on DVD.

Springer and his television program are mentioned in Mark Knopfler's song "Devil Baby". The songs "Jerry Springer" by "Weird Al" Yankovic, "Mr Springer" by Fascinating Aïda, "Jerry Rules in the Land of the Free" by the Dutch punk band De Heideroosjes and "Mr. Unfaithful" by the Swedish art-rock band A.C.T were inspired by him. On Jay Z's Blueprint 3 album, Kanye West says "I am never sprung but i spring her (Springer), Jerry" on the song "Hate".

"Dr. Talk" CD 1995 Fiddle Fish Records 8 tracks with 5 duets including "Let It Be Me" with Colene Walters

References[link]

The Jerry Springer Show has been notably denounced by Peter Gabriel in his video, 'The Barry Williams Show'.

Bibliography[link]

• Rebecca Johnson and Kathleen Powers, "Jerry Springer under Siege", Good Housekeeping, September 1998, pp. 114–119.
• John Kieswetter. "Springer ready to take radio show national". The Cincinnati Enquirer. March 21, 2005. D1.
• Allison J. Waldman, "American Pie: The In-Your-Face Success of 'The Jerry Springer Show'", TelevisionWeek, May 8, 2006, p. 31.
• Sharon Waxman. "King of the Trash Heap; Jerry Springer Digs the Dirt On Television". Washington Post, January 20, 1998, p. D1.

External links[link]

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Jerry Springer

• Springer on the Radio
• Jerry Springer - the Opera
• Profile: Jerry Springer
• Campaign ad from Governor race
• Jerry Springer at the Internet Movie Database
• "Leaving the Fold", This American Life, January 23, 2004. "[P]roducer Alex Blumberg tells the true story of Jerry Springer's life before he was a talk show host."
• Text from Springer's address at Northwestern Law Convocation
• Mayor Springer

Kevin Michael "GG" Allin (born Jesus Christ Allin, August 29, 1956 – June 28, 1993) was an American punk rock singer-songwriter, who performed and recorded with many groups during his career. GG Allin is best remembered for his notorious live performances, which often featured transgressive acts, including coprophagia, self-mutilation, and attacking audience members.^[1] AllMusic and G4TV's That's Tough have called him "the most spectacular degenerate in rock & roll history"^[2] and the second "Toughest Rock Star in the World", respectively.

Although more notorious for his stage antics than for his music, he recorded prolifically, not only in the punk rock genre, but also in spoken word, country, and more traditional-style rock. His extremely politically incorrect lyrics, which often covered subjects such as misogyny, pedophilia and racism, polarized listeners and created varied opinions of him within the highly politicized punk community. When questioned about his music and concerts, Allin often replied that he was trying to make rock music "dangerous" again.

Allin's music was often poorly recorded and produced, given limited distribution, and was met with mostly negative reviews from critics.^[3][4][5] Despite these factors, Allin maintained a cult following throughout his career, and a fan base that has greatly expanded since his death. Though Allin promised for several years before his death that he would commit suicide onstage during one of his concerts, he died June 28, 1993 of an accidental heroin overdose.^[2]

Early life[link]

Allin was born Jesus Christ Allin at Weeks Memorial Hospital in Lancaster, New Hampshire, the younger of two sons to Merle Colby Allin, Sr. and Arleta Gunther.^[3] He was given this name because his father told his wife that Jesus Christ himself had visited him, and told him that his newborn son would be a great man in the vein of the Messiah.^[3][6]

His older brother, Merle Colby Allin, Jr., was unable to pronounce "Jesus" properly and called him "Jeje", which became "GG". The family lived in a log cabin with no running water or electricity in northern New Hampshire. Allin's father, who forbade all conversation in the home after dark, was an unstable and antisocial man, though GG himself never publicly stated that this caused any of his later personal troubles. At age 12, Allin contracted Lyme disease and is thought to have never fully recovered from the effects of having the disease at such a young age.

In 1961, Arleta filed for divorce from Merle Sr., as his mental instability was worsening. GG Allin and his brother were from that time raised by their mother and stepfather, and settled in East St. Johnsbury, Vermont in 1966.^[3] Arleta changed her younger son's legal name to Kevin Michael Allin on March 2, 1962 during his first year of schooling. Arleta had allowed his birth name to stand until this point, and finally changed it to give her son a chance of a mockery-free childhood.

Allin was a poor student at school, being placed in special education classes and having to repeat the third grade. According to his older brother, he experienced bullying by fellow students due to not fitting in.^[7] In his sophomore year of high school, he began attending school cross-dressed, which he said was inspired by the New York Dolls.^[7] When asked about his childhood, Allin said that it was "very chaotic. Full of chances and dangers. We sold drugs, stole, broke into houses, cars. Did whatever we wanted to for the most part - including all the bands we played in. People even hated us back then."^[8]

Recording career[link]

Early music career[link]

GG Allin's earliest musical influences were 1960s British Invasion bands like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and the The Dave Clark 5.^[9] In the early 70s, Alice Cooper became a large influence on Allin.^[10] Allin's earliest recorded musical endeavors were as a drummer. In his mid-teens, he and his older brother formed their first band, Little Sister's Date, which lasted a little over a year.^[9] The group covered songs by Aerosmith, KISS, and other popular hard rock bands of the time period.^[9]

Allin graduated from Concord High School in Concord, Vermont in 1975, and shortly after formed the band Malpractice with his older brother and several high school friends. He was the drummer for Malpractice until the band separated in 1977. He became the drummer for the band Stripsearch, writing and performing the songs "Galileo" and "Jesus in New York".

From September 1977 to April 1984, Allin performed as frontman for The Jabbers, in which he played drums and performed vocals. Allin's 1980 debut album was Always Was, Is and Always Shall Be. He was a punk rock frontman akin to Iggy Pop and Stiv Bators who played music that was catchy, a danceable mix of power pop and hardcore punk. The lyrical content was often brash yet humorous, and was not yet outrageously offensive. At one point, industry veteran and The Dead Boys producer Genya Ravan served as his manager. Tension within The Jabbers mounted as Allin grew uncontrollable, uncompromising and vicious. The Jabbers disbanded and parted ways. Allin's drug use started during this period.

Allin fronted many acts during the early to mid 1980s. This includes albums from The Cedar Street Sluts, The Scumfucs in 1982 and The Texas Nazis in 1985. Allin remained in the underground hardcore scene yet was not part of the east coast hardcore scene. His performances in Manchester, New Hampshire with the Cedar Street Sluts earned him the nickname of "the madman of Manchester."

Allin gained wider attention with the ROIR cassette-only release of Hated in the Nation (1987) containing tracks from Allin's out-of-print catalog with The Jabbers, The Scumfucs and Cedar Street Sluts. The tape also featured several in-studio and in-concert recordings with an all-star band assembled by producer Maximum RocknRoll and early Allin patron Mykel Board. This band featured J Mascis of Dinosaur Jr. on lead guitar and Bongwater record producer/musician Mark Kramer on bass.

Mid era and more extreme live performances[link]

By the mid to late 1980s, Allin was addicted to heroin and alcohol and generally abused any intoxicants provided to him. At this point, Allin also began eating laxatives before performances, as defecation was becoming a regular part of his stage act. Allin described himself as "the last true rock and roller": by this, he meant that rock and roll music itself had started as an embodiment of danger, anti-authoritarianism and rebelliousness but had become largely taken over by corporations and business concerns. Allin's music and performances were thus meant to return rock and roll to what he saw as its roots, reclaiming it from the corporate system.

Allin idolized country music legend Hank Williams and saw himself as a kindred spirit. Both were relative loners and outsiders, both were habitual users of intoxicants, both lived with few, if any, possessions and both traveled the country relentlessly. Allin's acoustic output, documented on the EP The Troubled Troubador, was heavily influenced by Williams. He recorded his own rewrites of Hank Williams, Jr.'s "Family Tradition" and David Allan Coe's "Longhaired Redneck", calling his own versions "Scumfuc Tradition" and "Outlaw Scumfuc" respectively. Later, Allin also released another country album Carnival of Excess, his most refined record.

During this period, Allin collaborated with Bulge (also known as Psycho under a different name, on the album Freaks, Faggots, Drunks and Junkies), The Aids Brigade (the 7" EP Expose Yourself To Kids) and The Holymen (You Give Love a Bad Name). Allin also began performing many spoken word pieces. Video footage of these are available but rare. Unwilling to seek steady employment, Allin supported himself by selling his own records. Allin was also fascinated with serial killers. He wrote to and visited John Wayne Gacy in prison a number of times and Gacy painted a portrait of Allin, which became the album cover to the soundtrack of the film Hated: GG Allin And The Murder Junkies.

By this point, Allin's performances, which often resulted in considerable damage to venues and sound equipment, were regularly stopped after only a few songs by police or venue owners. Allin was charged with assault and battery or indecent exposure a number of times. His constant touring was only stopped by jail time or by long hospital stays for broken bones, blood poisoning, and other physical trauma.

Another attraction to Allin performances was his continual threats of suicide. In 1989, Allin wrote to Maximum RocknRoll stating that he would commit suicide on stage on Halloween 1990. However, he was in jail when that day came. He continued his threat each following year but ended up imprisoned each following Halloween. When asked why he did not follow through with his threats, Allin stated, "With GG, you don't get what you expect—you get what you deserve."^[11] He also stated that suicide should only be done when one had reached his peak, meeting the afterlife at his strongest point and not at his weakest.^[12]

1989 trial and imprisonment[link]

In late 1989, Allin was arrested and charged with assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder of a female acquaintance in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

In a psychological evaluation made as part of the trial,^[13] Allin was judged as having at least average intelligence, and was described as "courteous, cooperative and candid". The unnamed evaluator noted that Allin did not appear psychotic, and seemed comfortable with his unorthodox lifestyle. However, the evaluator asserted Allin did have behaviors consistent with masochism and narcissism, and displayed symptoms of borderline personality disorder and bipolar disorder.^[13]

Allin initially denied the charges, claiming that the woman was a willing participant in their sexual activities.^[14] Allin admitted to cutting her, burning her, and drinking her blood, but insisted she did the same thing to him. Allin also claimed that inconsistencies in the woman's statements to authorities supported his assertions. The judge in the case agreed there were substantial inconsistencies in the woman's account.^[14] Ultimately, however, Allin plea bargained to the reduced charge of felonious assault,^[14] and he was imprisoned from December 20, 1989 to March 26, 1991.

It was during this time in prison that Allin began feeling re-energized about his life and "mission". He wrote and published The GG Allin Manifesto^[15] during this period.

[edit] Hated documentary and final days

After his release from prison, Allin skipped parole to go on another tour, footage of which was shot for Todd Phillips' documentary Hated: GG Allin and the Murder Junkies. The film contained graphic scenes from a performance Allin gave at an East Village, New York rock club, Space at Chase. Allin stripped naked, defecated on the floor, wiped his feces on himself and threw feces into the audience. Allin broke a woman's nose and assaulted several other people in the crowd. Clips were included from other Allin appearances, as well as interviews with Allin, his band, and their fans. The film was released in 1994 and later followed on DVD in 1997.

During the 1990s GG Allin recorded his Murder Junkies album released by New Rose Records and featuring ANTiSEEN. This album contained ten musical tracks and ten spoken-word pieces. Other than Freaks, Faggots, Drunks and Junkies, Allin considered this album to be his most polished professionally recorded album that explored his persona and stated his philosophy on life. It was also during this period that Allin recorded the War In My Head - I'm Your Enemy album released on Awareness Records and featuring the band Shrinkwrap. This particular album consists of one 45-minute track that is a collage of spoken-word pieces which Shrinkwrap put to music.

Allin's growing notoriety led to appearances on various television shows: Geraldo, The Jerry Springer Show and The Jane Whitney Show. At the time of his death, Allin was making plans for a spoken-word album.^[16] He also mentioned a somewhat unlikely European tour, enthusiastically talking about it in the hours before his death.^[17]

Death[link]

GG Allin's grave in Littleton, New Hampshire.

GG Allin's last show was on June 27, 1993 at a small club called The Gas Station, a punk venue located inside of a former gas station at 194 E 2nd Street in Manhattan. During the second song, the power went out, after which he trashed the venue, walked across the street entirely naked, and then continued on (now wearing shorts, but still covered in blood and feces) through the neighborhood, followed by a large group of fans.

After walking the streets for several hours, Allin eventually went to the apartment of John Handley. There, he and others continued to party and use drugs. Sometime during the evening, Allin ingested large amounts of heroin, on which he accidentally overdosed and slipped into an unconscious state. Those in the apartment posed for photos with Allin around 2 A.M., not realizing that the musician was already in the early stages of respiratory failure. One fan at the scene later told police that he was snoring at the time the pictures were taken, leading the others in the apartment to believe he had fallen asleep.^[17]

Sometime in the early morning of June 28, Allin died from the effects of his accidental heroin overdose. The next morning, some noticed that Allin still lay motionless in the same place where they had left him and called for an ambulance. Allin was pronounced dead at the scene. He was 36 years old.^[17]

Funeral[link]

At his funeral, Allin's bloated, discolored corpse was dressed in his black leather jacket and trademark jock strap. He had a bottle of Jim Beam beside him in his casket, per his wishes (openly stated in his self-penned acoustic country ballad, "When I Die"). As part of his brother's request, the mortician was instructed not to wash the corpse (which smelled strongly of feces), or apply any makeup.

Allin's funeral became a wild party. Friends posed with his corpse, placing drugs and whiskey into his mouth. As the funeral ended, his brother put a pair of headphones on Allin. The headphones were plugged into a portable cassette player, in which was loaded a copy of The Suicide Sessions. Allin was buried in his mother Arleta's plot beside his grandparents.

Legacy[link]

Video footage of the soundcheck, concert, and aftermath from Allin's final concert on the day of his death was appended to the 1997 DVD release of Hated.

GG Allin's grave is frequently vandalized with urine, cigarette butts, feces and alcohol by fans,^[18] an act that is greatly discouraged by GG's mother Arleta.^[19] His tombstone has since been removed because of this.^{[citation needed]}

In music[link]

Allin's songs have been covered by a number of acts, including The Plagues, Seven Feet Under, Grand Belial's Key, Gehennah, Hell Militia, CKY, the 69 Eyes, Siren Addiction, Maryslim, Beck, Bus Station Loonies, The Lemonheads, Iron Eagle, No Age, The Spits, Dum Dum Girls, Times New Viking, Faith No More, Ty Segall, Taake and Forgotten Tomb.

Personal life[link]

Family and relationships[link]

GG Allin married Sandra Farrow on October 6, 1980.^[20] They divorced in 1985.^[20]

In the mid-1980s, Allin became involved with a teenage girl from Garland, Texas named Tracy Deneault.^[20] She became pregnant, and their daughter, Nico Ann Deneault, was born March 13, 1986.^[20] Nico chose to distance herself from her family.^[19] Allin and Tracey Deneault never married.^[20]

Beliefs[link]

Allin was an extreme individualist and anti-authoritarian, promoting lawlessness and violence against police officers in many of his lyrics, and his essay, The GG Allin Manifesto, was intended to summarize his personal philosophy. He stated on Geraldo that he believed that his body was a temple of rock and roll, and his flesh, blood and bodily fluids are a communion to the people. Another reason he gave for his onstage antics was that he wanted to draw a parable between his actions and "a society that's going crazy with violence." He has also said that if he did not do his performances he would probably be a serial killer or a mass murderer.^[7]

Media[link]

• Court document - GG Allin's clinical transcript in Michigan case

Discography[link]

• GG Allin discography

References[link]

External links[link]

Biography portal

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: GG Allin

• Official website
• The Death of GG Allin, (DIS-)connected Press
• You're Wrong, An Irregular Column by Mykel Board
• GG Allin Online
• Allin's Obituary
• Heritage of GG Allin
• Hated at the Internet Movie Database
• GG Allin at the Internet Movie Database
• GG Allin at AllRovi

• Maximumrocknroll Interview - GG Allin interview from 1987
• 2004 Rolling Stone.com article
• GG Allin article and interview by Joe Coughlin
• GG Allin at Find a Grave
• GG Allin on The Jerry Springer Show on YouTube

"Weird Al" Yankovic
"Weird Al" Yankovic performing live in concert during his 2010 tour
Background information
Birth name	Alfred Matthew Yankovic
Also known as	"Weird Al" Yankovic
Born	(1959-10-23) October 23, 1959 (age 52)[1] Downey, California
Origin	Lynwood, California, United States
Genres	Parody, comedy, polka
Occupations	Record producer, satirist, parodist, singer-songwriter, musician, director, producer, actor
Instruments	Vocals, accordion, keyboards, theremin
Years active	1976–present
Labels	RCA, Capitol, Scotti Brothers, Volcano
Associated acts	Dr. Demento
Website	weirdal.com

Alfred Matthew "Weird Al" Yankovic (pronunciation: /ˈjæŋkəvɪk/;^[2] born October 23, 1959) is an American singer-songwriter, music producer, accordionist, actor, comedian, writer, satirist, and parodist. Yankovic is known for his humorous songs that make light of popular culture and that often parody specific songs by contemporary musical acts. Since his first-aired comedy song in 1976, he has sold more than 12 million albums (as of 2007),^[3] recorded more than 150 parody and original songs,^[4][5][6] and has performed more than 1,000 live shows.^[7] His works have earned him three Grammy Awards among nine nominations, four gold records, and six platinum records in the United States. Yankovic's first top ten Billboard album (Straight Outta Lynwood) and single ("White & Nerdy") were both released in 2006, nearly three decades into his career.

Yankovic's success comes in part from his effective use of music video to further parody popular culture, the song's original artist, and the original music videos themselves, scene-for-scene in some cases. He directed later videos himself and went on to direct for other artists including Ben Folds, Hanson, Black Crowes, and The Presidents of the United States of America. In addition to recording his albums, Yankovic wrote and starred in the film, UHF, and television show, The Weird Al Show. He has also made guest appearances on many television shows, in addition to starring in Al TV specials on MTV.^[1]