Springer was first a member of the Cincinnati City Council in the mid 70s. Then he resigned after being caught paying a prostitute with a personal check! In somewhat of a foreshadowing to Marion Barry or even Bill Clinton, Springer was elected mayor of Cincinnati in 1977. He also went on to do several years as a news anchor for Cincinnati's WLWT Channel 5. He started his lame TV show on this station, without all the pathetic losers and controversy. Then he moved to Chicago and changed formats.