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Howard Stern

 
Howard Stern

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Howard Stern



 
 
Howard Allan Stern (born January 12, 1954) is an American radio presenter and media personality, best known for hosting The Howard Stern Show, currently an uncensored talk radio show that airs on Howard 100 on SIRIUS XM Radio. Before he went to SIRIUS XM in January 2006, Stern's radio show was syndicated across over 60 radio markets in the United States on terrestrial radio until December 16, 2005.

Stern has described by the media as a "shock jock
Shock jock

Shock jock is a slang term used to describe a type of radio broadcaster who attracts attention using humor that a significant portion of the listening audience may find offensive....
" for his controversial style of his radio and television shows.






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Quotations


Courage is standing up for what you believe in. There are so many people who aren't willing to stand up. You've got to fight.

Don't let the government win.

Speech on his last syndicated FM broadcast (December 16, 2005)

I cut my pubes last night. My hairs were getting longer than my penis.

Stated at the beginning of his radio show on 13 September 2006.





Encyclopedia


Howard Allan Stern (born January 12, 1954) is an American radio presenter and media personality, best known for hosting The Howard Stern Show, currently an uncensored talk radio show that airs on Howard 100 on SIRIUS XM Radio. Before he went to SIRIUS XM in January 2006, Stern's radio show was syndicated across over 60 radio markets in the United States on terrestrial radio until December 16, 2005.

Stern has described by the media as a "shock jock
Shock jock

Shock jock is a slang term used to describe a type of radio broadcaster who attracts attention using humor that a significant portion of the listening audience may find offensive....
" for his controversial style of his radio and television shows. Stern himself has said that it was never his intention to "shock" people, but to offer his honest opinions on issues, ranging from world affairs to the staff on his radio show. Though controversial, Stern is the highest-paid radio personality in the United States, and the most fined presenter in radio broadcast history.

Stern has described himself as the "King of All Media" following his success not only in radio but in television, film and print throughout his career. He has written two books, Private Parts
Private Parts (book)

Private Parts is the first autobiography of radio personality Howard Stern. Published in 1993 by Simon & Schuster, it is the fastest-selling book in the company's history....
 in 1993, which was adapted into the film Private Parts in 1997
Private Parts (1997 film)

This article is about the 1997 film. For other uses, see Private Parts .'Private Parts' is a 1997 biographical film directed by Betty Thomas from a script by Len Blum and Michael Kalesniko....
, and Miss America
Miss America (book)

Miss America is the second autobiography by American radio presenter Howard Stern on November 7, 1995. It is the follow-up to his 1993 book Private Parts ....
 in 1995. Both books received huge media attention and sales. Stern's television endeavours include a variety show on New York City's WWOR-TV
WWOR-TV

WWOR-TV channel 9 is the flagship station of the MyNetworkTV network. It is licensed in Secaucus, New Jersey and serves New York City and the New York metropolitan area....
, an adaptation of his radio show fit into a half-hour program each weekday on E!
E!

E!: Entertainment Television is an United States cable television and direct broadcast satellite network. From November 2006 onwards, it became wholly owned by Comcast....
 from 1994 to 2005, a similar program on CBS
CBS

CBS Broadcasting Inc. is an American radio network and television network. The name is derived from the initials of Columbia Broadcasting System, its former legal name....
 that competed with Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live

Saturday Night Live is a weekly late-night 90-minute American sketch comedy/variety show filmed in New York City. It made its debut on October 11, 1975....
 for a short time, "Howard TV" for digital cable
Digital cable

Digital cable is a type of cable television Distribution using digital video compression. The technology was developed by Motorola....
 subscribers across the country, and Son of the Beach
Son of the Beach

Son of the Beach is an United States Situation comedy that aired from 2000 to 2002 on the FX . The series was a parody of Baywatch, with much of the comedy of the series was based on sexual jokes, innuendo and the like....
, a parody of Baywatch
Baywatch

Baywatch is an United States television series about the Los Angeles County Lifeguards who patrol the crowded beaches of Los Angeles County, California....
 which featured Stern as executive producer
Executive producer

The title of executive producer , or executive in charge of production, typically describes a film producer, television producer, radio producer, record producer, or similar Stakeholder who doesn't participate in the technical operations of the production process, but who is still responsible for the success of a project....
, broadcast on FX Networks
FX Networks

FX is the name of a number of related subscription TV channels owned by News Corporation's Fox Entertainment Group. The network's most popular original shows are The Shield, Nip/Tuck, Rescue Me and Damages , as well as the comedy It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia....
.

In 2006, Stern was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world
Time 100

The Time 100 is an annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world, as assembled by Time . Developed as a result of a debate among several academics, the list has developed into an annual event....
 by Time Magazine" and was ranked as the world's 7th most powerful celebrity
Celebrity 100

The Celebrity 100 is an annual list compiled and published by Forbes Magazine since 1999. The purpose is to list the 100 most powerful celebrities of the year....
 by Forbes. His first marriage ended in divorce in 2001; he married fashion model Beth Ostrosky
Beth Ostrosky

Beth Stern is an United States Model , television personality and actress who is the wife of radio personality Howard Stern. The two were married on October 3, 2008 at Le Cirque restaurant in New York City....
 on October 3, 2008.

Personal life


Childhood

Stern was born into a Jewish American
American Jews

American Jews, or Jewish Americans, are Jews who are United States citizens or resident aliens. The United States is home to the second largest Jewish community in the world depending on religious definitions and varying population data....
 family in the Queens
Queens

Queens is the largest in area, the second-largest in population, and the easternmost of the Borough which form the New York City. The Borough of Queens' boundaries are identical to those of the County of Queens , a Administrative divisions of New York#County of the State of New York in the Northeastern United States United States....
 neighborhood of Jackson Heights
Jackson Heights, Queens

Jackson Heights is a neighborhood in north-western portion of the borough of Queens in New York City, United States. The neighborhood is part of Queens Community Board 3....
, New York
New York

The State of New York is a U.S. state in the Mid-Atlantic States and Northeastern United States regions of the United States and is the nation's List of U.S....
, though his family soon moved to the Long Island
Long Island

Long Island is an island located in southeastern New York, United States, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are Borough s of New York City, and two of which are mainly suburban....
 town of Roosevelt
Roosevelt, New York

Roosevelt is a hamlet in Nassau County, New York, New York, United States. The population was 15,854 at the 2000 census.Roosevelt is in the Hempstead , New York....
. His father, Ben Stern, owned a Manhattan
Manhattan

Manhattan is one of the five borough of New York City, located primarily on Manhattan Island at the mouth of the Hudson River.With a United States Census of 1,620,867 living in a land area of 22.96 square miles , Manhattan, coextensive with New York County, is the most population density county in the United States, w...
 recording studio
Recording studio

A recording studio is a facility for Sound recording and reproduction. Ideally, the space is specially designed by an acoustics to achieve the desired acoustic properties ....
. Stern's father encouraged his son's interest in radio from an early age. His mother, Rae, was a homemaker
Homemaker

Homemaker is a mainly Americanism term which may refer either to:* the person within a family who is primarily concerned with the management of the household, whether or not he or she works outside the home...
 for most of Howard's childhood. Stern has one sibling, a sister named Ellen, who is four years his senior. Stern describes his sister as being his "complete opposite;" she is rarely mentioned on the show, though he maintains that they have a good relationship as their personalities perfectly complement each other.

Although both his parents are Jewish, Stern's on-air banter is that he is only "half Jewish", with the other half being Italian, because "it's very hard to be Jewish in this country. My half Jewish side has been beaten with chains." Stern's Hebrew name is Tzvi ; his paternal grandparents, Froim and Anna (Gallar) Stern and maternal grandparents, Sol and Esther (Reich) Schiffman, were Austro-Hungarian Jews who immigrated to America at about the same time.

Stern often said that his parents verbally abused
Verbal Abuse

Verbal Abuse is the second release from the Lodi punk rock The Undead. Recorded in February 1983, in guitarist/vocalist Bobby Steele bed room, 2000 copies were released on Post Mortem Records, and five test pressings were made to Bobby....
 him as a child, which was corroborated during a 1990 broadcast when he played old family recordings, many of which have become oft-played soundbites, including remarks such as "I told you not to be stupid, you moron" and "Shut up! Sit down!" being screamed at a 7-year-old Howard. These old recordings were later used in a parody commercial for the "The Ben Stern Day-Care Center", which specialized in producing overachieving, self-hating megalomaniacs
Megalomania

Megalomania is a historical term for behavior characterized by delusional fantasies of wealth, power , genius, or omnipotence — often generally termed as delusions of grandeur or grandiose delusions....
. Stern said his mother ran her house with "the intensity of Hitler
Adolf Hitler

Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born Germany politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , popularly known as the Nazi Party....
" and that his father's "favorite sport was yelling."

Stern has long claimed on his show that he has a small penis
Penis

The penis is an external sex organ of certain biologically male organisms, in both vertebrates and invertebrates.The penis is a reproductive organ, technically an intromittent organ, and for Eutheria, additionally serves as the external organ of urination....
. He uses this assertion to comedic effect in a scene in his bio pic where he is shown showering with his African-American
African American

African Americans or Black Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have origins in any of the Black people populations of Africa....
 peers at Roosevelt Junior High School
Roosevelt Junior-Senior High School

Roosevelt Junior-Senior High School, as it is known today, was established in 1956, with history dating back to the mid 1800s. It is located in the hamlet of Roosevelt, New York....
. He has long asserted that he was one of the few white students in a predominantly African-American school. When Stern's family moved in 1969 to Rockville Centre
Rockville Centre, New York

Rockville Centre is a village located in New York's Nassau County, New York in the United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the village had a total population of 24,568....
, he transferred to South Side High School
South Side High School (Rockville Centre, New York)

South Side High School is the only public high school in the town of Rockville Centre, New York. South Side serves grades 9 through 12 and boasts a variety of academic, extra-curricular and athletic programs, including the International Baccalaureate Curriculum in junior and senior years....
, from which he graduated in 1972. Stern attended Boston University
Boston University

Boston University is a private nonsectarian university located in Boston, Massachusetts, Massachusetts, United States. Although chartered by the Massachusetts Legislature in 1869, Boston University traces its roots to the establishment of the Newbury Biblical Institute in Newbury, Vermont in 1839....
, graduating in 1976 with a bachelor's degree in communications, carrying a 3.8 Grade Point Average. During his time at Boston University Stern also worked (before being fired) as a volunteer at the campus radio station WTBU
WTBU

WTBU is a student-managed and -operated radio station at Boston University. It has a block-format programming schedule, with individual DJ's able to play pretty much whatever they choose during their weekly airshifts ....
. Stern now funds a scholarship
Scholarship

A scholarship is an award of access to an institution, or a Student financial aid award for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award....
 at Boston University.

Adult life

Stern grew to be tall, standing . On June 4, 1978, Stern married college sweetheart Alison Berns at Temple Ohabei Shalom in Brookline, Massachusetts
Brookline, Massachusetts

Brookline is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, Massachusetts, United States, which borders on the cities of Boston, Massachusetts and Newton, Massachusetts....
. They have three daughters: Emily Beth (b. 1983), Deborah Jennifer (b. 1986) and Ashley Jade (b. 1993). A hallmark of Stern's humor was his claiming to be tempted by the strippers, porn stars
Porn Stars

Porn Stars is the second studio album by the band Pretty Boy Floyd . It features re-recordings of five tracks from their debut album. The production on this recording is notably far more raw than their debut....
 and lesbians appearing on his show, but always insisted that he had to be faithful to his wife. In 1994, Stern ran for Governor of New York as a Libertarian. The campaign was generally seen as a political stunt and Stern dropped out before the election after refusing to disclose his finances, a requirement by the State of New York. In October 1999, Stern announced that he and wife Alison decided to separate. They amicably divorce
Divorce

Divorce or dissolution of marriage is a legal process in which a judge or other authority dissolves the bonds of matrimony existing between two persons, thus restoring them to the marital status of being single....
d in 2001, ending in a settlement.

Stern began a period of single living on New York City's Upper West Side
Upper West Side

The Upper West Side is a neighborhood of the borough of Manhattan in New York City that lies between Central Park and the Hudson River above 59th Street ....
, dating dozens of women including Angie Everhart
Angie Everhart

Angela Kay "Angie" Everhart is an United States actress and former fashion model....
 and Robin Givens
Robin Givens

Robin Simone Givens is an United States actress....
. Despite reportedly spending time with Carmen Electra
Carmen Electra

Tara Leigh Patrick , professionally known as Carmen Electra, is an United States glamour model, actress, celebrity, dancer, entertainer and sex symbol....
 "five times", the two have denied there was anything more intimate than an outdoor shower in bathing suits.

Stern has been the target of stalkers and death threats. On January 15, 1998, Lance Carvin was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for stalking
Stalking

Stalking is a controversial pejorative term applied to the behaviour of individuals towards others which has no universally accepted definition....
 and threatening to kill Stern and his family.

Although he identifies his ethnicity as Jewish and raised his daughters in that religion, he has indicated that he does not believe in God or organized religion. However, he says he is "afraid" to say he is an atheist, so instead identifies as an agnostic.

In 2000, Stern began dating model Beth Ostrosky
Beth Ostrosky

Beth Stern is an United States Model , television personality and actress who is the wife of radio personality Howard Stern. The two were married on October 3, 2008 at Le Cirque restaurant in New York City....
, who is 18 years his junior. Ostrosky co-hosted Casino Cinema
Casino Cinema

Casino Cinema was a Spike programming block hosted by Steve Schirripa and Beth Ostrosky. The show, which was played around the commercial breaks of a film, featured the hosts teaching the audience how to play a casino game....
 on Spike TV
Spike TV

Spike , a division of MTV Networks, is an United States cable television television network designed for an audience described demographically as "young adult males." The network began life as The Nashville Network , founded by WSM, Inc....
 from 2004 to 2007. She had also frequently appeared in the American edition of men's magazine FHM
FHM

FHM or For Him Magazine is an international monthly List of men's magazines#Lad mags.The magazine began publication in 1985 in the United Kingdom under the name For Him and changed its title to FHM in 1994, although the full For Him Magazine continues to be printed on the spine of each issue....
 until it ceased publication in 2007. The pair have lived together in Manhattan with their Bulldog
Bulldog

A Bulldog, colloquially known as the British Bulldog, is a type of dog which traces its ancestry to England....
 named Bianca Romijn-Stamos-O'Connell. Stern also owns a weekend house in the Hamptons on Long Island
Long Island

Long Island is an island located in southeastern New York, United States, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are Borough s of New York City, and two of which are mainly suburban....
. After seven years, on February 14, 2007, Stern announced that he and Ostrosky became engaged. They were married on October 3, 2008 at Le Cirque
Le Cirque

Le Cirque is a French restaurant in Manhattan owned and operated by Sirio Maccioni. It first opened at the Mayfair Hotel in 1974. It closed and reopened as Le Cirque 2000 at the Palace Hotel in 1997....
 restaurant in New York City.

Hobbies and interests


Stern has said that he plays chess
Chess

Chess is a recreational and competitive game played between two Player . Sometimes called Western chess or international chess to distinguish it from History of chess and other chess variants, the current form of the game emerged in Southern Europe during the second half of the 15th century after evolving from similar, much older...
 every day, frequenting the Internet Chess Club
Internet Chess Club

The Internet Chess Club is a commercial Internet chess server devoted to the play and discussion of chess and chess variants. ICC currently has over 30,000 subscribing members, and there are typically around 2,500 members logged on at any given time, including many internationally titled players....
. He has taken online lessons from Dan Heisman
Dan Heisman

Dan Heisman is a United States Chess Federation Chess master and author. He is the two-time Open chess champion of Philadelphia , and the Philadelphia Invitational Chess Champion His Penn State team won the U.S....
, a chess master
Chess master

A chess master is a chess player of such skill that he/she can usually beat chess experts, who themselves typically can nearly always prevail against most amateurs....
 from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Philadelphia is the largest city in Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population city in the United States. It is the fifth-largest metropolitan area and fourth-largest urban area by population in the United States, the nation's fourth-largest consumer media market as ranked by the Nielsen Media Research, and the 49th-most...
. He is a huge fan of comic books and science fiction
Science fiction

Science fiction is a broad genre of fiction that often involves speculations based on current or future science or technology. Science fiction is found in books, art, television, films, games, theatre, and other media....
, stating several times in 2008 that the only movies or television he watches are about superheroes, such as Heroes
Heroes (TV series)

Heroes is an American science fiction dramatic programming created by Tim Kring, which premiered on NBC on September 25, 2006. The series tells the stories of ordinary individuals from around the world who inexplicably develop Superpower , and their roles in preventing disasters, usually foreseen in images produced by precognitive painter...
, Smallville
Smallville

Smallville is the fictional hometown of Superman in comic books published by DC Comics. While growing up in Smallville, the young Clark Kent attended Smallville High with best friends Lana Lang and Pete Ross....
, Iron Man
Iron Man

Iron Man is a Character , a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character First appearance in Tales of Suspense #39 , and was created by writer-editor Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber, and artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby....
, The Dark Knight, and others. His favorite superhero
Superhero

A superhero is a Character "of unprecedented physical prowess dedicated to act of derring-do in the public interest". Since the debut of the prototype superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes?ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas?have dominated American comic books and crossed over into other mass...
 is Superman
Superman

Superman is a Character , a comic book superhero widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, Ohio, and sold to DC Comics in 1938, the character first appeared in Action Comics Action Comics 1 and subseque...
, followed by Spider-Man
Spider-Man

Spider-Man is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character First appearance in Amazing Fantasy #15 , and was created by scripter-editor Stan Lee and artist-plotter Steve Ditko....
, Batman
Batman

Batman is a Character , a comic book superhero co-created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger , appearing in publications by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Detective Comics #27 in May 1939....
 and Daredevil
Daredevil

Daredevil may refer to:*Daredevil , a Marvel comic book superhero**Daredevil , a 2003 film based on the Marvel character*The Daredevils, a Marvel UK comic...
, though he was disappointed by the latter's film adaptation; his two favorite movies of the genre are Spider-Man
Spider-Man (film)

Spider-Man is a 2002 in film American superhero film based on the fictional character Marvel Comics character Spider-Man. The film is the first in the Spider-Man ....
 and Spider-Man 2
Spider-Man 2

Spider-Man 2 is a 2004 in film Cinema of the United States superhero film directed by Sam Raimi, written by Alvin Sargent and developed by Alfred Gough, Miles Millar, and Michael Chabon....
.

Radio career


Stern's prank phone calls use deception, at the expense of the recipient intending to have fun, for the comedy of Stern show.

Terrestrial radio career

After graduating
Graduate

Graduate refers to someone who has been the subject of a Graduation. See also: Alumnus.It may also refer to:*...
 from Boston University, Stern worked briefly as a DJ
Disc jockey

A disc jockey is a person who selects and plays sound recording for an audience. Originally, disk referred to phonograph records, while disc refers to the Compact Disc, and has become the more common spelling....
 at WNTN
WNTN

WNTN is a daytime-only, 10,000 watt, omni-directional radio station licensed to the city of Newton, Massachusetts, serving the greater Boston area....
 in Newton, Massachusetts
Newton, Massachusetts

The City of Newton in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, Massachusetts,is a large residential suburb of Boston, Massachusetts, which abuts it on the east....
. Stern then worked as a disc jockey
Disc jockey

A disc jockey is a person who selects and plays sound recording for an audience. Originally, disk referred to phonograph records, while disc refers to the Compact Disc, and has become the more common spelling....
 and program director
Program director

In service industries such as education, a program director researches, plans, develops and implements one or more of the firm's professional services....
 for WRNW
WXPK

WXPK, known on-air as The Peak, is a rock radio station in White Plains, New York. It is owned by Pamal Broadcasting. It broadcasts to New York's northern suburbs at 107.1 FM and online at www.1071ThePeak.com...
 in Briarcliff Manor in Westchester County, New York
Westchester County, New York

Westchester County is a primarily suburban Political subdivisions of New York State#County located in the U.S. state of New York with about 950,000 residents....
, playing rock music
Rock music

Rock music is a loosely defined genre of popular music that entered the mainstream in the mid 1950's. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rhythm and blues, country music and other influences....
. In 1978, Stern landed his first morning show job in Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford, Connecticut

Hartford is the Capital of the Connecticut. It is located in Hartford County, Connecticut on the Connecticut River, north of the center of the state, south of Springfield, Massachusetts....
 at WCCC-FM
WCCC-FM

"The Rock" 106.9 WCCC-FM is a radio station serving central Connecticut that plays hard rock and occasionally classic rock. WCCC markets itself as the only non-corporate operation in Connecticut, with no pre-recorded DJs The station regularly invites listeners to make requests and also holds contests and offers prizes to their listeners....
 and WCCC-AM, whose progressive rock
Progressive rock

Progressive rock is a form of rock music that evolved in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." The term "art rock" is often used interchangeably with "progressive rock", but while there are crossovers between the two genres, they are not identical....
 format promoted Howard's development as a "free form" personality. It was at the Hartford radio station that Howard met his future show writer and producer, Fred Norris
Fred Norris

Eric Fred Norris is an United States radio personality, comedy writer, musician, and Impressionist . He is the longest-tenured staff member on The Howard Stern Show, aside from Howard Stern himself....
, who was working as an overnight deejay
Disc jockey

A disc jockey is a person who selects and plays sound recording for an audience. Originally, disk referred to phonograph records, while disc refers to the Compact Disc, and has become the more common spelling....
 at the time. Stern moved to FM radio station WWWW
WDTW-FM

WDTW-FM is a country music formatted radio station in Detroit, Michigan. The station is owned by Clear Channel Communications. WDTW-FM is licensed for HD Radio operations; its secondary channel is called "The Mother Trucker" which features a mix of country music, southern rock, country rock and Americana....
 (usually referred to as "W4") in Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan

Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Wayne County, Michigan. Detroit is a major port city on the Detroit River, in the Midwestern United States of the United States....
, further developing his show until the station adopted a country music
Country music

Country music is a blend of popular American music forms originally found in the Southern United States and the Appalachian Mountains. It has roots in Traditional music, Celtic music, gospel music, and old-time music and evolved rapidly in the 1920s....
 format, and then went to WWDC-FM
WWDC (FM)

WWDC is a commercial radio station in Washington, D.C., broadcasting to the Washington, DC-Baltimore, Maryland area.WWDC airs an active rock/modern rock music hybrid format on 101.1 FM branded as DC101....
 "DC 101," in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C. , formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D.C., is the Capital of the United States, founded on July 16, 1790....
 for a year, making it the #1 station in town. After Air Florida Flight 90
Air Florida Flight 90

Air Florida Flight 90, an Air Florida flight of a Boeing 737 airliner, crashed into the 14th Street Bridge across the Potomac River in Washington, D.C....
 crashed into the 14th St. Bridge, Stern called the airline to see if the bridge would be a regular stop. Outrage over the incident would eventually lead to Stern being fired. In 1982, he returned to New York City to work at NBC's flagship AM radio station, WNBC Radio. Also working at NBC at that time was David Letterman
David Letterman

David Michael Letterman is an United States comedian, known for hosting the Late Show with David Letterman on CBS since 1993. Letterman's Irony, often Surreal humour comedy is heavily influenced by former The Tonight Show hosts Steve Allen, Johnny Carson and Jack Paar....
, who became a fan of Stern's radio show. Stern's guest appearance on Late Night with David Letterman
Late Night with David Letterman

Late Night with David Letterman is a nightly hour-long comedy talk show on NBC hosted by David Letterman. It premiered in 1982 in television and went off the air in 1993 in television, after Letterman left NBC and moved to Late Show with David Letterman on CBS....
 on June 19, 1984, launched Stern into the national spotlight and gave his radio show unprecedented exposure. Stern would appear on Letterman's show many times thereafter.

Stern and his crew were fired from NBC in 1985, ostensibly in response to a particularly outrageous sketch — "Bestiality Dial-A-Date" — although relations between station management and Stern had been strained from the beginning (as well documented in his book Private Parts
Private Parts (book)

Private Parts is the first autobiography of radio personality Howard Stern. Published in 1993 by Simon & Schuster, it is the fastest-selling book in the company's history....
). He quickly returned to FM radio by joining local rival station WXRK, premiering November 18, 1985, moving permanently to the morning drive time slot in February 1986. By year's end, his show was simulcast
Simulcast

Simulcast is a portmanteau of "simultaneous broadcast", and refers to programs or events Broadcasting across more than one Mass media, or more than one service on the same medium, at the same time....
 on WYSP
WYSP

WYSP is a radio station broadcasting a classic rock format. Referred to on-air as "94 WYSP", the station broadcasts on the 94.1 FM broadcasting frequency in the Philadelphia area....
 in Philadelphia. Before long it was also heard in Washington, D.C., and was then syndicated nationwide by Infinity Broadcasting. The program made great sport out of feuding with other cities' top-rated deejays, and soon Stern's broadcast was number one in several major markets, including Philadelphia and Los Angeles
Los Ángeles

Los ?ngeles is the Capital of the Biob?o Province, in the municipality of the same name, in Regions of Chile VIII , in the center-south of Chile....
. His Arbitron ratings were strongest in the country's number one radio market, New York City, where his morning ratings more than tripled his station's average numbers the rest of the day. He remained at WXRK until his move to satellite radio in 2006.

Satellite radio career

On October 6, 2004, Stern announced on his show that he had signed a five year contract with Sirius
Sirius

Sirius is the list of brightest stars in the night sky with a visual apparent magnitude of −1.46, almost twice as bright as Canopus, the next brightest star....
, a satellite radio
Satellite radio

A satellite radio or subscription radio is a digital radio signal that is broadcast by a communications satellite, which covers a much wider geographical range than terrestrial radio signals....
 service. Sirius provided a budget of $500 million USD to pay Howard, his staff and general production costs. His personal salary has not been revealed. Other media sources have claimed that Stern netted a $225 million one-time stock bonus for meeting subscriber quotas, with the latter being true in January 2006.

Stern stated that he was growing increasingly unhappy doing his show on terrestrial radio. The combined stresses of heavy censorship
Censorship

Censorship is the suppression of freedom of speech or deletion of communicative material which may be considered objectionable, harmful or sensitive, as determined by a censor....
 and editing by management as well as lengthy commercial breaks weighed into his decision to start anew on Sirius. Stern admitted to feeling "dead inside, creatively" in December, 2005 while still on terrestrial radio.

The Sirius deal, which took effect on January 1, 2006, enabled Stern to broadcast his show without the content restrictions
Censorship

Censorship is the suppression of freedom of speech or deletion of communicative material which may be considered objectionable, harmful or sensitive, as determined by a censor....
 imposed by the FCC. Moreover, the deal also enabled Stern to program an additional Sirius channel.

On February 28, 2006, CBS Radio
CBS Radio

CBS Radio Inc., formerly known as Infinity Broadcasting Corporation, is one of the largest owners and operators of radio stations in the United States, fourth behind main rival Clear Channel Communications , Cumulus Media and Citadel Broadcasting....
 announced it had filed a lawsuit
Lawsuit

In law, a lawsuit is a civil action brought before a court in which the party commencing the action, called the plaintiff, seeks a legal remedy or equitable remedy....
 against Stern, his agent Don Buchwald, and Sirius Satellite Radio
Sirius Satellite Radio

Sirius Satellite Radio is a satellite radio service operating in the United States and Canada, owned by Sirius XM Radio. Headquartered in New York City, with smaller studios in Los Angeles and Memphis, Tennessee, Sirius was officially launched on July 1, 2002 and currently provides 69 streams of music and 65 streams of sports, news and ente...
, saying Stern used CBS's airwaves
Radio waves

Radio waves are Electromagnetic radiation occurring on the radio frequency portion of the electromagnetic spectrum....
 to unfairly promote the satellite service and enrich himself. The lawsuit also claims that Stern "repeatedly and willfully" breached his contract with CBS, "misappropriated millions of dollars worth of ... airtime" for his own benefit, and "fraudulently concealed" his performance-related interests in Sirius stock. The suit, filed in New York State Court, sought compensatory and punitive damages
Punitive damages

Punitive damages are damages not awarded in order to compensate the plaintiff, but in order to reform or deter the defendant and similar persons from pursuing a course of action such as that which damaged the plaintiff....
. However, Stern anticipated the suit, and earlier that day, prior to CBS's announcement, held a press conference. In it, he discussed how CBS added to the media attention, booking him for appearances on the Late Show with David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman

The Late Show with David Letterman is an American late-night television talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and is produced by Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants Incorporated....
, and it's news magazine show, 60 Minutes
60 Minutes

or 60 Minutes 60 Minutes is an United States investigative television newsmagazine on United States television, which has run on CBS News since 1968....
. "I made them millions of dollars", he said. "If I was hurting them, why did they keep me on the air for 14 months? "How can you have it both ways?"

Leslie Moonves
Leslie Moonves

Leslie Moonves is President and Chief Executive Officer of CBS Corporation.Moonves served as co-president and co-chief operating officer of Viacom , the predecessor to CBS Corporation, from 2004 until the company split on December 31, 2005....
, the President and Chief Executive Officer of CBS Corporation, appeared on one of Stern's final shows to compliment him on his move to Sirius and thank him for the record advertising
Advertising

Advertising is a form of communication that typically attempts to persuade potential customers to Purchasing or to consume more of a particular brand of Product or Service ....
 revenue the network
Radio network

A radio network is a network system which distributes radio programming to multiple radio station simultaneously, or slightly delayed, for the purpose of extending total coverage beyond the limits of a single broadcast signal....
 sold. Moonves told Stern that he bought Sirius stock. Stern reminded him that CBS always had the option to "push the button" on his program, taking him off the air, if they did not agree with what he was presenting to the public.

On May 11, 2006, CBS said it was near settling the lawsuit with Stern. "We have an agreement, but there are details that have to be worked out," said CBS lawyer Irvin Nathan. Some details of the agreement were officially announced May 26.

As a result of the CBS lawsuit settlement, Stern announced on June 7, 2006 that Sirius gained exclusive rights to his entire back catalog of radio shows from his days at CBS (about 23,000 hours). The shows cost Sirius approximately $2 million, which equates to approximately $87 per hour of tape. Sirius has the rights to the tapes until the end of Stern's current contract with Sirius, and then all ownership rights will return to Stern.

Career in other media

In 1988 when Fox was looking for a late night talk show host to replace Joan Rivers
Joan Rivers

Joan Rivers is an United States comedian, actress, talk show Host , and businesswoman. She is known for her brash manner and loud, raspy voice with a heavy New York dialect....
, they gave Howard the opportunity to record five pilot episodes of a late night show. Stern claims that he and the network did not see eye to eye with censorship of the episodes, and a show never materialized.

In 1990, Stern aired a sketch comedy
Sketch comedy

Sketch comedy consists of a series of short comedy scenes or vignettes, called "sketches," commonly between one and ten minutes long. Such sketches are performed by a group of comedic actors, either on stage or through an audio or/and visual medium such as broadcasting....
 show on WWOR-TV
WWOR-TV

WWOR-TV channel 9 is the flagship station of the MyNetworkTV network. It is licensed in Secaucus, New Jersey and serves New York City and the New York metropolitan area....
, which was also called The Howard Stern Show, colloquially referred to as "The Channel Nine Show." The show lasted 65 episodes before ending in 1993 when Stern felt its production began to interfere with his radio show.

In 1993, Stern released his autobiography
Autobiography

An autobiography is a biography written by its subject . The term was first used by the poet Robert Southey in 1809 in the English language Periodical publication Quarterly Review, but the form goes back to antiquity....
, Private Parts
Private Parts (book)

Private Parts is the first autobiography of radio personality Howard Stern. Published in 1993 by Simon & Schuster, it is the fastest-selling book in the company's history....
.
The book was a New York Times #1 bestseller
Bestseller

A bestseller is a book that is identified as extremely popular by its inclusion on lists of currently top selling titles that are based on publishing industry and book trade figures and published by newspapers, magazines, or bookstore chains....
 and became the fastest selling book in Simon & Schuster
Simon & Schuster

Simon & Schuster, Inc., a division of CBS Corporation, is a publisher founded in New York City in 1924 by Richard L. Simon and M. Lincoln Schuster....
's history.

In 1994, Stern embarked on a political campaign for Governor of New York, formally announcing his candidacy under the Libertarian Party
Libertarian Party (United States)

The Libertarian Party is a United States political party founded on December 11, 1971. More than 200,000 voters are registered with the party, making it one of the largest of America's alternative political parties....
 ticket. His platform included restoring the death penalty, limiting road construction work to nighttime hours, and abolishing tolls. However, he subsequently withdrew his candidacy because he did not wish to comply with the financial disclosure requirements for candidates.

In 1996, Stern released his second book, Miss America
Miss America (book)

Miss America is the second autobiography by American radio presenter Howard Stern on November 7, 1995. It is the follow-up to his 1993 book Private Parts ....
, which focused more on his radio career. He has also written forewards for the books Steal This Dream (a biography of Abbie Hoffman
Abbie Hoffman

Abbot Howard "Abbie" Hoffman was a social and political activism in the United States who co-founded the Youth International Party . Later he became a fugitive from the law, living under an alias and working as an enviromentalist following a conviction for dealing cocaine....
, an occasional guest on his show, written by his friend and collaborator, Larry "Ratso" Sloman), Jackie "The Joke Man" Martling's Disgustingly Dirty Joke Book and staff-member Artie Lange
Artie Lange

Arthur Steven "Artie" Lange, Jr., , is an American stand-up comedian, radio personality and actor. Lange is most notable for replacing Jackie Martling on The Howard Stern Show, and as a member of the original cast of the sketch comedy series MADtv....
's memoir, Too Fat To Fish.

In 1997, he starred in Private Parts
Private Parts (1997 film)

This article is about the 1997 film. For other uses, see Private Parts .'Private Parts' is a 1997 biographical film directed by Betty Thomas from a script by Len Blum and Michael Kalesniko....
, a biographical film chronicling his rise to success. The film is based on his 1993 autobiography Private Parts. The film premiered at the top of the box office
Box office

A box office is a place where Ticket s are sold to the public for admission to a venue. Patrons may perform the transaction at a countertop, through an unblocked hole through a wall, or at a wicket ....
 in its opening weekend with a gross of $14.6 million. It grossed slightly more than $41 million in total.

The movie received mostly positive reviews from critics, including Siskel and Ebert, who were frequent guests of Stern's radio show. Some critics claimed the film glossed over his use of sexual and racial humor.

For his performance, Stern won the Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Male Newcomer. The awards are given based on write-in votes from fans, and Stern won by a wide margin. Stern was nominated for a Golden Satellite Award
Satellite Awards

The Satellite Awards are an annual award given by the International Press Academy. The awards were originally known as the Golden Satellite Awards....
 for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture (Comedy). He was also nominated for a Razzie Award for Worst New Star. Though he would like to continue an acting career, his commitment to a daily radio show has made it difficult for him to do so, joking that he is "the world's laziest movie star." He also says that most of the parts offered to him are walk-on cameos, similar to Stan Lee
Stan Lee

Stan Lee is an United States comic book writer, editor, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics.Lee is considered the father of comic books....
's appearances in Marvel films (Spider-man
Spider-Man

Spider-Man is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character First appearance in Amazing Fantasy #15 , and was created by scripter-editor Stan Lee and artist-plotter Steve Ditko....
, Iron Man
Iron Man

Iron Man is a Character , a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character First appearance in Tales of Suspense #39 , and was created by writer-editor Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber, and artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby....
, The Incredible Hulk, etc.) which he finds uninteresting.

In 2002, Stern's production company Howard Stern Productions acquired the rights to the 1982 movie Porky's
Porky's

Porky's is a comedy film about the escapades of teenagers at the fictional Angel Beach high school in Florida in 1954. It was released in the United States in 1982, and spawned two sequels: Porky's II: The Next Day and Porky's Revenge and influenced many writers in the teen film genre....
 and the 1979 movie Rock 'n' Roll High School
Rock 'n' Roll High School

Rock 'n' Roll High School is a 1979 musical comedy film produced by Roger Corman, directed by Allan Arkush, and featuring The Ramones.The film starred P....
. Stern was also a producer of the TV series Son of the Beach
Son of the Beach

Son of the Beach is an United States Situation comedy that aired from 2000 to 2002 on the FX . The series was a parody of Baywatch, with much of the comedy of the series was based on sexual jokes, innuendo and the like....
, which ran for three seasons.

He informed listeners early in 2004 that the ABC television network was in talks with him to produce an interview special.

In popular culture

Stern's prevalent media presence has led to his being parodied or referenced in various outlets;

  • In The Simpsons
    The Simpsons

    The Simpsons is an Television in the United States animated cartoon Situation comedy created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company....
     episode "Monty Can't Buy Me Love
    Monty Can't Buy Me Love

    "Monty Can't Buy Me Love" is the twenty-first episode of The Simpsons List of The Simpsons episodes#Season 10 . The episode aired on May 2, 1999....
    ", he and his radio show format are parodied as Jerry Rude and the Bathroom Bunch.
  • His radio show is spoofed briefly in British
    United Kingdom

    The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom , the UK or Britain,is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe....
     satire
    Satire

    Satire is often strictly defined as a literary genre; although, in practice, it is also found in the graphic arts and performing arts. In satire, human or individual vices, follies, abuses, or shortcomings are held up to censure by means of ridicule, derision, burlesque, irony, or other methods, ideally with the intent to bring about improv...
     Brasseye as The Adolf Snarn Show during the "Sex" episode.
  • In the Family Guy
    Family Guy

    Family Guy is an animated cartoon Television in the United States Situation comedy created by Seth MacFarlane that airs on Fox Broadcasting Company and regularly on other television networks in syndication....
     episode "Mr. Griffin Goes to Washington
    Mr. Griffin Goes to Washington

    "Mr. Griffin Goes to Washington" is the 31st episode of Family Guy. It guest-stars Alyssa Milano as herself; Ricky Blitt as her agent, Joel; and Jack Sheldon as the Bill....
    ", a flashback depicts Peter Griffin
    Peter Griffin

    Peter L?wenbr?u Griffin is a Character and the protagonist of the List of animated television series Family Guy. Peter is the patriarch of the Griffin household and the central character in the show....
     repeatedly yelling "Bababooey!" at the Clarence Thomas
    Clarence Thomas

    Clarence Thomas is an American jurist. He has served as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States of the Supreme Court of the United States since 1991, the second African American to serve on the nation's highest court ....
     hearings, a reference to Stern fans' practice of shouting that word (itself a reference to Stern's producer, Gary Dell'Abate
    Gary Dell'Abate

    Gary Patrick Angelo Dell'Abate is the Radio producer of The Howard Stern Show and co-host of The Wrap Up Show on Sirius/XM Radio....
    ) in order to disrupt live call-in TV and radio shows, or television reporters' live stand-ups.
  • He has been twice depicted in the MTV
    MTV

    MTV is an United States cable television network based in Media of New York City. Launched on August 1, 1981, the original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJ ....
     claymation comedy Celebrity Deathmatch
    Celebrity Deathmatch

    Celebrity Deathmatch was a claymation parody television show that pits celebrity against each other in a wrestling ring, almost always ending in the loser's gruesome death....
    , first as the victorious opponent of Kathie Lee Gifford
    Kathie Lee Gifford

    Kathryn Lee "Kathie Lee" Gifford is an United States television hostess, singer, actor, noted for her 15-year run on the talk show Live with Regis and Kelly, which she co-hosted with Regis Philbin....
    , and again as a guest referee in a match between Carmen Electra
    Carmen Electra

    Tara Leigh Patrick , professionally known as Carmen Electra, is an United States glamour model, actress, celebrity, dancer, entertainer and sex symbol....
     and Jenny McCarthy
    Jenny McCarthy

    Jennifer Ann "Jenny" McCarthy is an American model , comedian, actor, author, and activism. She began her career as a Playboy magazine model in 1993, before launching a television and film acting career ....
    .
  • In the South Park
    South Park

    South Park is an United Statesn animation situation comedy, notorious for its toilet humour, surrealism, and often black comedy, which satirizes Subject matter in South Park including religion, politics, violence, abuse, sexuality, and mental disorder....
     episode "Fat Camp
    Fat Camp (South Park)

    "Fat Camp" is episode 63 of the Comedy Central series South Park. It originally aired on December 6, 2000....
    ", Kenny McCormick
    Kenny McCormick

    Kenny McCormick is a fictional character in the animated television series South Park. He is one of the four central characters along with Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, and Eric Cartman....
     has oral sex
    Oral sex

    Oral sex refers to Human sexual behavior involving the stimulation of the Sex organ by the use of the mouth, tongue, teeth or throat. Cunnilingus refers to oral sex performed on a woman while fellatio and irrumatio refer to oral sex performed on a man....
     with Stern in exchange for money.
  • The Grand Theft Auto IV
    Grand Theft Auto IV

    Grand Theft Auto IV is a Nonlinear gameplay Action-adventure game video game developed by Rockstar North. It is the ninth game in the Grand Theft Auto ....
     add-on The Lost and Damned features the Stern-spoofing Martin Serious Show on the WKTT radio station.


See also

  • Howard 100 and Howard 101
    Howard 100 and Howard 101

    Howard 100 and Howard 101 are two uncensored channels on SIRIUS XM, a satellite radio service that broadcasts programming affiliated with Howard Stern and The Howard Stern Show....
  • Howard 100 News
    Howard 100 News

    The Howard 100 News program was first broadcast on Sirius Satellite Radio on October 19, 2005. Radio personality Howard Stern asked Sirius to create the program to fill the dead-air on his Howard 100 channel prior to his scheduled launch in January, 2006....
  • List of celebrity guests on the Howard Stern show
    List of celebrity guests on the Howard Stern show

    The Howard Stern Show has had many celebrity guests, both in person and over the phone. Over the years many musicians have also appeared and performed....
  • Sirius Satellite Radio
    Sirius Satellite Radio

    Sirius Satellite Radio is a satellite radio service operating in the United States and Canada, owned by Sirius XM Radio. Headquartered in New York City, with smaller studios in Los Angeles and Memphis, Tennessee, Sirius was officially launched on July 1, 2002 and currently provides 69 streams of music and 65 streams of sports, news and ente...
  • The Wack Pack
    The Wack Pack

    The Wack Pack is the name given to a wide assortment of regular guests of The Howard Stern Show. As a parody of the Rat Pack or Brat Pack , they were often as memorable as Stern's regular broadcasting celebrity guests....


External links

  • at HowardStern.com