Howard Stern lost a long time listener today. Not that he would notice, or even care. I'm not the typical Stern girl, after all. I'm matronly, not hot. And I'm probably not what most would think of as the typical Stern listener (although I suspect that there a lot more listeners like me than people think) - a white middle-class, suburban mother with a college education and then some. Most people would look at me and think "NPR listener." And in fact, that's what I used to be. Until Howard Stern seduced me. At first, I would flip from NPR to Stern whenever NPR got too self-righteous or boring. But, sometime over the past ten years, the order switched. I would turn on the radio looking for Stern and only switch to NPR when his show was on one of its interminable commercial breaks.
Because Howard Stern made me laugh. I laughed when he made fun of callers. I laughed when he made fun of celebrities. I laughed at Stuttering John's interviews, at Al Pacino's baby, at Sam Kinison's ghost, at dumb strippers, and at prank phone calls. He made being on the road at 6AM instead of in my nice warm bed a little more bearable. And I wasn't alone. Sometimes, after a particularly funny bit, I'd happen to glance at a car next to me and see the driver laughing just as hard as I was. I just knew he had to be listening to Stern, too.
But, today, I said good-bye to my long time driving companion. I listened to last Friday's rant, when he projected - wrongly - that his show would be over by the end of this week. I listened to him blame - wrongly - Republicans and Christians for his FCC woes. I listened to him mock a group of evangelical Congressmen while speaking in an exaggerated Southern accent. (The message: Southern = Stupid = Christian.) I didn't think it was funny, but I listened. And I kept returning each morning, hoping the laughter would return.
It hasn't. Now, the show is a Stern monologue, a catalogue of persecution. He says over and over and over again the show just isn't fun for him anymore. It isn't fun for me anymore, either. If he'd only quit already and put us all out of his misery.
But, he hasn't quit. So, I quit him. I found a station that actually plays decent music in the mornings. Glad I did. If I hadn't, I never would have discovered music like this or this. Thanks, Howard.
Article comments
1 - Eric Olsen
Very real and I feel the depth of your disappointment, thanks Dr. Syd. Both Corey and Othar are great. I have never been able to take collegial humorous chatter in the morning, even if it IS funny. I need the soothing seriousness of NPR or quieter music. I have to ease into the day - people know to not even look at me until I have been awake and alone for at least two hours.
Though I have never been a Howard fan, I understand the difference you are describing and it sounds like Howard needs to take a long vacation, or more permanently, move to satellite radio where he can be as outlandish as he wants and no one will think twice about it.
2 - David Flanagan
Good post Dr. Syd. I agree with you on all your points. I consider myself an unlikely listener as well, except for the fact that I commute 100 miles per day to and from work, which means I'm always looking for something amusing on the radio.
I find that talk radio keeps me alert where music sometimes lulls me too much, especially in the mornings. So I listen to Stern quite a bit. I'm white and a male, but I'm also conservative and a Christian, but, when the show got a bit over the top in the past, I would just change the station.
But now, he's been on this continual rant. "I'm going to do everything in my power to get Bush out of the White House!" I hear him say that all the time these days, except, he admits that the FCC has been on his back even before Bush took office. So is President Bush engineering this whole attack on him? He accuses Bush of having a "Jesus agenda," and Christians of trying to suppress free speech.
Its just a bunch of bunk. He's angry and he's taking it out on the people he thinks are the culprits. Since Christians are easy targets these days, its a logical choice to go after us.
I too have tuned him out. I don't need to be depressed in the mornings. All I have to do if I want depression is look out of the windshield of my car at the bumper-to-bumper traffice I deal with in the mornings.
Thanks again for your article.
David Flanagan
Viewpointjournal.com
3 - RJ Elliott
Since Mr. Stern is no longer on the air in Orlando, I don't even have the option of listening to him anymore. His attacks on Bush and the FCC are the pathetic whinings of someone who is at last being called out.
His show was sometimes funny, and sometimes disturbing (like when he took bets on when certain celebrities would die, and when he made fun of the mentally-retarded to their faces).
Stern is a very rich man. His net worth is likely in the nine-figure area. He doesn't need any sympathy.
The FCC has long banned disgusting and obscene speech between the hours of 6 AM and 10 PM on the airwaves. They are finally enforcing this rule. If Howard is to be taken seriously, he should support changing he law. Instead, he compares Bush to Hitler and talks about how oppressed he is.
What a jerk.
4 - mike
Let's see. Michael Savage is still on the air, drug addict Rush Limbaugh is still on the air, and throughout the country, trash talking right wing jocks continue to litter the airwaves, with no fear of being removed.
Howard Stern is under siege for one reason only: his political views. If he continued to support Bush throughout this, the FCC would have given him a mild slap on his wrist, and then left him alone. Republicans in Congress would have seen to that. Their first priority is to protect their own.
5 - Roger
I'm kind of like Eric. I have to be awake at least two hours and drink a pot of strong Java. However I listen to ManCows morning Mad House when I can. That must explain my hostility through the day when I start off with that show. Do any of you pick up his radio show that he calls the "free speech radio network"? I think it is still out of Chicago. I have never liked Stern at all. ManCow walks a similar path but is a bit more self censored than Stern. It gets to the point if you've heard one of his shows you've heaerd them all. Replete with Porn stars and Politcs. He to has "do gooders" crusading against him. If you haven't listened to or heard of ManCow aka Eric Muller type in the address below. And how do they compare?
http://www.mancow.com/start.html
6 - Ms. Tek
I hate ManCow. Would rather listen to Stern and I hate Stern too.
ManCwo is more "right" anyway from what I recall from years ago. (I try not to listen to the radio at all unless it is NPR or Classical. All radio SUCKS ASS. Thank God for Internet Radio for Europe or I'd never hear fresh music from Europe and AMERICAN- kina pathetic I need to listen to Danish radio to hear a new American band... but I digress).
Sitll I guess so long as you are having the veiled bigotry of Limbaugh you are okay. If you decide to say a bad word or talk about sex, then you better watch out.
7 - Mark Saleski
very humorous, now that the right wing is getting a taste of their very own medicine (unending, on-air screed)...they don't find it much to their liking.
christians are easy targets? maybe if they'd stop trying to run the damn country i'd feel sorry for them.
don't like what's on the radio, spin the dial.
i guess "the market" won't solve this problem.
8 - Roger
Politics is Mancow's problem. He used to call himself a strong conservative. While Bill Clinton was in office he was calling him a murderer and rapist nearly everyday not to mention "the worst administration in history. Now he is saying that (his former hero)George W. Bush has got to go,and "the worst administration in a long time". ManCows whole platform revolves around his fight for free speech. Yeah right as long as it is his "free speech". Ever notice if he doesn't hear what he thinks thathe should from a caller or guest he cut the mic or phone.
9 - Eric Olsen
mike, no way this is about Stern's politics. The issue for Clear Channel was his broadcast of the n-word, if you'll recall. Nothing new has been done to him other than the removal from the 6 Clear Channel stations and that had nothing to do with the government. He would actually be smart to focus on the political and downplay the porn as this would be much more protected speech and he would get much more sympathy.
Regardless, the answer for him is to go satellite. Since either of the satellite rado companies would be thrilled to have him, he might not even have to take much of a pay cut, if that is an issue at this point.
10 - mike
Clear Channel would not have removed him if he was solidly right wing in his politics. They would have given him a fine, perhaps issued him a stern (sorry) lecture, maybe suspended him for a few days, and that's it.
Clear Channel wants Bush to win. It is simply using the indecency uproar to purge unpalatable jocks.
To believe otherwise is naive. The old rules no longer apply to this country. We're in a new architecture, one hostile to the Republic.
11 - Ms. Tek
ManCow is just plain crap.
I remember when he was talking shit about Clinton. I'm not surprised he is now talking shit about Bush. The man is very right wing in his politics...
But he is still an entertainer so if he thinks he's going to appeal to more people by Bush bashing, that is what he is going to do. The station he's on used to play "alternative". When I got back to Chicago, I see now that it just plays rock and "nu-metal" (throws up). I hear them play Nirvana every once and awhile when I am surfing in the car.
The resurgence of really bad "Metal" bands. A resurgence of "punk"? Then we look at the white house and it all makes sense now.
Methinks its time to go to Holland for a week to clear the nastiness out of my head. It like a political, cultural "smog" in the US right now. I notice that every-time I come back here, I feel more hostile and depressed.
I need to make a post about this great little pubs in the Red Light District in Amsterdam. One is across from the world famous DeMask and my tattooist who I now think is an asshole. Anyway, you get a lot of different people in there. Fetishists, "punks", businessmen, etc... The range of conversations you get in there is AMAZING. Even more interesting is that you do see heated arguments but there is no hostility. It's a great place to have some drinks and catch some very interesting conversation.
I have never been ANYWHERE like that in the US. Its always one or the other.
12 - mike
But don't you understand? America is the greatest country on Earth, and people throughout the world desperately desire the liberating power of our bombs and missles.
It is our mission to spread democracy, a burden we bear as the greatest country on Earth, and it just so happens we have an awesome arsenal to spread our good word--not to mention all the mawkish self-pity we need when people mysteriously don't appreciate all we are doing for them.
Of course, if you were a cynic, you'd wonder why the people spreading democracy abroad are assaulting it at home. Hmmmmmmmmm.............
13 - David Flanagan
Clear Channel would not have removed him if he was solidly right wing in his politics.
Mike, you are amusing. After 9/11, Stern was VERY pro-Bush. For a very long time after. I get the feeling that you truly, desperately wish that this fantasy world in which you live could be true.
Time to come back to Kansas Dorothy.
David
14 - Roger
I agree Ms.Tek. ManCow is always whining about something. And Oooo, I'm so impesssed with all of the porn stars he has on. That guy ManCow rocks! lol He is supposedly married now and doesn't forget to remind the whole world of how great a husband he is. I wonder what she thinks about his porns stars and porn addiction? You couldn't have said it better when you called him an entertainer. You know that he was in some sort of candy ass wrestling match with the WWF a few years back. We all know that's real. Speaking of that he has had a lot of WWF/WWE wrestlers on his show in the past as well. Now that's a guy who you really need to look to for leadership in this crazy society. If he can get porn stars and wrestlers not to mention that he is now a devoted husband I want to emulate him. We are even the same age I think, 34 or so.
15 - Ms. Tek
I never understoos why 94.7 put him on. Wasn't he on "The Rock" station before it became something else?
God, I'm getting old!!
I miss my Engery 88.7 before it became another mexican radio station.
So I just don't bother unless I cannot hook up my pocket pc to the car I am in.
16 - Laurie K.
I agree with you Syd. He's lost this long time listener too.
Laurie K.
17 - Al Barger
Stern seems utterly determined to be Lenny Bruce. I'm guessing that his show will soon consist of nothing but him pacing the floor, reading legal briefs about his self-manufactured persecution.
Stern severely flatters himself to think that Dubya cares a whit about his narrow ass.
18 - RJ Elliott
Howard Stern loved Bush when he thought Bush was going to kill a bunch of Muslims. Howard Stern hated Bush when he thought he was directing the FCC to actually enforce the law.
Howard Stern is a somewhat entertaining know-nothing who is a political whore. He voted against Hillary in 2000. He loves Rudy and former Governor Whitman of NJ (both Republicans). He once considered running for Governor of NY as a Libertarian. He voted for Gore in 2000. He once urged Jesus to bring cancer upon an FCC official.
He is deeply insecure and just wants to get your attention/pity/money. And that's about all there is to Howard Stern.
19 - Jeff Lindsay
What do you think of allegations that Stern abused mentally retarded people in a recent show in Vegas? If so, shouldn't he be prosecuted? Then there truly would be a little less misery and indecency in the world.
20 - RJ Elliott
Bring charges against him, I say! I love a good courtroom drama...
21 - Josh
Um, what's the big deal? If you don't like what you're hearing on the radio, CHANGE THE DAMN STATION. Is it really that hard to turn a dial? I don't understand people. Freedom Of Speech just gets more and more shit-on every year.
Stern definitely isn't a good role model, but he's one funny cat and with a legendary show that should never end just because people are whining.
22 - Zack
I agree with Josh... If you dont like Stern or Mancow, its simple.. don't listen to them.
And the battle of Stern vs. Mancow, who cares... they are the same type of taboo radio, if I lived in New York I would listen to Stern every morning and like it, but I live in the midwest and listen to Mancow and very much enjoy the entertainment. And I say entertainment because that is all it is. It's not America plotting against your beliefs, so relax and enjoy the freedom that allows us to listen to these people and the same freedom that allows us to not have to listen to these people by turning the knob.