Stern Feels Bush-Whacked End Is Near

FMQB ^ | 3/03/04

[kattracks]

Howard Stern says the end of his career is closer than the two years left on his contract. "I know that it's over for me," Stern said Wednesday morning. "I have been really good at predicting my career and I know when I'm outmatched. It's over for me as a broadcaster. I'm checkmated. All they gotta do is fine us and then we're gone. And there's nothing we can do about it."

But even with comments like that, Stern is not going down without a fight. For the past two days the syndicated morning man has been attacking those he feels are his oppressors - Clear Channel, the FCC and the Bush Administration. Yesterday (3/2), he was pondering the idea of a Million Moron March on Washington with a legion of his faithful fans. "Can you imagine CNN having to cover this and putting the Million Moron March up on the screen?" he joked when the idea was hatched.

Stern has also started to question ties between Clear Channel and the Bush Administration and now suggests his change in heart about his support for President Bush is the real reason for him being suspended by Clear Channel. "If you don' t think me going after Bush got me thrown off those stations, you got another thing coming," said Stern. "This has nothing to do with anything I said."

Stern laughed and was miffed at the perception by the mainstream media that he wasn't on Clear Channel stations because of indecent content on his show. Discussing a clip from The Sharon Osbourne Show where she said "Apparently the talk got very raunchy when Paris Hilton's boyfriend was on," Stern stammered: "Wrong! It wasn't that raunchy. I mean, I asked some questions. I said, 'Did you ever have anal sex?' But that's nothing out of the ordinary."

"Nothing that hasn't happened here every day for the last ten years," added Robin Quivers.

"My days here are numbered because I dared to speak out against the Bush administration and say that the religious agenda of George W. Bush concerning stem cell research and gay marriage is wrong," Stern continued. "And that what he is doing with the FCC is pushing this religious agenda. And also the fact that the guy takes more vacation than any President ever. It's time for him to leave. Having said that pushed me off the air in six markets."

Stern says the end game of him being thrown off the air is already set, predicting "the FCC in a matter of weeks will come out with a trumped up list of things I said that they find offensive that Infinity will have to fire me." Later in the show Stern said he was "tempted to shut my mouth about all of it, because it will go away." He then added "I don't think we can stop it, short of me calling up President Bush and saying 'Look man, I'm going to support you, so don't do this.'"

Supporting President Bush's Democratic opponent isn't attractive to Stern either. "Unfortunately, when they asked [John Kerry] about it, he completely skirted the issue, so it leaves me little recourse in terms of going to him." 

As for celebrity and media support of his free speech rights, Stern doesn't expect it. "Most of Hollywood and most of the media will be happy to see me gone. They will not fight for my First Amendment rights, because they don't like me. I make fun of them. I goof on them. I'm dangerous to them. Everyone wants me to go down. They've been praying for this for 20 years."

Stern lit into Clear Channel on a couple of occasions. For two days now he has been questioning why he was suspended over a caller using the N-word, and asking why the new zero tolerance policy wasn't used on Ryan Seacrest.  "How come the F-word and the S-word are going out on other shows? Don't they own KIIS-FM in Los Angeles? Didn't Ryan Seacrest's first day have the F-word and the S-word? Why was the guy not fired?"

Stern also brought up the hiring of Michael Savage at CC's KPRC/Houston. Savage was fired from MSNBC for saying a caller was a sodomite who should "get AIDS and die." "Clear Channel had no problem hiring him after comments like that, because he's pro-Bush," Stern alleged.

 

[Hardastarboard]

I've heard Howard Stern, and he's a boring, mediocre talent (although oddly enough, I agree with his politics every now and then). I'm surprised the market place hasn't turned him back out on the street before now. He's like William Shatner - he should be falling to his knees thanking whatever God he worships that he made it as far as he did with what he had.

[palmer]

Million Moron March

Whadda we want? Duh! When do we want it? Duh!

[Aeronaut]

Do the honorable thing Howie - retire before they can give you the boot!

[marty60]

HS is probably the main reason that we are innundated with filth on TV and Radio. The FCC should have stopped this stuff 15 yrs ago. His JR High antics have made him rich, but destroyed any sense of decency by the media.

[Taxman]

Don't let the doorknob hit you on the a$$ on your way out, Howard.

Good Riddance!

[Biblebelter]

The guy gives me the creeps.

[Keith in Iowa]

WGAS What Howard Stern thinks? He't a total waste of resources.

[Brytani]

I thought the million moron march was the Democratic Convention....

[mylife]

Hey Howie....Buh Bye!

[lentulusgracchus]

Whadda we want? Duh! When do we want it? Duh!

LOL!

BTTT

[MEG33]

I saw him on TV and was repulsed...really repulsed.He was a cross between a 13yr old just discovering the opposite sex and a dirty old man.Dirty old man was the lingering impression..Shudder.

[PBRSTREETGANG]

Howard used to like to play the "everyman", but in reality he's just another whining celebrity limousine liberal. He's strayed occasionally, but at his core that's what he is. (At this point, if he didn't watch his diet, he'd be Michael Moore.)

[mylife]

Its a shame that a guy like Stern is so widely known while at the same time really wonderful minds like Mark Steyn's are relatively unknown to the masses.

Down with Stern! Up with Steyn!!

[garbanzo]

What really gets me about all of this is that the people who agitate for Stern's removal won't listen to the boring radio that will be left in the wake of it. It's like the kooks who get on homeowner's association's boards, pass all sorts of kooky rules and then move out the neighborhood.

[Loyal Buckeye]

Stern isn't going anywhere. He might have to clean up his act, but he is not going off the air.

[laredo44]

although oddly enough, I agree with his politics every now and then

When Howard was married his politics tended to those of a husband and father. Since his divorce he's changed. I've haven't listened to him regularly for more than 15 years. When I did, I found some of his show burst out laughing funny. Some stuff bored or bothered me. But I figured that was the nature of cutting edge -- sometimes you step over the line. I doubt I could listen to his show now.

[Captiva]

Really? Ask Governors Whitman & Patacki, and his advertisers.

Go Big 10!

[Archangelsk]

HS is probably the main reason that we are innundated with filth on TV and Radio.

I humbly disagree: the reason we have such raunch is because there's a market for it and, in accordance with Smith's invisible hand, it gets filled.

The FCC should have stopped this stuff 15 yrs ago.

I guess all the conservatives - not the neocons - are right, George W. Bush and his supporters are the most liberal, big government element since Roosevelt and his minions.

[stevem]

Several years ago I listened to one of Stern's shows to see about all the excitement. I should say I listened to part of it because he was classless. One evening when I was channel surfing late night TV, I stopped by Stern's show which, I guess, they tape while he is live on the radio, then broadcast on cable TV - sort of his version of the "ditto cam." I actually became hypnotized by how degrading Howard Stern is i.e. he degrades his listeners/viewers. I became overwhelmed with admiration, almost wonder, as to how someone could become that successful by degrading his customers. Wow!

Anyway, I have never watched it again. Neither have I ever listened again, except once or twice when I was trapped in someone else's lair while another person listened on his or her radio...the other must have been hooked on being degraded.

Still, Stern is but the leading edge of what you see day by day on prime time network TV. I don't watch it much any more, but what I have seen makes me think class and decency are simple anachronisms. If you eliminate the overt sex from the comedies, my guess is they would require about 28.5 minutes of commercials in every half hour. The dramas, on the other hand, have evolved into such poorly written fare as to be wonderments all their own.

I still like watching reruns of shows from the 50's and 60's. It occurred to me that the heros of those days didn't require the coarse language to convey anger or hurt or any other emotion, for that matter. I guess those folks must have had better writers and been better actors in those days.

[Captiva]

I think he's an atheist. He's a self-absorbed, tortured, godless soul. He does that transendental meditation stuff.

great Bill Shatner reference, BTW :)

[Lazamataz]

Confession time.

I'm Howard Stern.

[WhiteGuy]

FREE SPEECH BUMP !!!

KOAM BUMP !!!

[mewzilla]

But I thought you were Spartacus?!

[kjam22]

I thought he was Michael Rivero?

[Fester Chugabrew]

Up with stein! BUMP

[MinuteGal]

In his diatribe, Stern blames George Bush, the Bush administration, the FCC, Clear Channel, Mike Savage, Hollywood and John Kerry for his upcoming demise.

It's always someone else, isn't it, Howard, you sniveling mediocrity. It couldn't be that your filthy mouth, your fixation on sex, your amoral views and your moronic, unfunny shows beamed at a second-childhood audience, had anything to do with your fall, could it?

Ta ta, Stern. In the good ole days, you'd be lucky to find a job as a drooling, schmuck EmCee for seedy bump-and-grind burlesque shows out in the boondocks somewhere.

Leni

[Captiva]

Oh c'mon Marty - don't give him so much credit for cultural decay.

"King of All Media" was not forced on anyone. People choose to listen to him.

Do what I do when offended & use your freedom of choice and change the station, or turn the radio off. If more folks did this Miss Jackson wouldn't be exposing her saline-filled boob on the 50 yard line.

Is the media forcing debauchery on us innocents or giving us what people want???

[Lazamataz]

But I thought you were Spartacus?!

No.

I'm William Shatner.

Or should I say: No! I'm! William! Shatner!

[skinkinthegrass]

I saw him on TV...Dirty old man was the lingering impression..Shudder.

...like "Swimmer" Ted & Bubba

[garbanzo]

The problem with "cleaning up his act" is that there simply aren't any consistent rules. He doesn't use the seven dirty words but the vague "indecency" rules means that any complaint can result in huge fines for Viacom which would lead to his firing.

[Lazamataz]

"King of All Media" was not forced on anyone. People choose to listen to him.

I love Howard. He's got an incredibly wry sense of humor.

[garbanzo]

It couldn't be that your filthy mouth, your fixation on sex, your amoral views and your moronic, unfunny shows beamed at a second-childhood audience, had anything to do with your fall, could it?

He's the top-rated or near top-rated show in most of his markets. I somehow doubt his downfall is because no one enjoys his show.

[observer5]

The only talent he has that he is oboxious, gross and pathetic.

[Poser]

Hey Howard, you moron!

Free speech doesn't mean you can say whatever you want in somebody else's house without being thrown out.

[TonyRo76]

It couldn't be that your filthy mouth, your fixation on sex, your amoral views and your moronic, unfunny shows beamed at a second-childhood audience, had anything to do with your fall, could it?

LOL! Very well said :)

I haven't listened to Howard in years. The only times I would find myself laughing and agreeing with him were whenever he'd rag trash some other limousine liberal celeb like Rosie O'Donnell. And if that's the only way he could resonate with me...well, it just wasn't a very enriching experience.

Does anyone remember some years back, when Time or one of those sleazy newsrags (they're all the same to me) ran a cover that showed Howard and Rush Limbaugh, together, with the sardonic caption "Voice of the people?"??

I remember bristling at that cover, finding it totally insulting that they would classify Rush with that obscene idiot Stern. Rush displays more talent in one day than Howard Stern ever could in five more unremarkable lifetimes.

[Captiva]

It couldn't be that your filthy mouth, your fixation on sex, your amoral views and your moronic, unfunny shows beamed at a second-childhood audience, had anything to do with your fall, could it?

MG -
Agreed KOAM is all those things, but none of those things led to his "fall" - did they?
He's more popular and successful by business metrics than ever.

[Pietro]

Let's make the word safe for fart jokes! That's what that first amendment thingy is all about ain't it?

[Old Grumpy]

I totally agree with you!

[marty60]

In a perfect world you may be right. However, as every parent knows if you allow your jr high age kids to go unchecked, without limits, they will rapidly get out of control. Limits help the intellectually immature have some sense of decency. When surfing the tv, E (which I don't watch)has stern on. What I find sad is this "LIBERAL" routinely humiliates and exploits women for his own gratification (and the jr high kids watching him). He uses his woman sidekick to run cover for him and that smarmy bunch he has with him.

As someone said earlier he is scarey looking and nasty to boot.

[Mr. Thorne]

I!

AM!

WEASEL!

[kt56]

Stern is delusional,,,he actually thinks people care what happens to him...;0)

[AlbertWang]

I humbly disagree: the reason we have such raunch is because there's a market for it and, in accordance with Smith's invisible hand, it gets filled.

You can make the same argument for pr0n, meth, crack, weed, smack, geigh weddings, hookers and voting for democrats. just because a portion of the population wants something doesn't make it right.

[The_Outlaw_Josey_Wales]

"HS is probably the main reason that we are innundated with filth on TV and Radio. The FCC should have stopped this stuff 15 yrs ago. His JR High antics have made him rich, but destroyed any sense of decency by the media."

I agree that Stern's show is filthy and indecent. But I don't believe it's the government's job to do anything about it. Let the free market handle these matters, not government. The FCC should be abolished.

[Steely Tom]

Stern's advertisers in my region are collision repair shops, used car dealers, bars, porno stores, gyms and exercise-equipment dealers, and dietary supplements purporting to help you take off the pounds.

Creates a pretty clear profile of his target audience.

(steely)

[dfwgator]

Howard should take his Dad's advice, "SHUT UP, SIT DOWN"

[MinuteGal]

Yes and no. His mouth did lead to his fall from various Clear Channel stations.

While he may remain ever-popular among the non-discriminatory masses and freak-lovers, I doubt if things are ever going to be the same for Howard again, try as he may.

Leni

[Wolfie]

Stern has been saying for the past 2 years that he's off the radio at the end of his current contract. L-o-n-g before the latest FCC brouhaha. He wants to quit getting up so early, and concentrate on his production company. This whole "they're out to get me" schtick is just more self-aggrandizement.

[proud American in Canada]

"Its a shame that a guy like Stern is so widely known while at the same time really wonderful minds like Mark Steyn's are relatively unknown to the masses"

Isn't that the truth? It's sad, really.

[speedy]

Stern has become obsessed and bitter about Bush lately. Not so long ago, he was essentially a Bush supporter, especially over Iraq and terrorism. Looks to me like he wants to hang it up and, true to his life-long paranoia, wants to go out looking like a martyr for free speech. The other problem for Howard is that now he is a 50 year old man still trying to milk laughs out of hanging with the guys at Scores or having fun with strippers. He has become the one thing he no doubt dreaded most -- a pathetic middle-aged man still trapped in adolescence who is no longer cutting edge. He is close to the time when he will be the object of the same kinds of cruel and demeaning questions his minions used to direct to aging comics and athletes.