Posted on 01/04/2023 11:55:17 AM PST by nickcarraway
Over his decades on the air, Howard Stern has brought forward a number of different personalities who have made a lasting impression on audiences. One of the most important figures that Howard highlighted, though, was Fred Schreiber, who was also known as Fred the Elephant Boy.
Recently, it was announced that Fred died. As tributes to Fred begin pouring in online, many are wondering what happened to the former Howard Stern regular. Keep reading for all the details.
What happened to Fred the Elephant Boy? Posts about Fred have increased on social media after news broke that he died. Howard discussed the news on his show, describing Fred as the longest-tenured Wack Packer in the show's history.
“One of my faves,” Howard said during a remembrance on the air. “He was a 30-year-old virgin when we met him, and we helped him get laid for the first time… I thought the show was a great, great bonus for this guy’s life.”
Fred called into The Howard Stern Show for the first time in 1988, and stood out even then. He formed a connection with Howard that lasted for decades as both men grew older.
“Elephant Boy was a good dude,” Howard recalled. “He was a good-hearted guy and whenever we asked him to do something he was so thrilled to be a part of the radio show.”
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Fred even introduced Howard when he was seeking the nomination for the Governor of New York at the Libertarian party convention. “I knew Fred was the perfect person,” Howard said, and even played clips of Fred's speech from the convention. “He was quite the speech master and he got really fu--ing excited sometimes… I mean you couldn’t ask for a better hype man.”
What was Fred's cause of death?
Fred died at just 64 years old, leading some to wonder about his cause of death.
According to reporting in Meaww, Fred died as a result of complication due to blood clots. It isn't clear whether he had been sick for some time, or whether his death came on somewhat suddenly.
Howard was far from the only person to offer a remembrance for the former Wack Packer, though.
Tributes to Fred the Elephant Guy began pouring in online as soon as Howard's tribute was release, and there were also some more extended tributes from figures like author JG Faherty, who wrote a lengthy Facebook post that offered Howard Stern listeners more details on who Fred was.
"A lot of people don't know that he had a great sense of humor (he regularly posted goofy jokes on Twitter) and was also an avid reader, plus just a generally nice guy," JG wrote.
"When I ran a contest to be named a character in my book Ragman, Fred graciously donated a chunk of money he couldn't really afford to help the Hudson Valley Human Society," JG's post continued. "The only thing he asked was that I don't kill him in the book, he wanted a serious role. So I made him a cop assisting with the investigation of a murder scene. He was so happy!"
I am not sure which cartoon it was, perhaps Family Guy, that portrayed Stern as a giant cockroach and that image immediately pops into my brain instantly the second I hear his name. Totally apropos.
I haven't listened to him like you apparently have. Your dissatisfaction seems a little like buyer's remorse.
Mickey Dolenz, the original elephant boy is still with us.
Why is he elephant boy?
Then you’re not aware that Howard Stern marketed himself as a moral family man, devoted to his wife despite all temptation. That is even the theme of the movie about Howard Stern.
Then he dumped his wife for a model.
He also is not devoted to Free Speech, he is a money grubbing actor who pretends to care about the ability to speak your mind.
He’s a rich phoney nasty creep and now a supporter of left wing causes.
As was his song about OJ committing the murder, sung to the tune of Old Man River.
I remember he used to have this black guy on, poor fella had terrible teeth and he may have been mentally challenged for all I know. Wonder what happened to him?
However you want to take it I recall the show where he announced his split with his wife and it seemed to paint it that she left him. He was down in dumps and all the callers were offering sympathy to him. I don’t doubt it may have all been an act. Many of the callers said he could now get anyone he wanted to try to cheer him up.
Lol yeah I think he found plenty to cheer himself up.
In 1981, I listened to Gary McKee, a former Viet Nam DJ with AFRTS (pronounced a-farts) as he often reminded us when he played one of those Nam songs, then after that I was a true WSB Neal Boortz fan. We had one of those shock jocks down here but I never listened to him and don't even remember his name.
You and I agree on this one.
Stern is a cruel, despicable exploiter of weak and vulnerable, usually mentally ill, people.
Who knows how many suicides he has caused.
I hope he dies a slow and painful death, preferably from the clot shots.
As a little boy, he made his show biz debut in a kids series called “Circus Boy” and he had a pet elephant.
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