Stern: I'll Take Letterman Slot

Drudge Report/Howard Stern Show ^ | 3/7/2002 | Matt Drudge/Howard Stern

[hchutch]

"If the money is right, I'll take the job," Stern told the DRUDGE REPORT Thursday morning...

[hchutch]

That is all at present. One guy who fights the system interviews another.

[hchutch]

FYI. This is big news!

[Wolfie]

Much ado about nothing. I believe Stern's orignal theory, from when the Letterman brouhaha first broke: Letterman leaked the story as a negotiating ploy. He's not going anywhere. Worked like a charm.

[hchutch]

Maybe, but Stern wants on. I'd bet on it. The only question, IMHO, is where he goes on the air.

I heard the interview with Drudge - at least the tail end of it. Stern might be a good fit on Fox opposite Letterman and Leno. I'd watch it in a heartbeat.

[PJ-Comix]

The problem with the Late Night shows is that they have become incredibly dull. Mostly these shows merely serve as a platform for the celebrities to promote their latest "project." What happened to the old days when celebrities used to hang out on the couch when another one would come on so they could interact? Nowadays, the egos of those ridiculous celebs won't allow them to do this. I saw a documentary featuring Jack Paar and watching his conversations with the guests was quite fascinating (the best interviews being with Jonathan Winters and Oscar Levant).

Hopefully, Howard Stern would reverse this trend of dullness. (Also he would definitely end the process of "pre-interviewing" guests which sucks the spontaneity out of such talk shows.)

[hchutch]

Agreed. Of course, there is the FCC and Brent Bozell to worry about, too. Hopefully, Bush Jr. will leave well-enough alone. Heck, why hasn't Bush gone on Howard's show?

[Wolfie]

Screw the celebrities. Bring back the Channel 9 show format.

[PJ-Comix]

Heck, why hasn't Bush gone on Howard's show?

Why hasn't Brent Bozell gone on Howard's show? Bozell is normally rational but when he hears Howard's name it's like waving a red flag in front of a bull and he goes completely bonkers.

[PJ-Comix]

Screw the celebrities. Bring back the Channel 9 show format.

Actually the channel 9 show did have celebrities. Remember the time when Stern recreated the Johnny Carson show (with him as Johnny) and the Ed McMahon character mooned Zsa-Zsa Gabor, causing the Hungarian princess to rush off the show in disgust?

[hchutch]

No kidding. I'd bet he wouldn't see a red flag if Bush went on the show, though. Especially if Bush used it to roll over some of the other media outlets out there.

[anniegetyourgun]

Has Brent been asked by Stern to be on his show?

[Wolfie]

Minor league celebrities, who were MUCH more entertaining than the "pimping my movie/protecting my image" types on Leno and Letterman. Nothing beats Pat Cooper and Young MC bowling for entertainment value (especially when they started fighting). Too bad Channel 9 won't release those shows for video.

[hchutch]

That must have been interesting.

[hchutch]

XXXXX DRUDGE REPORT XXXXX THU MARCH 07, 2002 08:58:34 ET XXXXX

STERN: I'LL TAKE LETTERMAN SLOT

**Update**

MorningDrive radio topper Howard Stern declared Thursday: "I'll take over the Letterman show... if the money is right!"

As first reported in this space, top CBS executives are eyeing Stern as a replacement for David Letterman if the latenight host jumps to ABC.

While CBS suits have grown more convinced that Letterman will stay at the network -- a contingency plan to launch Stern in the slot has been secretly developed, a top source said from New York.

"Stern is at the very top of a very short list," said the insider.

"I'll take the slot!" Stern said in an on-air interview with the DRUDGE REPORT Thursday morning. "I'd do it. If the money is right. Every time I guest on Letterman or Leno, I get the highest ratings. So why not?"

CBS this week offered David Letterman $31.5 million a year to stay on as LATE SHOW host, upping an offer of $30 million ABC has reportedly made to get him to defect.

But Stern, a friend of Letterman, said the toothed-host will not be making the trip down Broadway to Times Square.

"Letterman is not going anywhere, he's staying at CBS," Stern told the DRUDGE REPORT. "He was never going to leave. He's been using the newspapers in his contract talks. Of course he's not going anywhere. He leaked all this stuff about ABC.... It was Machiavellian. They all fell for it."

A top CBS source said Thursday morning that no Letterman deal has yet been finalized.

Developing...

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Shucks. No Howard on late-night. Guess I'm stuck with the radio show.

[Miss Marple]

It doesn't matter to me, since I rarely watch any of these shows.

The President of the United States is NOT going to appear on Howard Stern's show. I have explained this to you before, and will not wear you out with the whys. It is not going to happen, regardless of whether or not it is a good or bad idea.

President Bush has two daughters and a wife whom he loves and respects. He is NOT appearing on the Stern show, ever. I would bet the farm on that one.

[chillinvillain]

I am sorry thati used to listen to stern he is his own biggest fan. Letterman has been on his show and i thnk it was a marketing ploy. However if he was offered to take the job i think he would because his radio show was going to kick him off and at first he talked his trash then two days before renegotiating his contract stern kissed their butt bigtime, like a little girl. His show flopped he is no king of media just a chump with a big mouth. I would rather watch the celebrities on fox then howrd stern interviewing people. I heard fox was thinking about getting a late night show also