Stern Winner Forced To Resign

The Howard Stern show recently had a $5,000 contest for "Hottest Wife, Ugliest Husband". The winner just happened to be a 2nd grade teacher. While on the show, she said nothing controversial and only appeared in a bikini. Not only did she win, she lost her job. The members of the board where she worked hid behind comments like "because of the nature of the show". How much do you want to bet that not one of them listens to the show? Would this teacher be allowed to go to the beach in her bikini after work? Give me a break. Our society cracks me up sometimes. If you are a loyal listener of Howard's, you know that behind the mask, he's one of the most decent people on the planet. He loves his daughters, champions an animal charity, is 100% honest in his opinions and is super monogamous with Beth whom he's been with for (I think) about 8 years. Yes, the show can be raunchy at times and sophomoric, but aren't guys like that when we're hanging out with our real friends? It's art imitating life. It's what the show is about, making the listeners feel like they are hanging out with friends. If you just read certain comments or quotes from the show picked out by someone trying to shock or scare you - they might be able to do it. However, if you read a fair and balanced account of all topics discussed and Howard's true opinions after all the kidding around was over, you'd also be shocked - unless you're a long time listener. I know this much in my heart of hearts and it's the greatest compliment I could give any man: If I had to let my daughter alone with either Howard Stern or a priest that I've never met, I would leave her with Howard and not worry for a millisecond. I bet there are millions of other dads who feel the same exact way. While politicians and public "men of God" are constantly caught in sex scandals in airport bathrooms and infidelity situations.....while celebrities are losing custody of their kids, banging their nannies and going to rehab for God knows what....what is Howard Stern doing? He's eating grilled chicken, running, playing chess and watching "Dancing with the Stars" and "American Idol". Yeah, he's dangerous alright, if you don't listen to him.

Bob Saget, My Way (NAFW)

This is a great clip. The Bob Saget most people know was on Full House and America's Funniest Home Videos. The man has mad cheddar, let's face it. Those two shows were on forever and will be on forever in reruns. Most people don't realize Saget works "blue" doing standup. Always has. Always will. It's what makes him one of Howard Stern's favorite guests. He's hilarious. I used to think he was straight-laced myself until I heard him on Stern. Here's a taste of Saget on a college campus. If you want more...go to Youtube.com and seach on him. There's plenty of funny stuff out there. He's 51 dating a 23 year old! You go Danny Tanner!

Howard Nails It

Howard Stern is pretty good at predicting celebrity break-ups. Shortly after Hilary Swank won her Oscar for Boys Don't Cry Stern predicted it wouldn't be long before she left Rob Lowe's little brother. He's so insignificant I can't even recall his name....Chad maybe? Well, right around the time of her second nominee it was over. Likewise, right after Reese Witherspoon won her Oscar, he was kidding around the next day about her leaving Ryan Phillippe. Done....unless of course he was nailing the nanny. Howard's theory is that stars of different magnitudes can't stay together for long. Can we disprove that theory? I'm not sure I care enough to try to find the exception to the rule.

Thank You, Howard

I ripped Howard here a few weeks ago for not replaying his show during the afternoon drive and for not webcasting the show to paying members. I was missing out on many hours at work since I don't have a spare antenna or a place to even get a signal at work. Howard 100 started broadcasting the replay each day for the afternoon drive so I now get to hear more for what I'm paying for. The show also expects to be streaming online very soon which means I should get to hear most of the shows. That makes me so happy - I don't care if he takes every Friday off! Now how about that podcast 1 hour after the show ends........

Howard - Let us Stream or Download

I wasn't always a fan of Howard Stern. I knew who he was and I saw him on Lettermen a few times, but I never listened in the early days. I was in college from '87-'91 and my drive to work was short and sweet until about 1996. I listened on and off for two years and then I started listening regularly when I started commuting longer in 1998. I never had to listen and I would turn the channel if I wasn't laughing, but I would say I listened most days, even though it was only for 45 minutes a day. When I heard Howard was going to Sirius, I decided to buy one. There were no commercials for the first week, but there are 2 breaks an hour now with a few commercials. I thought when I got my Sirius before Christmas that one of Howard's 2 channels would play the morning show on a continous loop. I really assumed I would be able to listen in the morning and on the afternoon drive. Well, I got pimped there also because we now have Bubba The LoveSponge on the afternoon drive. Howard signed him so he doesn't want to compete against him. I only bought one radio but I knew you could stream Sirius over the net if you are a subscriber. I thought I would get to the office and continue to listen over the web. Wrong again! The Stern show is not streamed on the web and there is no reason online for that decision in the FAQ. I've been putting up with all of this pretty patiently - hoping things would change sooner or later - but now Howard has announced he will be taking Fridays off! Now I'm paying $13 a month for far less than what I thought I was getting. Let's do the math! I thought I was getting two drives worth of Stern and I'm really only getting one. Let's let S=Stern. Right now I have S/2 or 50% of what I thought I was getting. Howard is now only on 4 days a week. Thats 4/5 or 80% of what I thought I was getting. Combine that with half the drives and you get 40%. Add in the 2 commercial breaks I get on my way to work and it's really about 35% of what I thought I was getting. What would be the harm in allowing the website to stream the show? Better yet - why not have the show available for download as soon as the show ends in real time around 11:00 AM? Most content providers are moving in the direction of allowing consumers to watch or listen whenever they want to. The cable show created from this daily show is available "On Demand". Why can't the radio show be the same way? I have 2 small conspiracy theories to go along with my rant. I have nothing to base either of these claims on, except my usually dead-on gut feelings. First - I think Howard trumped up the FCC pressure in order to move and get P-A-I-D while creating an "Us against Them" atmosphere with his fans against the FCC. He couldn't move to "pay for" without criticism unless he created a good reason to leave. Second - he HAD to know when he signed the deal that he would be taking Fridays off. He had to. He just had to. I really wish he would have been upfront about that. Why not wait a year and then do it? Anyway - Sirius programming rocks with or without Howard so I'm not totally disappointed. I listen to Octane, Back Spin, Faction, Hard Attack and 1st Wave quite alot while I'm in the car. In fact, I haven't listened to regular radio since Christmas. Listen, I'm paying for the content - let me have it when I want it.