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The maturation of Howard Stern

lucas80

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Jan 30, 2008
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I heard an interview with Stern on NPR's Fresh Air last week. Side note, if you do not listen to Terri Gross as often as possible, you are missing out.
Stern was never my thing. Not that I am a prude, or anything, but his act was just over the top. There are comments in the article, or you can link to the interview. Therapy, maturation, aging... Whatever, it is a fascinating interview and a story.
 
I'm sure you can find it on YT, but the day John Stamos brought Don Rickles as surprise onto Stern's show was great to watch.

I don't know if I've ever seen Stern that respectful of anyone who has been on his show (admittedly, I don't watch it very often). He was like a little kid excited to see a hero.
 
I'm sure you can find it on YT, but the day John Stamos brought Don Rickles as surprise onto Stern's show was great to watch.

I don't know if I've ever seen Stern that respectful of anyone who has been on his show (admittedly, I don't watch it very often). He was like a little kid excited to see a hero.
He was the same way with Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr (separate interviews).

He has an unorthodox style, but is really good about getting interesting stuff from his guests. I feel like many of them sit there not believing they’re sharing certain stories, but they do anyway.
 
i respect him for doing what he feels like he needed to do to be somewhat happy and a better partner in his marriage. he still sounds pretty miserable a bunch of the time. personally, i miss the 06-13 years. give me at least the occasional stripper and sybian ride. when artie left the show changed but again good for stern.
 
I was playing poker at the Borgata perhaps 12 years ago or so and his entire staff (no Robin) and he were playing at the next table over. (It was roped off with security people around.) They were all trying to bluff each other and were having a great time. He dominated the interactions just as he does on the show.

This was in the high-limit side room but they appeared to be playing $2-4 limit which was about a tenth of the next lowest level in the room. ... which I got a kick out of. They were clearly doing it for fun and Howard seemed bent on including everyone.
 
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That was a great interview...nobody better than Gross. I was amazed a few years ago when I realized (at that time) that she had been doing Fresh Air for nearly 40 years. I think she's at 42 years on the job now. Stern turned me off with the "shock jock" stuff early on but it sounds like he might be worth listening to now.
 
I like the highlight from his Madonna interview. She's just off the bus flat broke trying to make it as a dancer in NYC. Gets in a cab. Cabby asks where to she has no connections asks to be taken to Times Square. Gets out of the cab has zero leads and is looking for somewhere to stay. A guy not knowing her at all takes her in. His name Harvey Weinstein. I'm guessing they came to an arrangement.
 
That was a great interview...nobody better than Gross. I was amazed a few years ago when I realized (at that time) that she had been doing Fresh Air for nearly 40 years. I think she's at 42 years on the job now. Stern turned me off with the "shock jock" stuff early on but it sounds like he might be worth listening to now.
Gross is a master interviewer, and they touch on each other's style in this interview. And, she really pushes him hard on a lot of things. It's a great interview. I imagine Stern felt like he'd run a marathon after it was over.
 
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I've just recently started listening to him again on SiriusXM. His celebrity interviews are some of the best out there. There's no time or content restrictions, so you get some lengthy, in-depth stuff that you wouldn't from famous people elsewhere. Great ones lately from Conan O'Brien and JImmy Kimmel.
 
I get Sirius XM to listen to Howard. As others have said his interviews are the highlight, and his experience in psychotherapy make him a great interviewer. One of his good interview can pass two hours in the car easily for me. It’s a better version of Joe Rogans podcast.
 
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I have not missed a minute of Howard since he has come to Sirius. I work third shift in a car 6 days a week, so it's what keeps me occupied during slow times. He has changed as he has gotten older, just like probably most of us. He still does funny games, phony phone calls and bits, but there is no one better than Howard at interviews. Howard has evolved and so has his show. His old hardcore fans say that he sucks and is too Hollywood now, but he is still the best in the business.
 
My favorite interviewers in order:

1. Terry Gross
2. Marc Maron
3. Howard Stern

It was just as fun listening to Maron interview Gross as it was to hear Gross interview Stern.
 
i respect him for doing what he feels like he needed to do to be somewhat happy and a better partner in his marriage. he still sounds pretty miserable a bunch of the time. personally, i miss the 06-13 years. give me at least the occasional stripper and sybian ride. when artie left the show changed but again good for stern.
I think I checked out around 08-09. The first few years on Sirius were fresh but the same clingers and wackos (mostly staff) seemed to drag the show along. I enjoy his interviews but slogging through an hour of Ronnie the limo driver, JD and Ralph got old.
 
I thought Stern was OK a t first in his early days when he was a true shock jock but his appeal wore off pretty quickly with me. He comes across as a nerdy middle schooler who’s obsessed with toileting and sexual banter. I’m sure the 12-18 demographic loves it though.
 
I thought Stern was OK a t first in his early days when he was a true shock jock but his appeal wore off pretty quickly with me. He comes across as a nerdy middle schooler who’s obsessed with toileting and sexual banter. I’m sure the 12-18 demographic loves it though.

You clearly haven’t listened in the last 3 years. I’m not much of a fan, but your impression matches your username.
 
You clearly haven’t listened in the last 3 years. I’m not much of a fan, but your impression matches your username.

Obviously not, I haven’t listened to him since he was on E! Channel.

He’s just not for me and I’m not going to pay to listen to him now when there’s plenty of other options available.
 
You can also watch some things on Sirius website and the app. The wack pack conclave with Marfan Mike was 10x funnier watching than listening. It is still out there to watch. I wish they'd have another roast. Those were some of the best shows IMO. Listen every day. Well 3 days a week.
 
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HOLY SHEEEIT! Artie got arrested again

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Howard was on Conan's podcast this week also. He seems very aware of his legacy and now wants to shape the narrative. Therapy has been very good for him and he is using some of those techniques in his interviews.
 
Howard hasn't changed. It's just that his old shtick has gotten stale. And he's also much older and doesn't resonate with people of the younger demographics who like things like Gary the Retard and Beetlejuice.
 
I'm sure you can find it on YT, but the day John Stamos brought Don Rickles as surprise onto Stern's show was great to watch.

I don't know if I've ever seen Stern that respectful of anyone who has been on his show (admittedly, I don't watch it very often). He was like a little kid excited to see a hero.

 
I remember one time when he had the guy, Joe Francis, who started Girls Gone Wild on. They were talking about how Francis got his start and he said his first video was Banned From Television. Those of you watching TV really late at night in the 90s probably remember the commercials. In the commercial, a woman is about to walk in front of a moving train, then the commercial cuts off the video. I guess if you ordered the video, you see that she does in fact walk in front of the train, gets drilled and dies. Francis and Howard were laughing and laughing and saying how great it was, and were, IIRC, calling her dumb. Francis said he's thankful to her because she made him rich.

I sat there thinking, I am listening to the two worst people in the world right now. I was sick to my stomach thinking about that poor woman and wondering what it would be like if that was your wife or daughter and you heard this. I'm sure Howard has changed with age like we all do, but I could never listen to him again after that.
 
Howard is a nerd, but I enjoy his interviews. I was a little shocked when his dumb ass found out it was soap and not hot water that cleans your hands when washing them. He went on and on about it. WTF?
 
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