The Howard Stern Show

[muthagoose]

Howard Stern has officially parted ways with E!, his show's TV home of 11 years.

Cabler has pinkslipped all 15 staffers on "The Howard Stern Show," reassigned a pair on the West Coast and announced that skein's final original episode will tape July 1 for airing July 8.

Insiders say E! has dropped out of the bidding to keep the show on the air, leaving men's cabler Spike TV poised to pick up the daily radio broadcast once it moves to Sirius Satellite Radio (Daily Variety, May 18).

Stern's contract with E! expires at the end of the month, but E! had reportedly remained interested in keeping the franchise alive, competing against interest from Spike and perhaps HBO. Stern has ended talks with the entertainment cabler but is still pursuing an agreement with Spike.

Alluding to the split with E! during his radio show Tuesday, Stern indicated a plan was in place moving forward but did not provide specifics.

Timing of the show's departure is ironic for E!, as cabler has just scored some of its highest ratings of the recent past with "Party at the Palms," a "Wild On!"-style skein that takes place entirely at the Las Vegas resort. Show, which collected 2.2 million total viewers in its premiere and repeat showing, would have made a fitting companion series.

DM add: E!'s eagerness to extend the relationship with Stern has been tempered by the fact that his show's risque content has limited its appeal among advertisers, meaning the net isn't reaping financial benefits commensurate with the ratings. In addition, the content could be even racier after the radio show shifts to Sirius, where Stern won't have to fret about FCC fines.

Nevertheless, for E!, the loss of "Stern" could be severe. Series pulls in some of the cabler's best numbers -- year-to-date, it averages 793,000 total viewers, 494,000 in adults 18-49. And E! can't afford to lose any of its strong performers: For the first quarter, E! dropped double digits in key adult 18-49 and 18-34 demos year-to-year and averaged 279,000 overall viewers in total day, 386,000 in primetime.

Viacom-owned Spike would make an appropriate home for Stern but is said to be debating how to handle the content of Stern's restriction-free satellite show. With his move to pay radio -- likely a sign of even raunchier, more controversial content ahead -- E! parent Comcast hadn't aggressively been trying to keep Stern at the cabler, which already has to edit his show to fit standards. Money is another issue. E! produced 250 original episodes of the skein, resulting in a costly show. And though Stern will be making $500 million via his five-year deal with Sirius, he's holding out for top-dollar fees for the TV version.

DM added: A Spike deal would also extend at least some relationship between Stern and Viacom, since the conglom's Infinity Broadcasting is behind his current radio show.

Reps for Stern could not be reached, and Spike declined comment.

In place of new "Stern" segs, E! will schedule repeats from its vast "Stern" library of more than 2,000 episodes. While original episodes provided powerhouse ratings for the cabler, repeats have performed just as well if not better. According to Nielsen Media Research, since last June, the 11 p.m. premiere episodes average a 0.76 household rating while the 11:30 p.m. repeats average a 0.78.

"Howard Stern is one of the most influential and successful brands in the history of broadcasting, and the value of his contributions to E! Entertainment Television is incalculable," E! prexy-CEO Ted Harbert said in a statement. "As 'The Howard Stern Show' evolves into a premium service, it is time for our latenight programming to evolve as well."

Stern has an existing relationship with Spike, having set up the 13-episode animated series "Howard Stern: The High School Years" for next year (Daily Variety, Aug. 18).

"The Howard Stern Show" could help Spike more quickly rebound from the loss of World Wrestling Entertainment -- the cabler's biggest ratings draw -- and balance out the female-leaning skew of its "CSI" repeats.

DM added: Stern also has some history with Harbert. Both are graduates of Boston U. and attended the school at the same time. (As reported by VARIETY)

[stallion]

I think Stern's show should move to HBO. It would be nice to not have all the women blurred out, and since his satellite show will not be censored, it would be nice if the profanity weren't bleeped like it would be on basic cable.

[The Duke]

I agree...HBO, or even Showtime, would be a legitimate option for the Stern program.

Is anyone out there going to purchase Sirius radion to listen to Stern when he gets to satelite radio? Also, does anyone already have Sirius, who can tell whether or not it is worth having?

[stallion]

I really don't care all that much for his show, considering it's pretty much him whining about the government. I could turn to a cable news station for that. I wouldn't buy Sirius to hear him, but if I had the opportunity to listen, I'd check it out to see if I like the new format better.

[The Duke]

Stern has gotten worse lately...I do not even listen to his radio show but on rare occasions. The Sirius format will fit him much better, and will make for better entertainment, I hope. I can only hope that his bitching about the government does not carry over to the satellite format too much.

[muthagoose]

Remember to mark your calendars because on December 16th, as his final show comes to an end.

Howard & gang plan to take a brief walk to Sirius studios in NYC. They were initially planning a big march, but things fell through on that front. Read more about the final show on his website....

www.howardstern.com/

Howard Stern will also be profiled on this Sunday's 60 Minutes following football. Tune in and check it out.

[muthagoose]

Last days of Howard Stern
Terrestrial radio’s last star heads to satellite, leaving black hole in his place

The banner showed up last Saturday, spread across a brick building, shouting to every driver and passenger entering Manhattan via the Queensboro Bridge. The stark white background displayed a woodcut fist and black-stencil lettering — the official font of revolution. “Let freedom ring,” the banner read.

“And let it be rung by a stripper.”



The faux-guerilla marketing is just one of many billboards popping up across the United States, announcing radio superstar Howard Stern’s move from the terrestrial airwaves to Sirius Satellite Radio.

Given his 12 million listeners and the media onslaught, Stern’s departure is no secret. But the Queensboro banner is particularly bittersweet. Hanging less than two miles from both his soon-to-be vacated WXRK K-Rock booth and his new digs at Sirius, it drives home that Stern is leaving FM — and ringing its death knell as he goes.

Coverage of Stern’s move has flooded both the newsstands and television. He was even the subject of a favorable Ed Bradley profile on “60 minutes.” The FCC’s tightening grip on the airwaves is well documented, including its liberal doling out of indecency fines which led to a serious crackdown on Stern show language and topics. And we know about his decision to choose Sirius over its competitor, XM, and the $500 million contract that helped get him there.

Media is always eager for a good Stern story, but this time the tone is different. Instead of the eye-rolling attention to the often purlieu bent of his show’s humor, he’s finally receiving widespread acknowledgement for his groundbreaking accomplishments and status as not only one of the best radio personalities ever, but the last of a dying breed.

Note: Howard Stern will be appearing on Saturday Night Live on December 17th, 2005.

The last show on terrestrial radio will air on Friday, 12/16/2005. His first Sirius broadcast will take place on 1/9/2005.

www.sirius.com/
www.howardstern.com

[Stomper]

I suggest you guys go out and get Sirius. Stern's channel is already pretty damn funny.

[muthagoose]

Yahoo will be carrying Stern coverage throughout the morning at this location...

music.yahoo.com/promos/howardstern/

And a baba-booey to you all.

[muthagoose]

Stern bids farewell to fans, terrestrial radio
‘King of All Media’ throws good-bye party in Manhattan on final show

NEW YORK - The free ride for Howard Stern fans ended Friday.

Stern, a New York radio fixture for 20 years and host of a syndicated show for 12 million daily listeners, bid farewell to his fans with a final show on terrestrial radio. On Jan. 9, Stern makes his move to satellite radio — where his once-free speech will cost listeners $12.95 a month.

“Good morning, and welcome to the last show on terrestrial radio,” Stern said to start his grand finale. The sound of taps played in the background.

The show opened with a Stern-centric remake of the classic “What A Wonderful World,” and John Lennon’s “Imagine.”

As the show went on, several thousand people stood in a steady drizzle along 56th Street between Fifth and Sixth avenues; many waved signs praising Stern and attacking the Federal Communications Commission. Among those onstage there were Stern regulars “Jeff the Drunk” and “Beetlejuice,” who led a sing-along.



“I’m a dedicated listener. I wanted to see this happen,” said Chris Casavant, who drove up at 4:30 a.m. from Farmington, N.J.

Asked why she was there, Donna Casavant made a face and pointed at her husband.

After the show wrapped up at 10 a.m. EST, Stern took a “victory lap” through midtown Manhattan, standing on the top level of a double-decker bus as fans screamed and waved.

“What a day, it’s crazy,” Stern said as the bus rambled through Times Square while an image of the self-described “King of All Media” appeared on a giant television screen above. “You don’t get to do something like this too often.”

Addressing his fans from a stage before the bus ride, Stern bellowed “Long live the ‘Howard Stern Show’ audience,” before departing like a rock star.

Fans screamed for an encore, but they were left to wait until his “reincarnation” next month. The crowd on 56th Street was a circus, with a Stern look-alike standing near the stage. Stern’s parents appeared to huge cheers, while the station manager at WXRK-FM — the shock jock’s terrestrial home — was booed loudly.

[muthagoose]

Howard Stern Marries Beth?

First Howard Stern goes excusive with Sirius and now he may be exclusive and serious in his personal life? Gossip mills and e-mails are flowing telling the tale that the 'King of All Media' has tied the knot with long-time girlfriend Beth Ostrosky.

While sifting through this mess, we believed it was just another "Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are getting married at the Ritz" type rumor.

We couldn't confirm anything so it very well could be.

But Monday's Page Six gives their version:

Howard Stern may have something more to celebrate than his debut on Sirius Satellite radio. The rumor around town is that Stern has tied the knot with his longtime love, Beth Ostrosky.

If true, it would explain why Ostrosky has been sporting a huge diamond ring on her left hand for the past few weeks.

A rep for Stern could not be reached, but Ostrosky, in an interview with Steppin' Out's Chaunce Hayden, said: "Marriage is not something I'm dying to do. It's just not something that I ever saw for myself."

And Howard has vowed he will never remarry.

***

That's true. But then again, vows are sometimes broken.

It should be fun watching this one try to get confirmed.

[muthagoose]

HOWARD STERN PERFORMS LIVE TEST ON SIRIUS

Even though Howard Stern isn't officially set to debut on Sirius until Monday, 1/9, the "The King Of All Media" finished doing a test broadcast on his Howard 100 and Howard 101 channels at 6 PM on 1/3.

His Sirius crew was in the new NYC satrad studio doing a "live test." Sure enough, Stern tried to put a caller on the air - and it didn't work. According to the "Howard 100 News Team," it was an unscheduled show and everyone was surprised that it occurred.

Thanks to Kid Rick for the tip on the broadcast!



Time to make the switch!

[muthagoose]

Howard Stern's daughter Emily, 22, has abruptly pulled out of an off-Broadway show in which she appeared stark naked.

Fearful that audience members were snapping pictures of her in the nude, the actress ditched the Jewish Theater Of New York production of "Kabbalah," forcing it to shut down.

More in the NY Post, which also reveals that the 21-year-old daughter of CBS honcho Les Moonves likes to post bikini-clad pictures of herself at Rupert Murdoch's Myspace.com.....

[muthagoose]

REVELATIONS REVEALED (HALFWAY)

With half the revelations revealed, things are getting interesting around THE HOWARD STERN SHOW. The Stern Show offices are abuzz with speculation on the rest of the secrets plus some ball busting for a few participants. With the top 3 vote getters for each revelation from the polls in the Vagina Corner and Vinnie's picks. So far, VC members are 1 for 5 (with 3 revealers not even making the top 3 for their revelation) while Vinnie is batting .000 - that's right he's 0 for 5!

Here are the results so far:

1. I cheated on my wife and she caught me...
THE FANS:
Gary 22.90%
Scott 21.45%
Fred 20.70%
VINNIE: SAL
And the revelation belongs to: SCOTT

2. I once hid in a bathroom closet and pleasured myself when my family members went to the bathroom...
THE FANS
Sal 29.11%
Benjy 12.52%
Richard 11.00%
VINNIE: BENJY
And the revelation belongs to: SAL

3. In the last year, I got a girl pregnant and had to pay for her abortion...
THE FANS:
Jason 33.72%
Benjy 22.54%
Artie 13.36%
(Richard 4.35%)
VINNIE: JASON
And the revelation belongs to: RICHARD

4. I think I'm addicted to porn - I jerk off twice a day and prefer to masturbate than have real sex...
THE FANS:
Richard 25.07%
Sal 20.86%
JD 13.78%
(Jason 9.73%)
VINNIE: RICHARD
And the revelation belongs to: JASON

5. I have spent well over $10,000 on internet porn...
THE FANS:
Richard 40.78%
Sal 11.09%
Howard 10.11%
(JD 9.94%)
VINNIE: ARTIE (although he did say he almost picked JD)
And the revelation belongs to: JD

- - >

TUNE IN TO HOWARD 100 TOMORROW MORNING TO HEAR THE REST - SO FAR HOWARD, ROBIN, FRED, ARTIE AND BENJY HAVE NOT HAD THEIR SECRETS REVEALED.

6. My buddy and I once ordered massage girls to our hotel room, but they ripped us off and we were left staring at each other in our underwear...
THE FANS:
Artie 24.02%
JD 15.08%
Jason 15.28%
VINNIE:
And the revelation belongs to:

7. I have pleasured myself with meat and vegetables...
THE FANS:
Robin 29.17%
Richard 21.48%
Benjy 14.55%
VINNIE:
And the revelation belongs to:

8. I have a half-sister I've never met and don't want to...
THE FANS:
Fred 31.44%
Robin 26.91%
Scott 7.60%

9. I've had cosmetic surgery...
THE FANS:
Howard 39.74%
Robin 22.49%
Fred 10.46%

10. A guy once blew his load on my chest...
THE FANS:
Benjy 28.88%
Richard 18.56%
Robin 16.85%

11. I once had my stomach pumped for alcohol poisoning and when I woke up in the hospital, an acquaintance of the same sex was fondling my genitals...
THE FANS:
Artie 43.18%
Fred 13.65%
Benjy 7.07%

[Dementro]

This shit was really funning today. I enjoyed Arnie speech he gave at Howard's BDay bash. I can't belive they had someone steal almost all the kingchains Robin had made.....time to look on E Bay

[muthagoose]

Howard Stern Shows Constraint, Dumps Content

Howard Stern has a dump button for his program at Sirius Satellite Radio and is not afraid to use it. During this morning's "revelations" segment, Stern dumped part of a statement by Sal The Stockbroker and admitted to doing so immediately as it happened.

"It would harm someone," explained Stern to a listener that called him out for the abrupt edit. "You have to understand, there are still some things [not for the airwaves]," intimated Stern.

"We're not editing out any sort of content, meaning there's nothing that anybody could say on this show that goes over the line in terms of content," explained Stern Show producer Gary Dell'Abate during the daily Wrap-Up Show. "In this particular case, Sal was implicating family members by giving away information that would have let you know who they were and we just don't think it's fair."

"Howard is now in charge of the Howard Button," added Dell'Abate while discussing who has control over the dump button, a position that was manned by Dead Air Dave and Tom Chiusano when Stern's program was based at WXRK/New York.

While much has been made of the free-flowing use of curse words during the show's debut on Sirius last week, Stern also showed constraint earlier in the program when he asked Dell'Abate to curtail his use of curse words.

[muthagoose]

THE FINAL REVELATIONS...

6. My buddy and I once ordered massage girls to our hotel room, but they ripped us off and we were left staring at each other in our underwear...
THE FANS:
Artie 24.02%
JD 15.08%
Jason 15.28%
(Gary 9.21%)
VINNIE: SCOTT
And the revelation belongs to: GARY

7. I have pleasured myself with meat and vegetables...
THE FANS:
Robin 29.17%
Richard 21.48%
Benjy 14.55%
VINNIE: JD
And the revelation belongs to: ROBIN

8. I have a half-sister I've never met and don't want to...
THE FANS:
Fred 31.44%
Robin 26.91%
Scott 7.60%
VINNIE: ROBIN
And the revelation belongs to: FRED

9. I've had cosmetic surgery...
THE FANS:
Howard 39.74%
Robin 22.49%
Fred 10.46%
VINNIE: HOWARD (Congratulations Vinnie, you got one)
And the revelation belongs to: HOWARD

10. A guy once blew his load on my chest...
THE FANS:
Benjy 28.88%
Richard 18.56%
Robin 16.85%
(Artie 1.89%)
VINNIE: GARY
And the revelation belongs to: ARTIE and surprisingly to Nick Grande

11. I once had my stomach pumped for alcohol poisoning and when I woke up in the hospital, an acquaintance of the same sex was fondling my genitals...
THE FANS:
Artie 43.18%
Fred 13.65%
Benjy 7.07%
VINNIE: FRED
And the revelation belongs to: BENJY

[muthagoose]

Howard Stern Launches Film Festival

LOS ANGELES - His credits include radio, books, cable TV and movies. Now Howard Stern is adding talent scout to his "King of All Media" resume.

Stern is seeking entries for the Howard Stern Film Festival, In Demand Networks announced Wednesday.

Submissions of the films, which need to be five minutes or less, will be accepted until April 11. The top three films will earn cash prizes and air on Howard TV On Demand. The winner's share will be $15,000.

Mav Himself is rumored to be submitting his film "Fallen Idols".

Network president Robert D. Jacobson, said the film festival is part of Stern's "commitment to democratize entertainment."

The event gives "the next generation of weird but brilliant filmmakers a festival they can call their own," Jacobson said.

The festival winner will be announced in New York on April 27.

Entrants can find details on Web site www.howard.tv.

[muthagoose]

DAVID LEE ROTH's Ratings Just A Shadow Of HOWARD STERN's

David Hinckley of The New York Daily News has issued the following report:

In the year's least surprising radio development, morning host David Lee Roth's early ratings at WFNY (92.3 FM) have taken a steep drop from the heights of his predecessor, Howard Stern.

WFNY's parent CBS says this is a valley it expected to enter while it rebuilds former Stern slots and stations, though some people in radio warn that it could signal a more serious problem.

It's also unclear where displaced Stern listeners are going.

Arbitrend ratings released yesterday show that in January, Roth's first month, WFNY's morning share among its target audience of 18- to 34-year-olds fell from 13.8% to 1.3%.

Shares in other age groups dropped less drastically, and single-month numbers in radio, where ratings are done in three-month clusters, can show wide fluctuations. So CBS says it's not worried.

"Everyone knew there would be a drop," said Rob Barnett, president of programming at CBS Radio. "We're starting a new radio station, introducing new personalities people are discovering every day, in a format that's been very successful for us in other markets.

"This is just the beginning for this station and these hosts. We've said all along it's an 18- to 24-month process and we would never judge any show by one 30-day [ratings report]."

[muthagoose]

Howard Stern Show to hit the Internet

Shock jock Howard Stern's New York-based morning show on the Sirius Satellite Radio network is about to hit the Internet.

Stern mentioned on the show today that streaming will begin via the Sirius site and HowardStern.com in June.

This will be another catalyst for Sirius to get new subscribers who will find listening online in their office, home or dorm to be an additional incentive to subscribe, Sirius Chief Executive Officer Mel Karmazin said in making the announcement Tuesday, USA today reported.

Sirius already offers 68 of its channels to subscribers via the Internet and in June the provider will add two channels programmed by Stern as well as his live morning show.

The goal is to make Howard available on as many platforms as possible, Hoefer & Arnett analyst April Horace told USA Today. Content providers today are focused on making it available on all media.

[John Melendez]

Stern Gets Tapes Of Old Show In Settlement

Shock jock Howard Stern regained control of the master tapes from the last 20 years of his broadcast radio program in a Friday settlement of the contentious lawsuit brought by his former bosses at CBS Radio. Stern's new employer, Sirius Satellite Radio, agreed to pay $2 million to CBS Radio in return for the rights to the classic recordings. The remaining details of the settlement remained confidential.....

[muthagoose]

Sirius Starts Internet Streams Of Stern

Sirius launches internet streaming of Howard Stern's Howard 100 and Howard 101 channels. Sirius subscribers can log on at www.howardstern.com. Stern recently got the rights to play tapes of his old CBS broadcast radio shows at his new Sirius Satellite Radio.

[muthagoose]

HEAR HOWARD STERN FOR FREE!!
October 25th and 26th

Are you ready for the upcoming FREE ONLINE TRIAL of the Howard Stern Show on Sirius Satellite Radio?

First, go to www.Sirius.com to sign up for you Free Trial UserID and Password.

Then go to and get the EXCLUSIVE HOWARD STERN MEDIA PLAYER:

www.howardstern.com/signup.hs

So you can have it all downloaded and installed by 12AM Wednesday morning.

Here's the schedule of what you'll hear on Howard 100 and Howard 101 on Wednesday and Thursday.

www.howardstern.com/archive.hs?h=938

[muthagoose]

SIRIUS Internet Radio - Free for 2 Days Only
- Including Howard Stern's 2 Channels -

People around the globe are listening online to more than 75 channels of SIRIUS’ premium content, including 100% commercial-free music, unique talk programming hosted by the top names in politics, culture and entertainment. And starting tomorrow you'll hear Howard Stern's two channels, featuring the Howard Stern show live at 6am and repeated throughout the day on Howard 100. Now you can hear what has made SIRIUS the fastest growing company in satellite radio.

Don’t miss a minute. Just use your email address to sign-in and listen for FREE!

HOWARD STERN SHOW SCHEDULE

Wednesday 10/25
Beginning at 6am ET hear special guests including The Who's Pete Townshend, Sharon Osbourne, and Danny Bonaduce.

Also premiering The Bitter Half, a radio drama about relationships, written and produced by Sam Simon, one of the original developers of The Simpsons.

Thursday 10/26
Beginning at 6am ET The show will feature The Gary Dell'Abate Roast, with Colin Quinn, Reverend Bob Levy, Lisa Lampanelli, Jackie "The Joke Man" Martling and a cast of others will all roast "Baba Booey."

HOWARD 101 SCHEDULE
(all times ET)

Wednesday 10/25
12am – 1am Riley Martin Show LIVE
1am – 9am Top 10 Moments of the Howard Stern Show All Request Weekend
9am – 2pm The Howard Stern Show WEST COAST FEED
2pm – 3pm The Wrap Up Show WEST COAST FEED
3pm – 7pm Bubba the Love Sponge LIVE with 3 Doors Down, Shawnee Smith (Saw III) and recently fired sports commentator Lamar Thomas
7pm – 8pm Jackie’s Joke Hunt LIVE
8pm – 12mid Scott Ferrall LIVE

Thursday 10/26
12am – 1am Riley Martin Show LIVE
1am – 9am Top 10 Moments of the Howard Stern Show All Request Weekend
9am – 2pm The Howard Stern Show WEST COAST FEED
2pm – 3pm The Wrap Up Show WEST COAST FEED
3pm – 7pm Bubba the Love Sponge LIVE with 3 Doors Down, Shawnee Smith (Saw III) and recently fired sports commentator Lamar Thomas
7pm – 8pm Superfan Round Table LIVE with former WWE Superstar Kurt Angle
8pm – 12mid Scott Ferrall LIVE

What's on Across Music, Talk, and Sports
Eminem to appear live in-studio
The Who exclusive interviews
Rolling Stones interviews
Steven Van Zandt hosts on Underground Garage
48-hour Bam-A-Thon featuring the best of Radio Bam
NASCAR Champion Tony Stewart interview
Bode Miller interview
Jenna Jameson live on Playboy Radio
The final concert at CBGBs
Jimmy Buffett live in concert
Grammy winner John Legend live in-studio performance
Maria Shriver hosts 2006 Women's Conference
PJ Walsh and Larry the Cable Guy live from Larry's House

[muthagoose]

Howard Stern’s Sirius question is answered

Whether radio is worth around 43 cents a day was resolutely answered on Sept. 21, 2006, 256 days after "The Howard Stern Show" made its move to subscription-based Sirius Satellite Radio. That’s the day the show's comedy writer/sidekick Artie Lange copped to snorting smack.

Lange’s spontaneous heroin admission wasn’t the most shocking or outrageous event on “The Howard Stern Show” since its Jan. 9, 2006, Sirius premiere. Out of range from the Federal Communication Commission’s jurisdiction, the “Stern Show” is now free from the astronomical indecency fines that haunted its last years on terrestrial radio. Puerile and sexually charged bits now rock the content with impunity.

During the first Sirius year, comedy writer Richard Christy had his genitals waxed on air, his howls and shrieks delighting the Stern cast and audience. Porn star Jenna Jameson inaugurated the in-studio Sybian, a saddle-like sex toy since utilized by many female guests — including Blue Iris, a geriatric sex star in her own right. And “Stern Show” wack packers “Crazy” Alice and “Elegant” Elliot Offen phoned in their weekly football picks, spewing expletives and insults with every call.

Compared to such antics, Lange’s confession is tame. His substance abuse problems were never a secret. Hilarious anecdotes such as scoring cocaine in full pig makeup while on the cast of Fox’s “MadTV,” or his accidental hookup with a prostitute, are “Stern Show” staples, repeatedly referenced since Lange replaced Jackie Martling on Stern’s cast in 2001. But Lange’s confession to recent heroin use while in Stern’s employ, seemingly a surprise to even Stern, was different.

Very little is sacred on “The Howard Stern Show.” Every in-house conflict or personal issue warrants full audience disclosure. No doubt many that followed Stern to Sirius are there for Jameson and her peers or the in-depth discussions on bodily functions. But to echo pretty much every highfalutin Stern proponent ever – it’s this intangible community that makes the “Stern Show” great. It’s what copycat shock jocks can’t duplicate. Allowed to bloom beyond terrestrial confines, “The Howard Stern Show” is arguably the best radio on the airwaves and possibly the best it’s ever been.

Radio revelation
Lange's slip comes during a segment in which three homeless men compete for the saddest life story. The winner gets a lap dance from a couple of strippers. It’s a fairly standard bit. Stern and cast question the contestants. Lange is particularly empathetic to a 21-year-old heroin addict. The kid’s got a $120-a-day habit. On occasion, the kid has turned to prostitution. His parents have given up on him and he’s very worried about his future.

Lange asks if the kid has tried Subutext, a prescription drug that stops heroin cravings. Yeah, the kid says, until he lost his insurance. And then Lange comes out with it: “If you guys agree not to grill me on it, I actually have those pills ... .”

Lange reveals the pill bottle. Co-host Robin Quivers sums up the studio’s surprise: “Wait a minute!” and “What the hell are you doing?”

Lange: “It’s a long story, let’s not get into it.”

Stern: “Maybe you need the lap dance.”

There's laughter. The subject is momentarily dropped. The pills are not shared. The game continues. The winner (not the heroin addict) receives his lap dance. Hilarity ensues. Break.

Stern: “I’m still trying to figure out how Artie has those heroin pills."

Quivers: “And we’re going to get to the bottom of that.”

And they do. “I remember you said this to me one time,” Lange says to Stern. “You know how something pops in your head and you want to be honest because you know it’s so entertaining and interesting and then you just blurt something out … .” Lange spills it all. How he fell back into the habit while doing a stand-up tour; the shows he missed in 2005; the withdrawal sickness; and the toll it took on his family and girlfriend.

There are moments Lange chokes, falls silent, or mumbles it’s something he shouldn’t have said. Quivers asks how they can help. Stern says he’ll share a worse revelation: Now that he’s 52, his pants are constantly urine-stained from dribbles. Sound guy Fred Norris plays Steppenwolf’s “The Pusher.” Stern groans, saying it’s like the time he overdosed on acid and his friend kept playing the Grateful Dead. They try to make Lange laugh. They tell him it only matters that he’s OK now. And they never stop asking questions.



Humanity among the fart jokes
Lange’s story wasn’t crass or pornographic. It also wasn’t anything you’re likely to hear on radio or most other entertainment forums. Between contrived reality TV and soulless celebrities unable to admit their flaws even as they issue fake apologies, popular culture is starved for humanity. Seriously, kids. Lange’s confession, even the running joke it’s become on the “Stern Show,” is real. It’s human.

It’s true, Stern’s audience is about a third of what he commanded on terrestrial radio. Whether the majority can ever wrap their heads around paying for something they’re used to getting for free remains to be seen. It’s still early in the day for satellite radio. But any questions or criticisms surrounding Stern’s decision to move are now moot. No matter the loss, no matter the cost, the creative freedom is worth it.

Again, to echo the highfalutin, it’s not about the cuss words or the poopy talk. It’s the freedom to swear, or rather not prescreen every syllable before it’s said, that’s blown Stern's show wide open. Between the vomit fetishists and unbleeped fart jokes, real life has room to spread out and tell its story. And that’s interesting and entertaining.

Helen Popkin listens to Howard on her Sirius boombox from her Bronx home.