How many of you miss what the Stern show used to be?
- Thread starter hank-the-dwarf
- Start date
The extended bit he did not too long ago about the family miseries she burdened him with when he was a boy was a classic.
I suggest to you that in the first 20 years, there were maybe 4-5 classic "Best of" worthy "Howard talking as/with his parents" bits, the ultimate of which was the time he asked his mother about anal and taking his rectal temp.
Since he's been at Sirius, there have been at least as many classic Ben and Rae bits, including the one you list, which is the very best ever, IMHO. But don't forget the Who Knows Howard Best bit, the time he described his father's sandwich making skills, the trouble with getting them into the studio imitations, the pinworms story, every time Ben calls up to talk about politics, etc.
Say what you want about old Howard, but his Ben/Rae stuff has been "On Fiyah!" since coming to Sirius.
I still cringe when he talks about his mother soaking his racing striped underpants in the sink. I was subjected to the same humiliation.
You must not remember the Ben Stern Day Care. One of their best bits, even had them taking shots at Howard.
Personally, I think the old pre-recorded bits were schticky and schlocky (think "Jessica Hahn and Mr. Ed"). Ben Stern Day Care was pretty good, but unlike some here, my measure of a good segment is not how much it takes shots at Howard.
Matter of fact, the obsession some here show with that one little aspect is fucking boring. It's like nothing can be funny unless it tears down Howard or Beth. That 's a pretty sad measuring stick for a show that is really about biting commentary and intelligent, though ribald, humor. But noooooo, don't give me intelligence. You gotta break out those horse sounds to get a chuckle out of these pantloads.
I don't "miss" the "old show" and I don't "hate" the "new show." The show changes, I can accept that.
However, I do miss the days of butt bongo and throwing balogna. Those days were fun.
However, I do miss the days of butt bongo and throwing balogna. Those days were fun.
I don't "miss" the "old show" and I don't "hate" the "new show." The show changes, I can accept that.
However, I do miss the days of butt bongo and throwing balogna. Those days were fun.
Yes, age and Beth have certainly forced Howard away from that stuff, and although Artie used to fill in (McGriddles fired at 10 paces anyone?), it seems Howard doesn't even go for Artie as a substitute any more. The show really has evolved, but since my favorite part has always been the off the cuff interactions between the crew, I don't really miss that kind of stuff, as long as I get more of what I really like.
He might have said once that as his daughters approach the age of 18-30 (aka "butt bongo age") he's starting to re-think that whole thing as "Woah! These hot girls are about the age of my kids."
I can see where he may want to back off that stuff, especially given the ages of his daughters.
I can see where he may want to back off that stuff, especially given the ages of his daughters.
I don't care about Beth at all, but Nancy, the Princesses, and Alyson weren't off limits. Only Jackie took more hits then Nancy.
The point is nothing was off limits when the show was at its peak. Howard would call out pompous phony celebrities, and now he has become that kind of celebrity. There are too many things now that are off limits. I mean he kissed Rosie O'Donnell's fat untalented ass, you gotta be kidding me. His guests now are Billy Joel's 3rd wife pulling a cook book ? What ever happened to Mel Brooks ?
Even as blind as you are, you have to see that he has changed and not for the better.
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I'm not blind, so quit the bullshit attacks or you'll go back to being just another fucking tool/troll to me. If you'd like to actually have a discussion, then leave the stupid O&A Defender cape back in the phone booth FERGZ.
Now to speak to your critique - I don't fucking care about seemingly hypocritical changes in the tenor of the show. I never looked to Howard Stern for anything more than entertainment. I certainly didn't (and still don't) look to him as my source of who I should like and dislike in show business. We are talking about a man who once changed sides 4 or 5 times between Joey and Marky Ramone in the same phone call! Who cares what Howard thinks, as long as he is funny? Rosie is still a know nothing douche, even if Howard kisses her ass. Natalie Maines is still a know nothing country singer, but I find her entertaining on the show. Base your own judgment on reality and not the ramblings of the host (or hosts) of a radio show and you too just may enjoy it for what it is - Entertainment.
See FERGZ, I don't take anything he says seriously, so I don't give a shit if he changes from year to year, week to week, or day to day. The shit he says or does is just grist for the mill, a source of comedy, and if I laugh, I laugh. So I ask - If I'm the one who sees the changes, but I realize the only thing I need out of him is entertainment . . . and you are the one who expects him to be exactly what you want, when you want, all the time; who's the fucking blind one?
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What I see is that he isn't funny, doesn't care, and wishes he could retire. His show has gotten very fake and turned into the radio he used to make fun of. I don't need anything from Stern. I'm a person that used to listen, and that doesn't because he isn't funny anymore and looking at how few people came to Sirius shows that I am not alone.I'm not blind, so quit the bullshit attacks or you'll go back to being just another fucking tool/troll to me. If you'd like to actually have a discussion, then leave the stupid O&A Defender cape back in the phone booth FERGZ.
Now to speak to your critique - I don't fucking care about seemingly hypocritical changes in the tenor of the show. I never looked to Howard Stern for anything more than entertainment. I certainly didn't (and still don't) look to him as my source of who I should like and dislike in show business. We are talking about a man who once changed sides 4 or 5 times between Joey and Marky Ramone in the same phone call! Who cares what Howard thinks, as long as he is funny? Rosie is still a know nothing douche, even if Howard kisses her ass. Natalie Maines is still a know nothing country singer, but I find her entertaining on the show. Base your own judgment on reality and not the ramblings of the host (or hosts) of a radio show and you too just may enjoy it for what it is - Entertainment.
See FERGZ, I don't take anything he says seriously, so I don't give a shit if he changes from year to year, week to week, or day to day. The shit he says or does is just grist for the mill, a source of comedy, and if I laugh, I laugh. So I ask - If I'm the one who sees the changes, but I realize the only thing I need out of him is entertainment . . . and you are the one who expects him to be exactly what you want, when you want, all the time; who's the fucking blind one?
Your opinion. That's fine. As far as how many people followed him to satellite - Bwahahahahha! You listen to O&A dude, so don't talk to me about audience, either satellite or terrestrial. Plenty of people came to satellite for Stern; people won't listen to your favorite dreck for free.
Who is bringing up O&A ? I said Stern isn't funny anymore, not that O&A are funnier. I don't compare the two shows and never have, and they are irrelevant to this discussion. The topic is about the changes in the Howard Stern Show, not how does his show compare to Opie and Anthony. Why are you trying to change the subject ? Just talk about the decline of the Stern show.
Stern's audience didn't follow him to satellite. Now can you discuss that with out comparing it to O&A ?
Stern has the highest rated two channels in all of satellite radio. He has shown to be the single largest subscription driver in the medium. The fact that the majority of his fans didn't follow can easily be answered by comparing his numbers to the overall appeal of satellite radio. i.e. 12 million vs ~2 million is certainly a higher percentage than 400 million vs. 19 million.
And we'll know even more about Stern's appeal to those who formerly bought XM when we get numbers on Best of XM subs to Best of Sirius. I'll give you 3/4's of the Best of Srius subs as a buffer against NFL/NASCAR, and you can have all of Best of XM's. I still say Best of Sirius slaughters Best of XM. Care to take the wager?
With all the changes taking place in ratings due to the PPM, who knows the true size of Howard's old audience. Anyway, isn't this thread about the quality of the show and not the quantity of listeners?
I still find the show as entertaining as ever. If they continued to do the same old bits, that would be the complaint du jour, same old bits. I think Howard shies away from repeating funny old stuff for that very reason. The audience is fickle and someone is going to complain, regardless of what they do.
It would be interesting to map out the listening methods of the happy/unhappy listeners. I record a lot of it so I can FFWD thru commercials and tired bits but I still listen to all of the live parts of the show. I would guess the people that listen live to only a portion and have no buffer or record option to be more likely to be on the other side.
Many of the complaints are no longer pertinent to today's show. Other than the recent Gina or Weiner bit, SalandRichard have practically been MIA from the show with their gay antics.
I still find the show as entertaining as ever. If they continued to do the same old bits, that would be the complaint du jour, same old bits. I think Howard shies away from repeating funny old stuff for that very reason. The audience is fickle and someone is going to complain, regardless of what they do.
It would be interesting to map out the listening methods of the happy/unhappy listeners. I record a lot of it so I can FFWD thru commercials and tired bits but I still listen to all of the live parts of the show. I would guess the people that listen live to only a portion and have no buffer or record option to be more likely to be on the other side.
Many of the complaints are no longer pertinent to today's show. Other than the recent Gina or Weiner bit, SalandRichard have practically been MIA from the show with their gay antics.
You're fast forwarding through bits you find to be tired. By that I would assume that you've heard them too many times. Why not delve into the twenty plus years of funny two or three minute bits they have at their fingertips? Would it kill them, or would it shatter the ego of richardandsal to have a classic old bit be played during the rejoins instead of the "and we're back on the Jack and Rod show" bits?
I don't think that you would fast forward through those parts, the ones that you might not have ever heard before, or if you did hear it you might have only heard once or twice ten years ago.
Maybe so, but that's a few minutes out of several hours. I can barely listen to all of the shows and Bubba as it is.
If you tell yourself something is going to suck, you'll mostly look for things to support that position.
If you tell yourself something is going to suck, you'll mostly look for things to support that position.