Is Howard Stern finally getting the hook, not from a stripper, but from SiriusXM?
Rumors are swirling that the King of All Media may be parting ways with the satellite radio giant after nearly two decades, with reports suggesting the breakup is over — surprise — money. Apparently, not even 12 weeks of vacation and three live shows a month could save the deal.
While Stern hasn’t officially confirmed his exit, Trump was asked about the story during a media stop and didn’t hold back:
“Howard Stern is a name I haven’t heard. I used to do his show. We used to have fun, but I haven’t heard that name in a long time. What happened? He got terminated?”
Trump then went full nostalgia mode, recalling a time when Stern was, believe it or not, entertaining and relevant:
“You know when he went down? When he endorsed Hillary Clinton. He lost his audience. People said, ‘Give me a break.’”
Hard to argue with the timeline. Stern went from fart jokes and A-list guests to long-form monologues about the dangers of leaving your basement. Somewhere along the way, the rebel became the rules.
But Stern isn't the only media figure facing a ratings recession. In what some are calling a broader shift, Stephen Colbert’s Late Show is reportedly canceled, and NPR and PBS have lost government funding. That leaves tote bags and pledge drives as their last line of defense.
The media that once thrived on “resistance” content seems to be struggling now that the audience has... well, resisted back. Whether it’s political fatigue or just changing tastes, it turns out lecturing the middle class every night may not be the ticket to long-term engagement.
Trump, never one to pass up a media roast, added this jab:
“Colbert has no talent. I mean, I could take anybody here, I could go outside on the beautiful streets and pick a couple of people that would do just as well or better... Fallon has no talent. Kimmel has no talent. They’re next.”
As for Stern, if the rumors are true, he may soon have a lot more free time to reconnect with the very audience he distanced himself from. Maybe it’s time for The Howard Stern Podcast: Live from Long Island, sponsored by Metamucil and political regrets.