Recent news reports declare that Howard Stern is in talks with Simon Cowell of America's Got Talent to join Sharon Osborne and Howie Mandel as a judge. Comments on news sites and blogs have been scathing, with viewers loudly declaring they will abandon America's Got Talent in droves if Stern is a judge. Here's a sampling from the ABC Go site:
Posted by: anon | November 11, 2011, 10:52 am 10:52 am
No way would I subject myself to such a low class, no talent individual. I enjoyed watching the show and I enjoyed Howie and Sharon. However, if they add Stern it will be a definite no for me. Good Luck with that
Posted by: Jacki | November 11, 2011, 11:18 am 11:18 am
If he is a judge I will never, never, never watch this show again.
Posted by: LYN | November 11, 2011, 11:20 am 11:20 am
Howard Stern couldn't judge the bottom rim of a rusty old garbage pail, as far as I'm concerned.
Just my opinion. Will NOT continue to watch the show if he's voted on!
Posted by: Sue | November 11, 2011, 11:38 am 11:38 am
OMG... Well here goes another faithful viewer if he becomes the next new judge... I highly dislike him!!!
I've been a Stern Show listener for almost twenty years, and I'd like to dispel the "myth" that Howard is some sort of lecherous, black hearted monster. On December 13, 2010, Sir Paul McCartney played at the legendary Apollo Theatre in Harlem for Sirius XM glitterati, investors and even a few lucky subscribers who could win tickets in a lottery.
Stern took a phone call from a man named Lance Thibault that brought most of us listeners to tears -- and touched Howard too. He'd been on hold for over four hours while driving a truck for a living before speaking to "The King of All Media." Lance's father, Harry Potter, Jr. (yup, that's his real name) was a Howard Stern and McCartney fan and had end stage cancer. In an adult (pardon the double entendre) version of "Make-A-Wish," Howard shocked Lance and made us cheer with pride by giving him two tickets to this exclusive show. Lance told me this week, "We didn't think my father was going to be able to get out of bed for his condition was so bad and it wasn't till the day of show when he said he was going to try. We took a stretch limo being that it was such a special night and the extra room needed for us and the wheel chair. My father said it was the best night of his life."
Harry died on December 22, 2010.
I can't understand how Americans can look past transgressions so easily in their pop icons like Chris Brown, Woody Allen and even Michael Jackson. And yet Howard Stern, who has a record of clean living, fidelity to his family and has raised three children who've never been on Perez Hilton with their skirts above their heads, is cast as Lord Voldemort. Harry Potter would say otherwise. If he could.