# Howard Stern off the air **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 1, 2004, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/howard-stern-off-the-air/237706 "2004-04-01T11:48:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2004, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/howard-stern-off-the-air/237706/1 "2004-04-01T11:48:27Z")
Apparently, criticizing the government is no longer free speech. I listen to Howard on WXRK in New York…his primary feed. I tuned in this morning and some horrible top-40 call-in show was on instead of Howard. I listened to Howard yesterday. The show was nothing unusual, except for the fact that Tim Robbins was on. (Unusual in that Tim Robbins would never normally appear on Howard.) During the news, a caller asked how long Howard thought he would be able to stay on. Howard’s reply was “I have no idea.” Sadly, the actual answer was “approximately 45 minutes.” This is a horrible day for the first amendment. Howard has been doing the same kind of show for at least the last 15 years. (He’d say the whole run, but the show didn’t really settle into it’s current rhythm until the late 80s, IMHO.) Now, however, he is suddenly indecent. Howard has said repeatedly that he is also against indecent speech. His problem is that the FCC arbitrarily changes the definition of indecent speech, and then retroactively penalizes him. Explain what indecent speech is, and he won’t do it. I cannot currently access his page at [http://www.howardstern.com/](http://www.howardstern.com/) due to, I’m sure, the volume of people currently trying to access it. I assume he is off the air in the entire country, since he’s off in NY. Life in America isn’t quite as nice as it used to be. ---
**Author:** ![KidCharlemagne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2004, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/howard-stern-off-the-air/237706/2 "2004-04-01T12:02:32Z")
So WXRK has decided that it’s not worth the possiblity of paying larger fines? Don’t you think that there would have been some sort of goodbye? I haven’t been following this, I just know somw large conglomerate dropped him a few weeks back. ---
**Author:** ![MICHAEL2004](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3d9bf3/32.png) [@MICHAEL2004](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MICHAEL2004)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2004, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/howard-stern-off-the-air/237706/3 "2004-04-01T12:03:48Z")
Maybe "_THEY"_\* don’t like hearing the truth, because they’re frightened of it. Mr. Stern may be a little raw at times, but there \*\*\*are \*\*many of us folks ( Me included) who enjoy his work. God Bless You Howard Stern!!! Keep up the pressure on your front! 😃 Love to all, MICHAEL ---
**Author:** ![LolaCocaCola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7cd45c/32.png) [@LolaCocaCola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LolaCocaCola)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2004, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/howard-stern-off-the-air/237706/4 "2004-04-01T12:04:39Z")
Ha ha ha It’s pretty obvious this is an April Fool’s Day joke! C’mon! ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2004, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/howard-stern-off-the-air/237706/5 "2004-04-01T12:05:38Z")
I thought this was an April Fools joke… ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2004, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/howard-stern-off-the-air/237706/6 "2004-04-01T12:19:03Z")
> [@MyFootsZZZ](#): > > I thought this was an April Fools joke… Damn I hope so. It was that horrible top-40 thing at 6:17am. (Christina Aguillera’s “Beautiful”, followed by Britney Spears’ “Toxic”. _Shudders_) It is now 7:19am. I’ll go check again… ---
**Author:** ![singular1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@singular1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/singular1)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2004, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/howard-stern-off-the-air/237706/7 "2004-04-01T12:25:09Z")
Holy shit, it was a joke. An 84 minnute joke. I was amazed that they let it go that long! As soon as I got to work, I got on Stern’s site and the infinity site, and there wasn’t anything on it, but since they were so deleriously in favor of everything Stern rants against, I figured it had to be a joke. God, I was really worried! ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2004, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/howard-stern-off-the-air/237706/8 "2004-04-01T12:31:24Z")
You know, some of these April Fool’s jokes are just _evil_. I’ve been tricked by a few of them myself. But to play Christina Aguillera and Britney Spears? That’s just _cruel._ ---
**Author:** ![MICHAEL2004](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3d9bf3/32.png) [@MICHAEL2004](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MICHAEL2004)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2004, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/howard-stern-off-the-air/237706/9 "2004-04-01T12:31:51Z")
This is no joke! This is a very serious matter when a Corporation chooses to be censorial. This wreeks of conspiracy. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Who\_me\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/958977/32.png) [@Who\_me\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Who_me_1)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2004, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/howard-stern-off-the-air/237706/10 "2004-04-01T12:33:11Z")
Yeah, he came on about 10 minutes ago. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2004, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/howard-stern-off-the-air/237706/11 "2004-04-01T12:33:44Z")
> [@Ellis Dee](#): > > Damn I hope so. It was that horrible top-40 thing at 6:17am. (Christina Aguillera’s “Beautiful”, followed by Britney Spears’ “Toxic”. _Shudders_) > > It is now 7:19am. I’ll go check again… Sadly, it is still that horrible generic morning show. The two hosts are discussing how talented a comedian Jay Leno is and playing clips from last night’s _Tonight Show_ monologue. Ugh. (on preview, I snipped my rant.) Thank god. Signing off to go get my Howard fix. ---
**Author:** ![MICHAEL2004](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3d9bf3/32.png) [@MICHAEL2004](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MICHAEL2004)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2004, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/howard-stern-off-the-air/237706/12 "2004-04-01T12:36:56Z")
Got everyone’s attention. Didn’t he? What a joker. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2004, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/howard-stern-off-the-air/237706/13 "2004-04-01T13:17:59Z")
Yeah, it was an April Fools joke. I’m listening to him right now. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2004, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/howard-stern-off-the-air/237706/14 "2004-04-01T13:19:55Z")
My radio alarm came on at 7 this morning and the first thing I heard was that Stern was off the air due to FCC pressure. I immediately changed to NPR (due to the horrible music). If I had listened for a few minutes I probably would’ve caught on. I only found out that it was a joke by reading this thread! I just checked and as of 8:15 am Howard is on the air in Philly. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2004, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/howard-stern-off-the-air/237706/15 "2004-04-01T13:20:34Z")
So,\* April 1st \* is a horrible day for the 1st Amenment? ---
**Author:** ![Caricci](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/85f322/32.png) [@Caricci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caricci)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2004, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/howard-stern-off-the-air/237706/16 "2004-04-01T13:57:14Z")
Heeheehee! I love my Howard! I heard some music on his station in Providence this morning and just figured he was indulging some guest so I watched the news instead. I heard about it in the car. This is much better than the year he told people to turn their speakers upside down. ---
**Author:** ![KidCharlemagne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2004, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/howard-stern-off-the-air/237706/17 "2004-04-01T14:28:58Z")
I didn’t even realize it was April 1st. ---
**Author:** ![raindog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@raindog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raindog)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2004, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/howard-stern-off-the-air/237706/18 "2004-04-01T16:49:05Z")
> [@](#): > > **Ellis Dee** said: Apparently, criticizing the government is no longer free speech. Criticizing the government is still free speech. > [@](#): > > This is a horrible day for the first amendment. Even if he had been removed, it would not be ‘censorial’ or a violation of free speech. Howard still has all of his rights of free speech. OTOH, a private corporation has no obligation to air him or his views. The broadcaster is an a little different position (vs print publishers for example)as they are stewards of what is essentally considered the public’s property. (The broadcast spectrum) > [@](#): > > Howard has said repeatedly that he is also against indecent speech. His problem is that the FCC arbitrarily changes the definition of indecent speech, and then retroactively penalizes him. Explain what indecent speech is, and he won’t do it. Yes, there are limits to free speech that go beyond the prohibition of yelling “Fire” in a crowded theater. Howard’s claim that he is somehow a victim are falling on more than a few deaf ears I would imagine. He’s made a career of trolling through society’s gutters in pursuit of ratings. That he would need the FCC to tell him what “decency” is, or rather to inform him as to what the lowest acceptable level of behavior (so he could presumably stay one millimeter above it) needed to stay on the air is, is a sad but appropriate commentary on him. > [@](#): > > Life in America isn’t quite as nice as it used to be. Many of us could only wish… ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2004, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/howard-stern-off-the-air/237706/19 "2004-04-01T16:55:17Z")
I work a later shift, so I didn’t turn on the car radio until 10am. He was in the middle of explaining to a west coast listener (who was just then getting the dape delay feed) that yes, he was going off the air and no, it wasn’t an April Fool’s joke. Nearly had a fricking heart attack. Thanks for the morning woosh, Howard! (Ya bastard…) 😃 ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2004, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/howard-stern-off-the-air/237706/20 "2004-04-01T19:48:28Z")
> [@the raindog](#): > > Criticizing the government is still free speech. …as long as you do it in a designated [“free speech zone,”](http://www.amconmag.com/12_15_03/feature.html) away from those pesky television cameramen, anyway. 😉 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/howard-stern-off-the-air/237706.md?page=2)