CNBC and The Associated Press fall for Howard Stern and Andy Cohen’s elaborate hoax about the radio icon’s departure from SiriusXM.
In a display of media manipulation, legendary radio host Howard Stern and television personality Andy Cohen executed an elaborate prank on Monday morning, successfully duping major news organizations, including CNBC and The Associated Press.
The hoax, which involved Cohen announcing that he was taking over Stern’s channel, “Andy 100,” and that Stern was leaving SiriusXM, was so convincing that both outlets reported it as breaking news.
On CNBC’s SquawkBox, anchors Andrew Ross Sorkin and Becky Quick dedicated airtime to detailing the fabricated split.
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“We’ve got some breaking news for you this morning. Howard Stern, officially splitting with Sirius XM after nearly 20 years,” Sorkin announced, with Becky Quick adding, “He was there when Sirius really took off… it got a lot of people to actually subscribe in the very early days.” The false report was not corrected for more than two hours.
Meanwhile, The Associated Press also fell for the gag, issuing a news alert about Stern walking away from SiriusXM, which it later had to withdraw.
The prank was the culmination of weeks of speculation fueled by Stern himself. Last month, amid a flurry of tabloid headlines and fan speculation that his SiriusXM deal was not being renewed, Stern gleefully turned the chatter into a tune-in promo for his show.
He promised a big reveal on the September 2nd episode, but last week, he postponed his return from a summer break to September 8th, adding to the suspense and making Monday’s prank even more believable.
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The Hoax Unfolds
As part of the ruse, a flustered Andy Cohen appeared in Stern’s time slot, stating, “I know you’re expecting a big announcement from Howard, and this is not how things were meant to go… I can’t overstate what Howard has meant to this company… He walked so that we could run. I can’t possibly fill his void.” All of it was part of Stern’s grand performance, a testament to his ability to control the media narrative.
Over his tenure, Stern evolved from his “shock jock” origins at DC 101, which made him a national sensation in the 1980s, to a highly respected interviewer known for his intimate and in-depth conversations with a range of celebrities, from Lady Gaga to Bruce Springsteen.
He was lured to satellite radio by a lucrative payday and the promise of creative freedom from censorship, which he had battled with the Federal Communications Commission for years.
Stern, who has authored several bestselling books and served as a judge on “America’s Got Talent,” extended his contract with SiriusXM twice, most recently in 2020 in a five-year deal reportedly worth $500 million.
While his on-air “exit” was a prank, the drama surrounding his contract and the genuine uncertainty about his future with SiriusXM highlight the enduring power of the man who has long called himself the “King of All Media.”
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