After a week of rumors and speculation about his departure, the radio icon’s abrupt exit from SiriusXM was all a carefully orchestrated stunt.
In a shocking and utterly on-brand twist, legendary radio host Howard Stern revealed that his abrupt “departure” from SiriusXM was all a meticulously planned prank. Stern, 71, gave fans a head fake Monday morning, with a flustered Andy Cohen appearing in his time slot to announce the end of an era.
The broadcast, however, was a clever ruse designed to capitalize on weeks of swirling rumors about Stern’s contract status.
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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, suggesting that a new contract had not yet been finalized. The move only added to the suspense, making Monday’s prank even more believable.
“I know you’re expecting a big announcement from Howard and this is not how things were meant to go,” Cohen said on air, calling it a “surreal morning.” He added, “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 and even spoofed the AP.
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