Howard Stern Deserved a Better Ending Than This

Howard Stern interrupted his summer vacation this week to announce a new Metallica channel on SiriusXM.

Left unsaid? Stern’s immediate future.

The self-described King of All Media is subject to fiery rumors regarding his satellite radio status. We know his current, five-year contract runs out in December, and he hasn’t extended the deal or shared news of possible negotiations.

The Sun reports the decision has been made, and “The Howard Stern Show” has been canceled. No other outlet has confirmed those details.

May, 2024. Howard Stern conducts one of the most shameful and cringiest interviews in the history of American media.

As a barely functioning Biden sat there listening, Stern spent an hour spewing pure sycophantic propaganda. He recited all the fake stories that Biden has told… pic.twitter.com/soUUMurraP

— MAZE (@mazemoore) August 6, 2025

Stern didn’t address the Dumbo in the room during his Metallica announcement, either willing to play hardball behind the scenes or unsure of his job security.

Now, The New York Post shared confessions from two unnamed Stern show staffers who suggest the end is, truly, near.

The writing has “been on the wall for well over a year now” that SiriusXM wouldn’t be renewing Howard Stern’s colossal contract — and his employees have been taking advantage, “coasting” on the clock and trolling for new gigs, two current show staffers told The Post.

Is this any way to treat a legend?

The greats often write their finales before the culture beats them to it. 

• Jerry Seinfeld pulled the plug on his eponymous sitcom in 1998 before audiences grew tired of it.
• Writer/director John Hughes stopped making movies in his early 50s, unwilling to besmirch his legacy with inferior product.
• NFL great Barry Sanders retired from the Detroit Lions at 31, well before his Hall of Fame skills had the chance to decline.

Others don’t know when to quit. File Stern, Howard in that folder.

What a shame.

Yes, Stern circa 2025 is a parody of his former self. He’s woke and proud of it, coddling politicians if they adhere to his new, far-Left worldview. His “interview” with dementia-addled President Joe Biden may be his most cringeworthy broadcast moment.

And he had plenty of humiliating on-air bits over the decades. Some, like the time he grilled former sitcom star Dana Plato about her sobriety, had ominous repercussions.

Plato took her life shortly after her “Stern” appearance.

May, 2024. Howard Stern conducts one of the most shameful and cringiest interviews in the history of American media.

As a barely functioning Biden sat there listening, Stern spent an hour spewing pure sycophantic propaganda. He recited all the fake stories that Biden has told… pic.twitter.com/soUUMurraP

— MAZE (@mazemoore) August 6, 2025

The icon who talked a nation through the horrors of 9/11 now cowers before COVID-19. He still conducts his shows from his home studios, according to The New York Post. The reformed shock jock also limits his social interactions due to the virus.

When he does hit the town, he hobnobs with the rich and famous. Yes, the same folks he once skewered during his early days in radio.

That doesn’t diminish from his legacy, one unmatched in his industry. He helped spawn both today’s radio talkers and podcasting elites with his frank discussions and a boundary-breaking style. He made quasi-celebrities out of the show’s producers – Baba booey! – and sailed past station breaks if the show’s content demanded it. 

Stern’s interviews proved legendary, even if media analysts took years to realize it. He also rabidly defended free speech during the 1980s and ’90s, using his clout to keep the First Amendment alive and well.

Now? Not so much.

That said, Stern should have realized his inner fire had fizzled some time ago. Instead, he clung to fame, fortune and the trappings of celebrity. His absurd schedule includes Thursdays and Fridays off and an extended Summer vacation each year.

Most teachers don’t have it that good.

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The Post reports his audience size has dramatically shrunk, although SiriusXM doesn’t publicly share his recent ratings. We may never know the full details, but it’s safe to say he draws a fraction of his old, rabidly loyal following.

His YouTube footprint is shrinking, too.

Stern may end up signing a much smaller deal to stay on the air. He might spin the numbers to assuage his ego. There’s little chance SiriusXM can pony up the kind of dough he once earned.

His last contract’s value? $500 million for five years.

Is this any way to treat a King? Absolutely not. He has only himself to blame.

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