Sometimes I turn on the radio to catch some of the Stern show. What can I say--it's juvenile, but it makes me laugh and it makes the traffic bearable.

But lately, Stern's show is not very funny. He's turned into a single issue performer--every other comment is complaining about the FCC or Bush, and he thinks he will be forced off the air for political reasons. It was OK to hear at first, but now it's getting old.

I have sympathy for his problems and I don't want to see him off the air, but if he keeps hitting us over the head with his political commentary, he's going to lose listeners, lose his market share, and turn into a self-fulfilling prophecy (being kicked off the air).

Anybody else agree his show is not what it used to be?

Are his FCC problems truly partisan in nature (due to the influence of Bush), or is he just another target in the "family values" trend we're seeing lately (Janet Jackson, etc.)?

-- Modified on 4/17/2004 11:58:14 AM

Howard is definitely a target in the "family values" trend....Religious conservatives have long bitched about Howard Stern, Hollywood, & the adult film industry as the cause of all the worlds'problems...Now, Ashcroft has waged war against the porn industry.....With real concerns like the Iraq war, astronomical health care costs, economy, the "holier than thou" crowd is worried about gay marriage, porn, Hollywood, & shoving the the 10 commandments down your throat......

Howard is no longer on in my area, but I differ with you in that I think his show would be better than ever now since he is bashing Bush....More importantly though, he might get the fans who have never voted previously, out to the polls in Nov. to vote for Kerry...

I really like his show, though many say he wasn't what he use to be, there's no better radio in the A.M. IMHO.....All there is in mornings now is sports talk show host Tony Bruno, which is ok, but CERTAINLY no Howard....

politicians in power (including in the White House) who pander to the religious right.

but the current political climate won't allow it to be.
  There is an ill wind blowing and it may start affecting our community as well. The sexually repressed megalomaniacs that hide in the conservative sanctuary of the GOP are on a roll and If they can cause a 25year media phenom Like Howard Stern such grief think what they could do to our lives.
  It will be interesting to see if this FCC witch hunt is Stern's undoing or will Howard pull a rabbit out of his hat and attain a whole new market & market share.

Howard Stern is not nearly as funny as he used to be a few years back.

I thought he was much funnier as a frustrated married guy than he has ever been as a footloose and fancy free divorced guy.

Many of you are fond of pinning the responsibility for the new, draconian FCC on George Bush and those evil Republicans.  So ... this reminder.   The FCC Commissioner who is pushing the hardest on all of this so-called "indecency" is Michael J. Copps.  Copps is the former chief of staff to South Carolina's Democratic Senator Ernest Hollings, a Democrat.  Hollings has never been known for his defense of first amendment rights for broadcasters.  Copps is a Democrat, not a Republican.

RLTW

get your facts straight ....

It's the FCC Chairman, Michael K. Powell (that's right Colin Powell jr.), that is leading this witch-hunt, he's a Republican.
But just so you know, this issue is not about Partisan Politics to me, it's about our freedoms;  and Republican OR Democrat, it's wrong to relinquish them, or have them taken away. It's been said before, but the hard part about loving this country is respecting the right of a man burning the flag alongside a man condemning him for doing so, but each is within their right as an American for doing so. Trying to silence one OR the other is wrong and we will lose the fine balance of freedom that we live in.

"If there is a bedrock principle of the first amendment, it is that the government may not prohibit the expression of an idea simply because society finds the idea itself offensive or disagreeable" - US Supreme Court Justice  WILLIAM J. BRENNAN

Would you seriously contend with a straight face that the Democrats (either politicians or voters) are more in favor of the crackdown than Republicans (either politicians or voters) are?

Not anecdotal examples like Copps, but in general?

Ummm OK lets get the facts straight ... or at least post ALL of them ...

First off, at least for me; I don't think of this issue so much as one of Partisan Politics, but rather an issue of Freedoms and Liberties in general, and it would be wrong for Republican OR Democrat to try and take these away from us and/or try to alter our First Amendment Rights, regardless if personally or politically motivated.

But since you started it, the head person in the FCC is the Chairman, Mr. Michael K. Powell (yes that's right Colin Powell's son / you might know Colin Powell, he works for Mr. G.W. Bush ) and he's a Republican and the main man leading the charge against Howard Stern. Copps is just as big a jerk no doubt and has been behind much of this for years as well, but he is not the man in charge of the FCC.

It's been said before that the difficult part of living in this country and appreciating it, is to see a man burning the American flag while standing along side another man condemning him for doing it; to really appreciate and respect our freedoms you have to respect the rights of BOTH men to do each of these things and not try to deny either of them. It's a fine balance this freedom we live under and it should NOT be FUCKED with.
OOPSIE !!!, I said the "F" word, guess I'll be fined now ...

"If there is a bedrock principle of the First Amendment, it is that the Government may not prohibit the expression of an idea simply because society finds the idea itself offensive or disagreeable."  -  Supreme Court Justice  WILLIAM J. BRENNAN

I agree completely that the government should not regulate speech, even when it comes to vulgarity across public airwaves. But contrary to your assertion, my facts are straight. Michael Powell started raising hell about Janet Jackson's Superbowl strip show, which led to hearings and posturing by ALL of the FCC commissioners, both D's and R's. If you took the effort to dig into news accounts instead of impulsively blaming republicans for every evil in the world, you would find that the Howard Stern fiasco is being driven by Michael Copps, a Democrat.

Have you also forgotten Tipper Gore and her crusade against vulgarity in music lyrics? Isn't she married to a Democrat?

RLTW