1 00:00:00,680 --> 00:00:01,440 Speaker 1: Cutbooms. 2 00:00:02,279 --> 00:00:05,360 Speaker 2: If you thought four hours a day, twelve hundred minutes 3 00:00:05,400 --> 00:00:09,200 Speaker 2: a week was enough, think again. He's the last remnants 4 00:00:09,200 --> 00:00:12,480 Speaker 2: of the old Republic, a soul fashion of fairness. He 5 00:00:12,600 --> 00:00:15,480 Speaker 2: treats crackheads in the ghetto gutter the same as the 6 00:00:15,600 --> 00:00:19,600 Speaker 2: rich pill poppers in the penthouse. Wow to clearinghouse of 7 00:00:19,640 --> 00:00:23,479 Speaker 2: hot takes, break free for something special. The Fifth Hour 8 00:00:23,560 --> 00:00:29,320 Speaker 2: with Ben Mahller starts right now. 9 00:00:28,960 --> 00:00:34,560 Speaker 3: In the air eywhere the Fifth Hour with Me, Ben 10 00:00:34,680 --> 00:00:39,159 Speaker 3: Mahler and Danny g Radio A Happy Saturday to you. 11 00:00:39,320 --> 00:00:43,400 Speaker 1: The night day of August. It is National Book Lover's 12 00:00:43,479 --> 00:00:48,120 Speaker 1: Day today. Yeah, there you go. Think of this like 13 00:00:48,159 --> 00:00:51,720 Speaker 1: an audio book. So in many ways you're honoring National 14 00:00:51,760 --> 00:00:56,240 Speaker 1: Book Lover's Day because today is the day to celebrate 15 00:00:56,920 --> 00:01:04,080 Speaker 1: the book. Oh that's right, and we can thank Joannis Guttenberg. 16 00:01:04,160 --> 00:01:05,440 Speaker 1: I believe that's how you say the name. I know 17 00:01:05,440 --> 00:01:09,720 Speaker 1: the last name Guttenberg, but the inventor of the printing 18 00:01:09,760 --> 00:01:13,000 Speaker 1: press that goes all the way back to fourteen forty. 19 00:01:13,400 --> 00:01:18,080 Speaker 1: An ex Goldsmith invented the printing press in fourteen forty 20 00:01:18,360 --> 00:01:23,080 Speaker 1: and watch out. So there you go National Book Lovers 21 00:01:23,160 --> 00:01:26,559 Speaker 1: Day today. And of course the most famous book club, 22 00:01:27,280 --> 00:01:31,800 Speaker 1: Oprah Oprah's book Club, which started what thirty years ago, 23 00:01:31,920 --> 00:01:34,480 Speaker 1: almost in the nineteen nineties. Oh my god, it's almost 24 00:01:34,520 --> 00:01:38,800 Speaker 1: been thirty years since that started. Is also today the 25 00:01:39,480 --> 00:01:44,040 Speaker 1: day to celebrate the garage sale. It's garage sale Day today, 26 00:01:44,560 --> 00:01:48,640 Speaker 1: and the original garage sale goes back to the sixteenth century. 27 00:01:48,800 --> 00:01:51,440 Speaker 1: Here's a fun fact for alf the Alien, Opiner and 28 00:01:51,520 --> 00:01:55,520 Speaker 1: Ferg Dog and anyone else who might be interested, including you. 29 00:01:56,120 --> 00:02:01,440 Speaker 1: The original garage sale a rummage shale, rummage sales of 30 00:02:01,680 --> 00:02:08,280 Speaker 1: unclaimed and you know, basically garbage cargo ships, stuff from 31 00:02:08,360 --> 00:02:14,320 Speaker 1: cargo ships, defective cargo ships. They started having rummage sales. 32 00:02:14,400 --> 00:02:17,160 Speaker 1: That was in the sixteenth century, back in the day. 33 00:02:17,200 --> 00:02:21,200 Speaker 1: So it is National garage Sale Day, and I guess 34 00:02:21,200 --> 00:02:24,200 Speaker 1: it actually goes back to the nineteen seventies. Before that, 35 00:02:24,320 --> 00:02:28,560 Speaker 1: they didn't really do that in modern society. Western society, 36 00:02:29,120 --> 00:02:32,800 Speaker 1: residential sales known as rummage sales started taking place in 37 00:02:32,800 --> 00:02:38,600 Speaker 1: the nineteen seventies. And of course today watch Out Watch 38 00:02:38,600 --> 00:02:41,320 Speaker 1: Out on this podcast though, as we are just getting 39 00:02:41,360 --> 00:02:44,440 Speaker 1: warmed up on a Saturday, we have the we'll get 40 00:02:44,480 --> 00:02:46,840 Speaker 1: to the new Meatthead. We'll get to that, and the 41 00:02:47,040 --> 00:02:52,760 Speaker 1: King is dead. The King is dead? Or is the 42 00:02:52,880 --> 00:02:56,079 Speaker 1: king dead? We'll start with that. That's a good jumping 43 00:02:56,080 --> 00:03:00,480 Speaker 1: off point on this Saturday. And so this is how 44 00:03:00,600 --> 00:03:06,320 Speaker 1: it ends, not with a bang, but a headline in 45 00:03:06,400 --> 00:03:11,400 Speaker 1: a tabloid or is it true? Tales of the Naked 46 00:03:11,480 --> 00:03:16,080 Speaker 1: Audio City. The rumors flying earlier this week while I 47 00:03:16,400 --> 00:03:20,320 Speaker 1: was away, while I was away from my post the 48 00:03:20,520 --> 00:03:28,480 Speaker 1: Watchtower in the overnight, that Howard Stern, the legend, Howard 49 00:03:28,520 --> 00:03:36,240 Speaker 1: Stern reportedly dne done, done, Don Dunski at Sirius XM 50 00:03:36,440 --> 00:03:42,880 Speaker 1: satellite radio canceled, retired, faded out into the Hampton's mist 51 00:03:43,200 --> 00:03:47,520 Speaker 1: like a barefoot Gatsby. Who knows The details will still murky. 52 00:03:47,560 --> 00:03:51,200 Speaker 1: It is just a tabloid report, and as someone that 53 00:03:51,280 --> 00:03:56,120 Speaker 1: had followed many tabloid reports, oftentimes they're very entertaining to 54 00:03:56,160 --> 00:04:00,920 Speaker 1: read the tabloids, and many times they are complete non So, 55 00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:05,360 Speaker 1: who knows, But the feeling is that Howard Stern is done, 56 00:04:06,160 --> 00:04:09,920 Speaker 1: although it's not official official. He is a semi retired 57 00:04:09,960 --> 00:04:12,160 Speaker 1: He's been semi retired for years. He takes a lot 58 00:04:12,160 --> 00:04:15,960 Speaker 1: of time off from his radio post. He's got a 59 00:04:15,960 --> 00:04:19,320 Speaker 1: good archive of content and he chooses not to work 60 00:04:19,320 --> 00:04:23,440 Speaker 1: that hard at his age. I don't blame him. He's 61 00:04:23,480 --> 00:04:26,279 Speaker 1: old and he's made a lot of money and he 62 00:04:26,320 --> 00:04:29,280 Speaker 1: can get away with it, so why not. But let 63 00:04:29,279 --> 00:04:32,159 Speaker 1: me say this straight straight away, all right, as we 64 00:04:32,400 --> 00:04:36,080 Speaker 1: look at this tabloid report, now I will assume the 65 00:04:36,120 --> 00:04:40,320 Speaker 1: position that the tabloid got it right, knowing that Stern 66 00:04:40,400 --> 00:04:45,440 Speaker 1: will be heard somewhere, but just for this particular moment, 67 00:04:45,720 --> 00:04:51,360 Speaker 1: on this particular podcast, I do have some mixed emotions, 68 00:04:51,880 --> 00:04:57,160 Speaker 1: all deeply mixed, like a cocktail of audio nostalgia and 69 00:04:57,279 --> 00:05:02,919 Speaker 1: disillusionment served over a bit cold rock of reality. Now, 70 00:05:02,960 --> 00:05:06,640 Speaker 1: if you grew up on radio, and even if you 71 00:05:06,800 --> 00:05:09,640 Speaker 1: just lived in a world where radio mattered, where radio 72 00:05:09,800 --> 00:05:13,400 Speaker 1: met something, and I'm assuming the position that by listening 73 00:05:13,400 --> 00:05:16,440 Speaker 1: to this podcast and listening to the overnight show that 74 00:05:16,520 --> 00:05:19,320 Speaker 1: we do, that you have a place in your heart 75 00:05:19,760 --> 00:05:23,320 Speaker 1: for audio content. You are someone that appreciates the theater 76 00:05:23,480 --> 00:05:28,839 Speaker 1: of the mind, and as someone that dabbles in that industry, 77 00:05:29,240 --> 00:05:33,280 Speaker 1: I am grateful to you. I also obviously love audio content. 78 00:05:34,279 --> 00:05:36,320 Speaker 1: So if you're someone in that domain, which I'm gonna 79 00:05:36,320 --> 00:05:39,640 Speaker 1: assume you are, then you know that Howard Stern was 80 00:05:39,720 --> 00:05:43,479 Speaker 1: not just a broadcast. No, no, no, no, no, no, no. 81 00:05:44,080 --> 00:05:49,640 Speaker 1: He was in a category unto himself, the gold standard, 82 00:05:50,120 --> 00:05:54,520 Speaker 1: the gold standard, the shock jocks, shock jock, the guy 83 00:05:54,640 --> 00:05:58,919 Speaker 1: who built the house and then tore the house down, 84 00:05:59,200 --> 00:06:04,560 Speaker 1: rebuilt it out of flaming garbage, and then sold tickets 85 00:06:04,600 --> 00:06:09,320 Speaker 1: to the wreckage and sold out the joint. And yet, 86 00:06:09,880 --> 00:06:16,720 Speaker 1: and yet, somewhere along the way, Howard lost me. He did, 87 00:06:17,680 --> 00:06:21,280 Speaker 1: And now it's possible I lost him. I grew up 88 00:06:21,400 --> 00:06:26,080 Speaker 1: listening to Howard Stern's syndicated morning show. It's possible he 89 00:06:26,160 --> 00:06:31,840 Speaker 1: lost each other. It happens in every long term relationship. 90 00:06:31,880 --> 00:06:34,560 Speaker 1: Of course, Howard doesn't really know who I am. But 91 00:06:34,720 --> 00:06:38,600 Speaker 1: one day I was sneaking a radio under the covers 92 00:06:39,520 --> 00:06:42,520 Speaker 1: so my parents would not hear me listen to Howard 93 00:06:42,560 --> 00:06:48,479 Speaker 1: Stern ranting about lesbians and making jokes about Richard Simmons. 94 00:06:49,640 --> 00:06:52,640 Speaker 1: Next thing, you know, Howard Stern. You wake up. You're 95 00:06:52,680 --> 00:06:57,480 Speaker 1: an adult. Howard Stern's sipping Chardonnay in the Hampton's and 96 00:06:57,600 --> 00:07:02,160 Speaker 1: grilling Jennifer Aniston about her skincare routine. And you're thinking, well, 97 00:07:02,200 --> 00:07:05,440 Speaker 1: wait a minute, that's not the Howard Stern I grew 98 00:07:05,560 --> 00:07:10,040 Speaker 1: up with. And so I stopped listening about twelve years ago, 99 00:07:10,160 --> 00:07:12,280 Speaker 1: give or take. I'm going to say twelve years. Maybe 100 00:07:12,280 --> 00:07:15,000 Speaker 1: it's been ten, maybe it's been fifteen. And I'm not 101 00:07:15,040 --> 00:07:19,800 Speaker 1: sitting here flexing by any means. I generally, as a rule, 102 00:07:19,840 --> 00:07:21,840 Speaker 1: if you've heard me over the years, you know I 103 00:07:21,920 --> 00:07:26,760 Speaker 1: try not to listen to too much talk radio. I 104 00:07:26,840 --> 00:07:30,160 Speaker 1: don't want to be stealing other people's stuff through osmosis 105 00:07:30,160 --> 00:07:32,480 Speaker 1: by listening to it and you're like, hey, I'm gonna 106 00:07:32,520 --> 00:07:34,360 Speaker 1: do the same thing, even though you don't realize you're 107 00:07:34,360 --> 00:07:36,760 Speaker 1: doing the same thing. So I try not to be 108 00:07:36,920 --> 00:07:39,679 Speaker 1: that guy. I want to do my own original content. 109 00:07:39,760 --> 00:07:42,040 Speaker 1: I don't want to take from other people. Now. Obviously, 110 00:07:42,080 --> 00:07:44,360 Speaker 1: what I am today is a product of who I 111 00:07:44,480 --> 00:07:47,000 Speaker 1: listened to when I got into the business, and they 112 00:07:47,080 --> 00:07:50,680 Speaker 1: rubbed off on me. However, at this point I just 113 00:07:50,800 --> 00:07:54,400 Speaker 1: tried to avoid that as much as I can. So again, 114 00:07:54,600 --> 00:07:57,080 Speaker 1: the fact that I stopped listening to him, whether it's ten, twelve, 115 00:07:57,160 --> 00:08:00,720 Speaker 1: fifteen years ago, Howard Stern, it's not ag I'm not 116 00:08:00,760 --> 00:08:03,640 Speaker 1: being braggadocious. That is merely a time stamp. As we 117 00:08:03,680 --> 00:08:08,280 Speaker 1: are having a conversation. The moment the Howard Stern Show 118 00:08:08,360 --> 00:08:15,080 Speaker 1: stopped feeling dangerous and started feeling like it was processed 119 00:08:15,200 --> 00:08:20,680 Speaker 1: by Access Hollywood with better drops. Is the moment I 120 00:08:20,920 --> 00:08:25,080 Speaker 1: checked out, But that doesn't erase what came before it. 121 00:08:25,080 --> 00:08:27,840 Speaker 1: And clearly Stern still has a much bigger audience than 122 00:08:27,840 --> 00:08:31,200 Speaker 1: I could ever imagine that I would ever get. But 123 00:08:31,320 --> 00:08:35,440 Speaker 1: for me, I was the guy that listened to Stern 124 00:08:35,600 --> 00:08:38,600 Speaker 1: because he was the shock jock and he he would 125 00:08:38,600 --> 00:08:41,520 Speaker 1: go places no one else would go. And there was 126 00:08:41,559 --> 00:08:45,640 Speaker 1: a time, maybe it was the late eighties, the nineties, 127 00:08:45,679 --> 00:08:48,640 Speaker 1: the early two thousands, when Howard Stern was thrown one 128 00:08:48,679 --> 00:08:52,280 Speaker 1: hundred miles an hour and he had all those pitches. 129 00:08:52,840 --> 00:08:56,840 Speaker 1: It was gas. It was he had a killer curveball, 130 00:08:57,520 --> 00:09:00,600 Speaker 1: he had a breaking ball, he had a just everything 131 00:09:00,960 --> 00:09:03,800 Speaker 1: right everything. It was must listen appointment radio in an 132 00:09:03,840 --> 00:09:08,319 Speaker 1: era when people still made appointments to listen. Right now, 133 00:09:08,679 --> 00:09:12,640 Speaker 1: the audio world that we have so much of it, 134 00:09:13,200 --> 00:09:15,720 Speaker 1: so much of it, is as well listen when I want. 135 00:09:16,080 --> 00:09:18,760 Speaker 1: It's on demand, like this podcast. You can listen to 136 00:09:18,760 --> 00:09:21,800 Speaker 1: this podcast we recorded early in the day. You can 137 00:09:21,840 --> 00:09:24,480 Speaker 1: listen early in the day, you can listen later in 138 00:09:24,480 --> 00:09:26,160 Speaker 1: the day, you can listen the next day or two 139 00:09:26,240 --> 00:09:28,720 Speaker 1: days later. It's just like it's at your convenience, but radio. 140 00:09:28,760 --> 00:09:31,320 Speaker 1: One of the great things about radio is you generally 141 00:09:31,360 --> 00:09:33,440 Speaker 1: have to listen to it live to get the full 142 00:09:33,600 --> 00:09:35,800 Speaker 1: essence of it's a live broad because one of the 143 00:09:35,800 --> 00:09:38,680 Speaker 1: cool things about doing the overnight show is it's live 144 00:09:38,920 --> 00:09:42,640 Speaker 1: while you're working, while you're trying to sleep, while you're 145 00:09:42,640 --> 00:09:48,240 Speaker 1: having insomnia, all of that. So Howard Stern built this 146 00:09:48,400 --> 00:09:53,280 Speaker 1: amazing whack pack and it was just so entertaining, like 147 00:09:53,360 --> 00:09:58,840 Speaker 1: all these rejects and goofballs. And you had somebody on 148 00:09:58,880 --> 00:10:01,680 Speaker 1: his staff, Stuttering John, who would go out and do 149 00:10:01,760 --> 00:10:04,559 Speaker 1: these terrible interviews with celebrities and ask him the most 150 00:10:04,760 --> 00:10:06,719 Speaker 1: vile questions. And it was the funniest thing in the 151 00:10:06,760 --> 00:10:10,800 Speaker 1: world because there's nothing celebrities would hate more on the 152 00:10:10,840 --> 00:10:14,360 Speaker 1: red carpet than Stuttering John asking some weird questions. And 153 00:10:14,440 --> 00:10:17,120 Speaker 1: Howard Stern battled the FCC. I don't want to say 154 00:10:17,120 --> 00:10:20,199 Speaker 1: he beat the FCC because he did run to satellite radio, 155 00:10:20,600 --> 00:10:23,640 Speaker 1: but he was in the crosshairs with the Federal Communications 156 00:10:23,640 --> 00:10:28,480 Speaker 1: Commission in America and he was going mono a motto. 157 00:10:29,080 --> 00:10:35,880 Speaker 1: He destroyed multiple Morning Zoo guys and lapped the drive 158 00:10:36,040 --> 00:10:40,640 Speaker 1: time DJs one by one by one. It was like 159 00:10:40,800 --> 00:10:44,160 Speaker 1: whack the mole, they'll pop up. Stern'll knock him down. 160 00:10:44,640 --> 00:10:46,880 Speaker 1: And it was the thing we talked about off and 161 00:10:46,880 --> 00:10:49,160 Speaker 1: you could love him or you hated him, but you 162 00:10:49,320 --> 00:10:52,560 Speaker 1: had to deal with him. He wasn't just in the 163 00:10:52,600 --> 00:10:56,960 Speaker 1: conversation Howard Stern back in those days, he was He 164 00:10:57,520 --> 00:11:04,280 Speaker 1: was the conversation. And there's a term that we still use. 165 00:11:05,000 --> 00:11:10,040 Speaker 1: Minus originated with Howard Stern back in the nineteen eighties 166 00:11:10,480 --> 00:11:13,560 Speaker 1: and before I got in you know, I was a 167 00:11:13,640 --> 00:11:17,360 Speaker 1: kid in those days. But there's a term that Howard 168 00:11:17,400 --> 00:11:22,839 Speaker 1: Stern had program directors had used about Howard Stern and 169 00:11:22,920 --> 00:11:25,800 Speaker 1: his ranting and all that. They call it the Stern effect, 170 00:11:26,800 --> 00:11:31,160 Speaker 1: and it's still to this day something that is in 171 00:11:31,320 --> 00:11:35,360 Speaker 1: all media. It's a little different now because of podcasting, 172 00:11:35,400 --> 00:11:39,560 Speaker 1: but in live audio or video, there's a thing called 173 00:11:39,559 --> 00:11:41,840 Speaker 1: the Stern effect. You probably have heard of it if 174 00:11:42,000 --> 00:11:43,960 Speaker 1: you've listened to the show. I brought it up multiple 175 00:11:44,040 --> 00:11:47,120 Speaker 1: times in monologues, and if you're a fan of Stern, 176 00:11:47,160 --> 00:11:49,120 Speaker 1: you know what I'm talking about. But people who really 177 00:11:49,360 --> 00:11:56,480 Speaker 1: really hate Howard Stern would listen longer, would listen longer 178 00:11:57,080 --> 00:12:01,400 Speaker 1: than those who loved Howard Stern. The reason people would 179 00:12:01,400 --> 00:12:02,840 Speaker 1: listen for as long as because they wanted to make 180 00:12:02,840 --> 00:12:06,800 Speaker 1: sure they didn't miss an opportunity to be outraged. And 181 00:12:06,840 --> 00:12:13,600 Speaker 1: that seam mindset today to this very day, is why 182 00:12:14,360 --> 00:12:18,840 Speaker 1: a lot of people will watch on the Republican side, 183 00:12:18,880 --> 00:12:21,160 Speaker 1: not to get political, but we're about to get political. 184 00:12:21,320 --> 00:12:26,160 Speaker 1: But Republican voters will watch CNN to get pissed off, 185 00:12:26,880 --> 00:12:32,080 Speaker 1: and Democratic voters will watch Fox News and get pissed off, 186 00:12:32,400 --> 00:12:36,880 Speaker 1: and they actually watch longer because they get so offended 187 00:12:37,440 --> 00:12:40,400 Speaker 1: by all this stuff. And much of social media. One 188 00:12:40,440 --> 00:12:44,120 Speaker 1: of the great hacks of social media is to send 189 00:12:44,160 --> 00:12:47,760 Speaker 1: out things that are on the spectrum that upset people, 190 00:12:47,840 --> 00:12:51,920 Speaker 1: like the culture wars of society. Right, People get offended 191 00:12:52,000 --> 00:12:55,439 Speaker 1: by certain things, and you send those things out and 192 00:12:55,520 --> 00:12:58,080 Speaker 1: you get caught up in what we call the matrix. 193 00:12:58,360 --> 00:13:02,320 Speaker 1: And so Howard Stern back in those days again he 194 00:13:02,679 --> 00:13:07,520 Speaker 1: was the conversation. Now in twenty twenty five, in the 195 00:13:07,559 --> 00:13:11,640 Speaker 1: summer of twenty twenty five, well, now the whispers say 196 00:13:11,880 --> 00:13:17,360 Speaker 1: it's over serious. One hundred million dollars a year marriage 197 00:13:17,400 --> 00:13:20,560 Speaker 1: that they had with Howard Stern. May finally and I 198 00:13:20,600 --> 00:13:23,400 Speaker 1: say may, that's a weasel word, may finally be heading 199 00:13:23,440 --> 00:13:27,320 Speaker 1: to divorce. Court, and yeah, I get it. One hundred 200 00:13:27,360 --> 00:13:31,760 Speaker 1: million dollars a year buys you a lot of goodbyes. 201 00:13:31,960 --> 00:13:35,319 Speaker 1: That is more money than Patrick Mahomes will make to 202 00:13:35,360 --> 00:13:41,240 Speaker 1: play quarterback for Cansas City or show Hey Otani to 203 00:13:41,360 --> 00:13:44,520 Speaker 1: hit home runs and pitch once a week for the Dodgers. 204 00:13:45,040 --> 00:13:48,640 Speaker 1: So that's more money than anyone, to my knowledge, has 205 00:13:48,720 --> 00:13:53,600 Speaker 1: ever made to talk into a microphone outside maybe Rush 206 00:13:53,679 --> 00:13:58,079 Speaker 1: Limbaugh or God. And some would say that those are 207 00:13:58,080 --> 00:14:00,280 Speaker 1: one and the same in terms of audio content, but 208 00:14:00,320 --> 00:14:04,439 Speaker 1: it still, it still stinks. It does this tabloid report 209 00:14:04,480 --> 00:14:08,800 Speaker 1: because Howard meant something. I'm gonna tell you a little 210 00:14:08,840 --> 00:14:11,280 Speaker 1: story story time on the Fifth Hour podcast. Read for 211 00:14:11,280 --> 00:14:19,800 Speaker 1: a story you ready, So way back in January of nine. 212 00:14:20,720 --> 00:14:23,640 Speaker 1: January of nine, they were swearing in a president named 213 00:14:23,640 --> 00:14:27,480 Speaker 1: Barack Obama. And while that was going on, I was 214 00:14:27,640 --> 00:14:32,680 Speaker 1: given a piece of paper that was pink, a pink slip. 215 00:14:32,760 --> 00:14:36,640 Speaker 1: I got whacked or excommunicated from Fox Sports Radar. I 216 00:14:36,720 --> 00:14:40,520 Speaker 1: was gone, replaced by a can of soup. I vanished 217 00:14:40,920 --> 00:14:43,320 Speaker 1: from the airwaves of Fox Sports Radar. I was off 218 00:14:43,320 --> 00:14:46,120 Speaker 1: the air for six months and twenty six days. I 219 00:14:46,160 --> 00:14:49,480 Speaker 1: was unemployed. I didn't have a gig it was also 220 00:14:49,520 --> 00:14:51,480 Speaker 1: the most money I'd ever made in radio, because they 221 00:14:51,520 --> 00:14:53,440 Speaker 1: had to pay me a lot of money to have 222 00:14:53,560 --> 00:14:57,440 Speaker 1: me go away. So these weird emotions where I was 223 00:14:57,560 --> 00:15:00,360 Speaker 1: very upset, I didn't have a microphone, I didn't have 224 00:15:00,400 --> 00:15:02,720 Speaker 1: a gig, and then at the same time I made 225 00:15:02,760 --> 00:15:04,880 Speaker 1: more money than I had ever made and still to 226 00:15:05,000 --> 00:15:08,360 Speaker 1: this day, I have made more money in twenty oh 227 00:15:08,440 --> 00:15:11,720 Speaker 1: nine than I have ever made in radio while being 228 00:15:11,840 --> 00:15:15,400 Speaker 1: in Radio purgatory, because I had been with the company 229 00:15:15,440 --> 00:15:17,640 Speaker 1: at that point for a long time and they had 230 00:15:17,640 --> 00:15:21,760 Speaker 1: this sweetheart buyout package where they just threw tons of 231 00:15:21,800 --> 00:15:25,400 Speaker 1: money at me, but yet I didn't have a gig anyway. 232 00:15:25,760 --> 00:15:32,320 Speaker 1: Story continues, So one day around January twenty a few 233 00:15:32,360 --> 00:15:35,840 Speaker 1: days after that, a gentleman by the name of Pete 234 00:15:35,880 --> 00:15:40,960 Speaker 1: in Pittsburgh a legend dairy Looney tune and a crossover, 235 00:15:41,960 --> 00:15:46,160 Speaker 1: a crossover from the caller Underworld who happened to be 236 00:15:46,280 --> 00:15:48,720 Speaker 1: part of Howard Stern's whack pack and a member of 237 00:15:48,760 --> 00:15:54,680 Speaker 1: the mal Or Militia simultaneously simultaneously. So one day Pete 238 00:15:54,680 --> 00:15:59,080 Speaker 1: and Pittsburgh calls in to Howard Stern's show and they 239 00:15:59,160 --> 00:16:01,280 Speaker 1: talked on the air for a few minutes about all 240 00:16:01,320 --> 00:16:04,960 Speaker 1: these people in radio who lost their job. But Pete 241 00:16:04,960 --> 00:16:10,640 Speaker 1: and Pittsburgh, being a fan of the Overnight show, mentioned 242 00:16:10,920 --> 00:16:17,080 Speaker 1: me by name, some overnight sports radio slub floating out 243 00:16:17,120 --> 00:16:23,360 Speaker 1: in the ether. And now Howard Stern, Howard effing Stern 244 00:16:23,600 --> 00:16:28,560 Speaker 1: is saying my name on his show and talking about 245 00:16:29,640 --> 00:16:33,560 Speaker 1: me on his show. Now I didn't hear it. I 246 00:16:33,640 --> 00:16:35,920 Speaker 1: wasn't listening to Howard during that day. I was not 247 00:16:36,080 --> 00:16:40,080 Speaker 1: tuned in the reason I knew that happened. Immediately, my 248 00:16:40,240 --> 00:16:45,520 Speaker 1: phone blew up people I had not heard from in months, 249 00:16:46,560 --> 00:16:52,359 Speaker 1: years old friends from high school, people i'd lost contact 250 00:16:52,360 --> 00:16:59,800 Speaker 1: with family, Folks who couldn't care less about sports and 251 00:17:00,400 --> 00:17:03,280 Speaker 1: knew that I kind of worked in radio, and they thought, well, 252 00:17:03,320 --> 00:17:06,480 Speaker 1: I think you mentioned a radio guy that had your name. 253 00:17:06,680 --> 00:17:09,280 Speaker 1: Could that have been you? They were calling me, like, 254 00:17:09,320 --> 00:17:12,080 Speaker 1: I just want to Grammy. It's like, Wow, I must 255 00:17:12,080 --> 00:17:16,399 Speaker 1: have done something really special that shows you the reach. 256 00:17:16,480 --> 00:17:19,840 Speaker 1: And that was what are we looking at sixteen years ago, 257 00:17:20,200 --> 00:17:22,879 Speaker 1: twenty oh nine. Wow, I can't believe it's been sixteen years. 258 00:17:23,000 --> 00:17:27,000 Speaker 1: But that's the reach, that's the power, that's the hammer 259 00:17:27,119 --> 00:17:32,360 Speaker 1: that Howard Stern was wielding, and that's what made him, Howard, 260 00:17:32,840 --> 00:17:38,240 Speaker 1: that's the magic. And yeah, somewhere along the way, he 261 00:17:38,760 --> 00:17:45,080 Speaker 1: traded his trench coat for a tuxedo. The rebel Howard 262 00:17:45,160 --> 00:17:50,720 Speaker 1: Sern joined the gala, the met Gala rage against the machine, 263 00:17:50,800 --> 00:17:55,439 Speaker 1: became ordures with the machine. The very people that he 264 00:17:55,600 --> 00:17:58,080 Speaker 1: loved to goof on and make fun of. Now he 265 00:17:58,280 --> 00:18:02,800 Speaker 1: was hanging out with the Hamptons. But you know what, 266 00:18:02,840 --> 00:18:06,960 Speaker 1: that's life. Maybe the real shock, Jock, is that it 267 00:18:07,119 --> 00:18:11,240 Speaker 1: took this long. That's the real shock that the jock 268 00:18:11,320 --> 00:18:15,359 Speaker 1: took that long to become that guy. Give me that guy. 269 00:18:15,440 --> 00:18:19,280 Speaker 1: Everything he used to goof on, he became. And so 270 00:18:19,480 --> 00:18:23,000 Speaker 1: now we say bye bye. Maybe, but I don't even know. 271 00:18:23,720 --> 00:18:25,760 Speaker 1: He might end up working for the company I work for. 272 00:18:25,840 --> 00:18:29,120 Speaker 1: Ihearten his rumors. He's gonna take his show somewhere else. 273 00:18:29,440 --> 00:18:31,600 Speaker 1: I have no idea. I know I'm not involved in 274 00:18:31,640 --> 00:18:35,000 Speaker 1: those conversations. That's above my pay grade. Right, He'll be 275 00:18:35,080 --> 00:18:38,879 Speaker 1: somewhere only he's completely done. It just seems like Satellite 276 00:18:38,960 --> 00:18:41,800 Speaker 1: Radio is not gonna pay him one hundred million, and 277 00:18:41,960 --> 00:18:46,080 Speaker 1: I doubt Howard's gonna take a penny less. So the 278 00:18:46,119 --> 00:18:49,359 Speaker 1: other thing about this, he hit ninety five people. I 279 00:18:49,440 --> 00:18:51,920 Speaker 1: read in one of the stories, ninety five people work 280 00:18:51,960 --> 00:18:55,760 Speaker 1: on that show. I can barely get one person to 281 00:18:55,800 --> 00:18:57,560 Speaker 1: work on my show. I get people showing up the 282 00:18:57,680 --> 00:19:01,400 Speaker 1: last minute or after the show starts, completely high, not 283 00:19:01,400 --> 00:19:03,760 Speaker 1: paying any attention. I mean, I can't imagine I mak 284 00:19:03,880 --> 00:19:06,479 Speaker 1: ninety five people working for you to try to make 285 00:19:06,520 --> 00:19:10,639 Speaker 1: you sound good. That's amazing that. Oh my god, I 286 00:19:10,680 --> 00:19:12,879 Speaker 1: would die for that. I mean, I wouldn't know how 287 00:19:12,920 --> 00:19:15,639 Speaker 1: to handle having people trying to support you and make 288 00:19:15,680 --> 00:19:19,199 Speaker 1: you sound good. Holy crap, that would be amazing. But 289 00:19:19,280 --> 00:19:22,840 Speaker 1: any of listen, it's not about that. So Howard Stern 290 00:19:24,359 --> 00:19:28,919 Speaker 1: maybe not officially yet gone, but in spirit even if 291 00:19:28,960 --> 00:19:31,439 Speaker 1: he still goes somewhere, this is not the version of 292 00:19:31,480 --> 00:19:34,840 Speaker 1: Howard Stern. I want to remember the Fastball's been gone 293 00:19:34,880 --> 00:19:38,440 Speaker 1: for a while, the memory of the heater still lingers. 294 00:19:39,119 --> 00:19:42,199 Speaker 1: You remember the smoke, right, You remember the buzz, the 295 00:19:42,880 --> 00:19:46,240 Speaker 1: You remember being a teenager and hearing something you weren't 296 00:19:46,720 --> 00:19:50,320 Speaker 1: probably supposed to hear, and knowing, just knowing that this 297 00:19:50,760 --> 00:19:53,320 Speaker 1: was radio that mattered. That's one of the reasons I 298 00:19:53,400 --> 00:19:55,320 Speaker 1: wanted to get into radio. I was like, that mattered. 299 00:19:55,920 --> 00:19:58,760 Speaker 1: That got a reaction out of people. So Howard Stern. 300 00:19:59,720 --> 00:20:02,760 Speaker 1: He would there's never everyone's cup of teas. Certainly now 301 00:20:02,800 --> 00:20:04,840 Speaker 1: he is in everyone's cup of tea's. It's odd, though 302 00:20:04,880 --> 00:20:10,440 Speaker 1: the base he's attacked the very core of his fandom, 303 00:20:11,000 --> 00:20:18,320 Speaker 1: which seems counterproductive. It seems counterproductive, but hey, that's his choice. 304 00:20:18,359 --> 00:20:21,760 Speaker 1: And if this is it, if the curtain really is 305 00:20:21,840 --> 00:20:26,120 Speaker 1: coming down on the King of all Media, then we'll 306 00:20:26,119 --> 00:20:29,160 Speaker 1: give the man his due. There was a time when 307 00:20:29,240 --> 00:20:37,440 Speaker 1: Howard Stern ruled the audio world, absolutely ruled the audio world, 308 00:20:37,960 --> 00:20:42,720 Speaker 1: and for a long stretch, nobody did it better. The 309 00:20:42,760 --> 00:20:50,239 Speaker 1: man made multiple books, movie big movie, private parts. And 310 00:20:50,880 --> 00:20:53,560 Speaker 1: we have a feeling that Howard will still be around 311 00:20:53,760 --> 00:20:57,800 Speaker 1: the radio dials Somewhere's old shows will live on. They 312 00:20:57,840 --> 00:21:00,440 Speaker 1: have a long shelf life, some of those class bits 313 00:21:00,440 --> 00:21:04,199 Speaker 1: back when Stern did radio as a loud mouth and 314 00:21:04,320 --> 00:21:07,159 Speaker 1: would all the historyonics and all the dramatics and all 315 00:21:07,160 --> 00:21:09,440 Speaker 1: the overstatement and all that stuff that made him great. 316 00:21:09,520 --> 00:21:12,600 Speaker 1: Not the hanging out at cocktail parties with people who 317 00:21:12,640 --> 00:21:16,120 Speaker 1: are Hollywood elites. Not that Howard Stern, the Stern from 318 00:21:16,200 --> 00:21:18,840 Speaker 1: back in the day. That's the one that people want 319 00:21:18,920 --> 00:21:21,840 Speaker 1: to hear. That's the one that's got legs, all right, 320 00:21:21,840 --> 00:21:24,720 Speaker 1: now meanwhile, it's being a broadcasting we'll have a theme 321 00:21:24,760 --> 00:21:29,600 Speaker 1: on this Saturday podcast. So some other news which is 322 00:21:29,640 --> 00:21:33,960 Speaker 1: now official. The news came out yesterday on Friday that 323 00:21:34,800 --> 00:21:40,280 Speaker 1: Rob Gronkowski, Yes, that Rob Gronkowski, he of the frat 324 00:21:40,280 --> 00:21:45,399 Speaker 1: boy charm and protein shake for brain's charisma, has gotten 325 00:21:45,520 --> 00:21:50,359 Speaker 1: one of the biggest jobs in sports television. He is 326 00:21:50,440 --> 00:21:59,280 Speaker 1: replacing Jimmy Johnson on the NFL on Fox Sunday pregame set. 327 00:21:59,520 --> 00:22:02,639 Speaker 1: He's got the chair. Just when you thought sports television 328 00:22:02,640 --> 00:22:08,600 Speaker 1: couldn't dig deeper for quote personality, close quote, they strike 329 00:22:08,760 --> 00:22:14,560 Speaker 1: oil in a field of synthetic testosterone and bro jokes. 330 00:22:15,359 --> 00:22:20,120 Speaker 1: So Jimmy Johnson, the man that had that job forever 331 00:22:20,359 --> 00:22:24,040 Speaker 1: and ever and ever, the Super Bowl winning coach, a 332 00:22:24,080 --> 00:22:27,679 Speaker 1: great college football coach, a master motivator, one of the 333 00:22:27,840 --> 00:22:33,959 Speaker 1: last credible football minds on television, quietly fading into retirement. 334 00:22:34,640 --> 00:22:39,240 Speaker 1: And in his place you got the Gronk, the guy 335 00:22:39,320 --> 00:22:43,119 Speaker 1: whose main qualifications are that he played for the New 336 00:22:43,200 --> 00:22:47,679 Speaker 1: England Patriots with Tom Brady. He knows Tom Brady, and 337 00:22:47,880 --> 00:22:49,960 Speaker 1: he's got the Hall of Fame resume. He's got a 338 00:22:50,000 --> 00:22:54,040 Speaker 1: lot of followers on Instagram, and he has this uncannyability 339 00:22:54,600 --> 00:22:59,040 Speaker 1: to turn every piece of analysis into some kind of 340 00:23:00,080 --> 00:23:06,080 Speaker 1: punchline about partying or his body or now. The one 341 00:23:06,119 --> 00:23:10,320 Speaker 1: advantage he has is he's much younger than everyone else, right, Gronkowski, 342 00:23:10,880 --> 00:23:15,159 Speaker 1: Gronk on a set with Howie Long and Terry Bradshaw, 343 00:23:15,160 --> 00:23:17,399 Speaker 1: who have been doing that forever and ever as well, 344 00:23:18,000 --> 00:23:22,040 Speaker 1: so you can flash a smile of flex a bicep toll, chuckle. 345 00:23:22,880 --> 00:23:28,520 Speaker 1: He's a walking meme. He's perfect for the social media era, 346 00:23:29,520 --> 00:23:34,320 Speaker 1: where the depth is a liability. The depth is a liability. 347 00:23:35,040 --> 00:23:40,320 Speaker 1: Everything's got to be quick, it's got to be TikTok ready, 348 00:23:39,119 --> 00:23:45,680 Speaker 1: no no long form, no long form. So let's also 349 00:23:45,800 --> 00:23:50,719 Speaker 1: not pretend that the decision to have Gronkowski on television 350 00:23:50,760 --> 00:23:55,080 Speaker 1: every week is about football. It is not. In my opinion, 351 00:23:55,240 --> 00:23:59,600 Speaker 1: It is about optics. This is about the network executives 352 00:23:59,600 --> 00:24:03,960 Speaker 1: who can to be obsessed with the jockocracy and they 353 00:24:04,000 --> 00:24:08,000 Speaker 1: want that. They want the engagement, not the enlightenment. And 354 00:24:08,040 --> 00:24:13,000 Speaker 1: in many ways I understand the NFL pregame show is 355 00:24:13,680 --> 00:24:18,240 Speaker 1: a dinosaur. It is as relevant today as a payphone 356 00:24:18,920 --> 00:24:22,680 Speaker 1: or a typewriter. Now, there are people that use typewriters, 357 00:24:22,960 --> 00:24:25,840 Speaker 1: and there are people that are in areas where cell 358 00:24:25,880 --> 00:24:29,720 Speaker 1: reception goes out and they end up they end up 359 00:24:30,080 --> 00:24:33,680 Speaker 1: using a payphone. The NFL pregame show is no longer 360 00:24:33,680 --> 00:24:37,280 Speaker 1: a place where you go to learn something about a game. 361 00:24:37,880 --> 00:24:43,160 Speaker 1: It is a variety hour. It's chuckles, chuckles, chuckles, and 362 00:24:43,200 --> 00:24:46,320 Speaker 1: then you throw some shoulder pads on some ex jock 363 00:24:46,440 --> 00:24:50,040 Speaker 1: and you're on your way. You're more likely to get 364 00:24:50,280 --> 00:24:54,600 Speaker 1: a viral dance routine on social media than some kind 365 00:24:54,640 --> 00:24:58,119 Speaker 1: of breakdown on the Tampa two. Now Fox is not 366 00:24:58,280 --> 00:25:02,719 Speaker 1: alone across the board. NFL pregame shows have become relics 367 00:25:03,240 --> 00:25:06,320 Speaker 1: from a different ear of hollow monuments to a time 368 00:25:07,000 --> 00:25:10,920 Speaker 1: when that mattered, a time before the interweb, back when 369 00:25:11,080 --> 00:25:15,399 Speaker 1: Sunday mornings meant you turned on to hear actual football 370 00:25:15,600 --> 00:25:20,760 Speaker 1: minds from the old country break it down. You had 371 00:25:21,000 --> 00:25:24,720 Speaker 1: the iconic IRV Cross back in the day, Jimmy the Greek, 372 00:25:24,800 --> 00:25:29,800 Speaker 1: the handicapper, depending how old you are, Tom Brookshire. Now 373 00:25:30,040 --> 00:25:34,200 Speaker 1: it's about the vibe, not the value. It's all about 374 00:25:34,280 --> 00:25:39,680 Speaker 1: the Shticklach over substance, laughter overlearning. It's been that way 375 00:25:39,680 --> 00:25:41,960 Speaker 1: for many, many years. So they're like the hardcore fan. 376 00:25:43,240 --> 00:25:46,560 Speaker 1: They don't tune into these shows, and I understand the 377 00:25:46,560 --> 00:25:48,680 Speaker 1: networks are like, there's not that many hardcore fans. There's 378 00:25:48,720 --> 00:25:52,520 Speaker 1: not Most people that watch sports are casual fans. They're 379 00:25:52,560 --> 00:25:57,600 Speaker 1: just casually invested. You're not into the all twenty two 380 00:25:57,760 --> 00:26:00,600 Speaker 1: film breakdown. If you want that, there are on the 381 00:26:00,680 --> 00:26:03,040 Speaker 1: dark web. You can get it, and you can have 382 00:26:03,080 --> 00:26:07,800 Speaker 1: it all consumed by Thursday. The algorithms have replaced the analysis, 383 00:26:08,240 --> 00:26:13,240 Speaker 1: the social media threads, breaking down, blitz packages and all 384 00:26:13,280 --> 00:26:18,280 Speaker 1: that stuff. That is what the social media world is for, 385 00:26:18,840 --> 00:26:22,560 Speaker 1: or parts of that world. And so if you get 386 00:26:22,600 --> 00:26:26,160 Speaker 1: on television, you gotta be loud, and you gotta laugh 387 00:26:26,240 --> 00:26:29,119 Speaker 1: a lot and have some catchphrases and do all the 388 00:26:29,200 --> 00:26:36,680 Speaker 1: shikola and Gronk will fit perfectly in that mold. He chuckles, 389 00:26:36,720 --> 00:26:40,960 Speaker 1: the clown in cleets. He'll dance, he'll grunt a little bit, 390 00:26:41,080 --> 00:26:45,919 Speaker 1: He'll say yo a lot, and the producers will beam, 391 00:26:46,160 --> 00:26:49,680 Speaker 1: thinking they have nailed the coveted eighteen to thirty four 392 00:26:49,760 --> 00:26:54,040 Speaker 1: male demographic and that that'll play well in Peoria on 393 00:26:54,160 --> 00:26:58,199 Speaker 1: social media. Here's the truth. Though again this is not 394 00:26:58,400 --> 00:27:01,399 Speaker 1: about Gronk being bad at the job. I'm not saying 395 00:27:01,400 --> 00:27:05,840 Speaker 1: that by any means he will do what's asked of him. 396 00:27:06,200 --> 00:27:10,520 Speaker 1: The real issue is what the job has become and 397 00:27:10,560 --> 00:27:13,480 Speaker 1: what it no longer even pretends to be. Jimmy Johnson. 398 00:27:13,880 --> 00:27:15,800 Speaker 1: Whether you like him or not, he's out right, he's gone. 399 00:27:15,880 --> 00:27:17,720 Speaker 1: He retired. He's going to live the rest of his 400 00:27:17,760 --> 00:27:20,200 Speaker 1: life out there in Key West and enjoy the hell 401 00:27:20,240 --> 00:27:25,119 Speaker 1: out of it. Rob Gronkowski is in, and the football. 402 00:27:24,760 --> 00:27:30,120 Speaker 4: Analysis the john concres, at least on TV, continues its evolution, 403 00:27:31,000 --> 00:27:35,879 Speaker 4: evolving from what used to be some kind of insight 404 00:27:36,119 --> 00:27:41,720 Speaker 4: to inside joke, from a strategy years ago to slapstick. 405 00:27:42,560 --> 00:27:46,240 Speaker 1: But hey, the ratings, you know, they get ratings. People 406 00:27:46,280 --> 00:27:49,800 Speaker 1: still watch Foxes dominate the ratings for some time, and 407 00:27:50,320 --> 00:27:55,680 Speaker 1: I would imagine that's not going to change any time soon. 408 00:27:56,080 --> 00:27:59,200 Speaker 1: So that will be the way it is. All right, 409 00:27:59,240 --> 00:28:02,560 Speaker 1: it is the fifth hour, and I think we'll put 410 00:28:02,600 --> 00:28:05,159 Speaker 1: the baby to bed. I did not do a MAVL 411 00:28:05,200 --> 00:28:09,560 Speaker 1: monologue about Shadur Sanders lighting up the Carolina Panthers in 412 00:28:09,600 --> 00:28:13,440 Speaker 1: an exhibition game. The reason I did not is because 413 00:28:13,480 --> 00:28:16,320 Speaker 1: it was an exhibition game. It was now if he 414 00:28:16,359 --> 00:28:19,359 Speaker 1: had played terribly, would I have done a monologue? Maybe 415 00:28:19,359 --> 00:28:24,280 Speaker 1: I would have, probably not. He made his NFL preseason 416 00:28:24,359 --> 00:28:27,679 Speaker 1: debut against the Carolina Panthers on Friday night, and by 417 00:28:27,720 --> 00:28:29,720 Speaker 1: all accounts he looked pretty good. I didn't see the game. 418 00:28:30,119 --> 00:28:33,960 Speaker 1: And Tom Brady got a statue yesterday that looked like 419 00:28:34,280 --> 00:28:38,000 Speaker 1: it was from North Korea, like the Overside or Russia, 420 00:28:38,080 --> 00:28:43,120 Speaker 1: a twelve foot bronze statue of Tom Brady outside Jillette Stadium. 421 00:28:43,160 --> 00:28:46,880 Speaker 1: So that's good news for the Pigeons. Outstanding news there. 422 00:28:47,480 --> 00:28:51,000 Speaker 1: They can knock themselves out. And I also saw some 423 00:28:51,080 --> 00:28:54,800 Speaker 1: of the Raiders there, Gino Smith and Max Crosby given 424 00:28:54,800 --> 00:28:57,400 Speaker 1: a little rasthma task to the Seahawks fans there. The 425 00:28:57,440 --> 00:28:59,440 Speaker 1: twelfth Man with the bird and all that, So that 426 00:28:59,720 --> 00:29:03,080 Speaker 1: would been good for a male of Milogue and all that. 427 00:29:03,400 --> 00:29:06,520 Speaker 1: But listen, we've done what we've done here and we 428 00:29:06,560 --> 00:29:09,960 Speaker 1: will move on. We'll have the mail bag on Sunday. 429 00:29:10,040 --> 00:29:13,680 Speaker 1: Have a wonderful Saturday here, enjoy the heck out of 430 00:29:13,720 --> 00:29:17,520 Speaker 1: your day today, and we'll catch you on the Sunday 431 00:29:17,720 --> 00:29:20,720 Speaker 1: mail Bag. By Folation