On hating Howard Stern - much ado about nothing.

I could never figure out why people make such a big deal about Howard Stern to begin with? I've been listening to him on and off for the past 17 years - I blew him off last year when he was cheer leading for the war but went right back when he woke up to the Bush Crime Family.

Sure, he can be a sexist asshole and when he is, I simply change the station. While that mentality tends predominate the show, there are enough precious moments where he is so excruciatingly hilarious that it keeps me coming back. What seems to be the problem is that people don't really get him, they think he's one dimensional and believes the shit that comes out of his mouth. Personally, I think his "imitators" are far more offensive than he has ever been and they're the ones people should be whining about.

In conclusion, I like Howard, he pisses me off sometimes but I'll take him warts and all.

you always know what is going on in his head...

I've listened to him a little and he has never made me laugh; only pissed off. Now I don't listen to him or watch his tv show at all.

when he turned on them.

Got Christie Todd Whitman, Pataki elected. Buddies with Giuliani.

Stuck up for Clinton during the impeachment fiasco, defended Janet Reno and never once made fun of Chelsea... goes both ways.

As long as the right doesn't get him shut down on the rest of his stations, Kerry is in, guaranteed.

I don't know how I ended up listening to him this morning, but I tuned in just in time. I usually listen to news/traffic or music, as I find most of what he does to be derivative of the greats like Johnny Carson and Steve Allen. Sometimes he nails it, though, like this morning.

I agree that he's got an adolescent approach to sexuality, for the most part. But for me, his saving grace is a genuine lack of hypocricy. I used to get pissed about his ignorance, but then I noticed that he typically admitted his own ignorance and rarely professed to be anything other than what he really is. He's a clown, and he knows it. Bully for him. That's rare on this planet (amongst humans, anyway). Also, his humor---particularly when he's dissecting the bullshit and hypocricy of the world at large---often makes me laugh. None of the Stern imitators I've heard have ever amused me. I also enjoy the way he's cannily positioned his "radio family" of cohorts and colleagues to be a kind of "live, on-the-air dysfunctional family" for the rest of us. They tend to put their arguments, grievances, fights, machinations, money squabbles, etc. out over the airwaves, and I would guess a lot of people enjoy that aspect of the show as well. Sure, much of it is probably trumped up for the sake of the show, and it can be supremely brainless stuff---but it's almost as if you've got your own personal microphone hidden inside the office of a small, screwed-up business. Somehow, it's comforting.

When Stern starts quizzing strippers about their bra-sizes (fairly often), I switch channels. I was pleased to hear last night that the host of "This American Life" on NPR copped to doing the same thing.

when I find him grating, or over the top , I turn the dial.

Most of the time, I find him funny, and lately , I find myself cheering when I listen.

but I sure as hell don't want him censored. There are people who enjoy his show, and they should be able to hear it. Just as I am able to NOT listen to it.