by Al Brumley
Eighteen months ago, I got to interview Howard Stern about his book, Miss America. [Ed.-that story is here.] After I returned, everyone asked, "Well, what was he really like?" To which I had to answer, "He was as nice and friendly as he could be."
And it was the truth. He let me into his studio for about 15 minutes while he was on the air, during which he berated his producer, Gary Dell'Abate, for getting my name wrong. Later that day, I interviewed him in his office for well over an hour. He simply couldn't have been more friendly or accommodating.
At first, I was genuinely surprised. Then I was suspicious: How else was he going to treat a journalist who had travelled halfway across the country to talk to him about his new book?
But the strange, amazing truth was that, away from the microphone, Howard Stern genuinely seemed like a regular guy.
So it's with that knowledge that I've watched journalists over the past few weeks fall all over themselves trying to explain to their readers, viewers and listeners how Mr. Stern can be such a hurricane behind the microphone and so harmless away from it.
The dichotomy between Mr. Stern's on- and off-air personas has manifested itself in a flurry of press appearances and interviews - including a Tuesday night interview on Larry King Live [Ed.-aired on Mar. 18, 1997] - during which he has dutifully touted his new film, Private Parts.
Fans are confused. Some accuse Mr. Stern of selling out. "Well, Howard really kissed up to Larry King," wrote dennisdm on the Internet news group alt.fan.howard-stern. "He could have taken so many shots: about Larry spraying his head, his many wives, etc. I was really disappointed."
Well, get over it, dennisdm. When you can convince a major corporation to spend $20 million on a movie about you, then we'll talk.
Besides, anybody listening to Mr. Stern on Wednesday morning heard enough words that can't be printed in this newspaper to know he's far from selling out. If you're still not sure, you must have missed the infamous booger-eating segment on Tuesday.
On the other hand, many of his fans do get it. "Howard is always true to himself on the radio," wrote BoyLee in the same newsgroup. "But he also knows when it's time to sell. If you don't like it, tune out! Few people do."
As Mr. Stern noted Wednesday morning, he can't win. If he emerges from his radio studio and stays in character with something like "Butt Bongo Fiesta," he's criticized as a dangerously juvenile threat to the very fiber of our country. If he breaks character and talks to somebody such as David Letterman like an adult, he's accused of selling out.
All of which means he's angering a lot of people, which means he must be doing something right.
There's really no secret to Howard Stern's success. He goes on the air and says pretty much whatever he wants in a way that's funny and entertaining - something that's harder to do than you might think - and he's lucky enough to have married a woman who lets him do it.
If you need to know more than that, either read his books or go see Private Parts. It's one of the best films you'll see this year.
© 1997 The Dallas Morning News.
This article appeared in the March 23, 1997, Dallas Morning News "Arts" section.
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