by Al Brumley
from the Dallas Morning News, August 16, 1997
About 150 people attended a Howard Stern rally Friday outside the offices of KEGL-FM (97.1), the station that dropped his show on July 28.
Shari Landa, 32, of Dallas said she attended the Stern rally "because he's brilliant, and he makes mornings bearable."
Ms. Landa said she now listens to KERA-FM (90.1) in Mr. Stern's absence.
Mr. Stern was dropped by KEGL almost eight months after it was bought by Nationwide Communications Inc., based in Columbus, Ohio. His contract ran through Sept. 5, but Nationwide decided to buy out the remainder of it and pulled him off the air July 28.
Nationwide officials said Mr. Stern's show was too difficult to sell to advertisers and that they believed the station would do better financially without it.
No other local radio station has expressed interest in picking up Mr. Stern.
Friday's rally, which ran from 6 to 9 a.m., was sponsored in part by S.O.S. (Save Our Stern), a group formed about two months ago by Stern fan Cathy Calder of Dallas.
"We just want Howard back," Ms. Calder said Friday after the rally was over.
Members of S.O.S. made about 100 signs, which were given out to rally attendees. High winds made some of the signs difficult to hold, but the group stood on the side of Las Colinas Boulevard undaunted. Many drivers honked their horns in support of Mr. Stern and the rally as they drove by.
Among the slogans on the signs were these: "Howard Will Be Back," "The Eagle Has Landed Off My Dial," and "Howard Is God."
Melrose Larry Green, an independently wealthy man of 46 who has gained some notoriety by standing on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles with pro-Howard Stern signs, was the self-appointed leader of the rally.
"I've always wanted to be famous," Mr. Green said. "And Howard gave me that chance. I will never forget that Howard has a heart of gold."
Later, Mr. Green told the crowd: "I don't go for the gold - I go for the platinum in life. I want you all to know I love you very much. Howard will get back."
Many of Mr. Stern's fans obviously felt much the same way as they cheered loudly when a tape of an old show of Mr. Stern's was played on a loudspeaker provided by another Stern fan.
B.J. Standridge, 18, lead singer of a band called Social Deviance, said the band will have a Howard Stern Tribute concert Aug. 21 at a Dallas club called Dirty Dogs.
He also said that when Mr. Stern returns to the Dallas airwaves, he'll celebrate by getting a tattoo on his arm that says, "Howard Rules."
Several Irving police officers watched the rally from afar, but they reported no serious incidents.
One taxi driver stopped to argue with some Stern fans, but police broke the argument up.
Mr. Green thanked the police and reminded them that he and Mr. Stern are big fans of police officers everywhere.
Updated: 16-August-1997
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