Howard Stern Slams Critics With Pointed Message as Insiders Reveal Audacious New Show Plan

Howard Stern Fights to Revive Career Amid SiriusXM Contract Uncertainty

Howard Stern, 71, is gearing up to reignite his career as his $500 million SiriusXM contract approaches its end in 2025. Speculation swirls about the show’s future, with critics blaming declining listenership on Stern’s shift toward “woke” content. Despite rumors of the show being “doomed,” a source tells the Daily Mail that Stern remains defiant, ready to “prove people wrong again” and explore new opportunities.

Howard Stern in April 2024

A New Chapter?
Stern, who joined SiriusXM in 2006 after a groundbreaking terrestrial radio career, is reportedly considering moves to streaming giants like HBO or Netflix. The insider notes Stern wants to end his career “on his own terms,” whether with Sirius or elsewhere. His team’s fate weighs heavily on him, but he’s prepared with backup plans. Recent personal losses—including his father, stylist Ralph Cirella, and agent Don Buchwald—have also led him to reflect on retirement.

Stern with Madonna in 2015

Controversy and Backlash
Once the “King of All Media,” Stern’s listener numbers have plummeted from 20 million daily at his peak to an alleged 125,000. Critics, including Kanye West, have labeled him an “irrelevant old man.” Stern has leaned into his “woke” persona, defending his support for LGBTQ+ rights and vaccines: “If woke means I can’t get behind Trump… call me woke as you want.”

Staff Shake-Up Scare
In a recent drama, Stern’s team was blindsided by a false report claiming the show was canceled. Staffers learned of the rumor during a Manhattan team-building event, while Stern himself received a Google Alert at home. He quickly debunked the claims in an emergency broadcast, vowing to return September 2.

Stern’s team during a recent event

Legacy of Provocation
Stern’s career is marked by jaw-dropping interviews and controversies. Donald Trump appeared over 20 times, once commenting on daughter Ivanka’s “voluptuous” appearance. Stern also regrets grilling Robin Williams about his divorce in the ’90s: “I was attacking the guy.”

But his edgy humor often crossed lines. After Columbine, he joked about “good-looking” fleeing students, and in 1995, mocked Selena fans with gunshot sounds and a fake accent ahead of her funeral.

Stern faced backlash for remarks about Columbine and Selena

What’s Next?
Whether Stern re-signs with SiriusXM or pivots to streaming, he aims to control his narrative. As the insider says, “His story isn’t done.” With a career spanning shock jock antics, bestselling books, and personal evolution, Stern’s next move could define his legacy—on his terms.

The Daily Mail has reached out to Stern’s representatives for comment.