Media Curmudgeon

Thanks for commenting, Dr. Blogstein. I'm shocked, shocked that Howard Stern has a reasonably intelligent listener--you must be under 35. I'm over 70, which probably explains why I don't get Stern or his listeners. I have listened to a few snippets of the Stern program when I couldn't avoid it and those brief moments were enough to know it wasn't for me.

I am offended by your sweeping generalization of Howard Stern listeners.

I am a fan of his radio show and have been for many years. I don't necessarily like every bit he does but on the whole I find the program entertaining and informative. Also quite humorous at times.

I am not rebellious, uninformed, untalented or self-loathing. I know others, like me, who also enjoy Howard Stern's radio show. We're polite, responsible, productive and successful members of society. I apologize for flushing your prejudice theory down the drain.

I also find it amusing that you even took the time to write this post being that Howard Stern is so irrelevant. Why even bother commenting on him?

Plus, the purpose of this post was to frown upon Howard Stern for not taking seriously a television talent competition for which the prize is to become the next American celebrity, right? Well, then why then contradict yourself by also railing against "Our instant-gratification culture" that " now translates into, 'I want celebrity now!'"?!?

By the way, have you ever listened to The Howard Stern Radio Show? From reading your description, I highly doubt it.

Bill Grimes writes:

"Your most thoughtful and societal-addressed commentary to date, and I can find nothing to disagree with. One point not made is that our youth are increasingly the victims of deteriorating parenting. Whether it's two busy working full-time job parents who don't have or make time to provide sufficient interest in their children's activities and education or whether it's the growing number of one-parent households (two-thirds of black children live in home with one parent, 99% with the mother) where there just isn't enough time to parent as well as the mother would like, the result is the same: children not learning values and discipline at home.

In many of these latter homes the parent has not graduated from high school and therefore has little knowledge or wisdom to impart to her neglected child who finds the street and the media--rap music lyrics, video games, Nike shoes ("You'll play in the League, Bro") and Stern ("muff-diving is where it's at, dude")--who capture and manipulate the child's curiosity and energy.

Furthermore, the public school system is in terrible decline. Thirty-two percent of blacks are graduating from high school; 38% of Hispanics. The schools continue to be dominated by strong unions who fight to minimize performance evaluation of teachers while at the same time push for earlier retirement at higher pension and health benefits.

Last week I visited for two hours with a University of Buffalo Ph.D. who has created a web based product he believes can have some small impact upon this awful state of public education K-12. But the stories and statistics (including the ones above he cited) are extremely depressing.

So the gutter mentality you describe, which Stern manipulates, is the product of increasingly poor parenting and a public K-12 system that needs to be completely overhauled or the America we know will change in ways that will be inhospitable to all of us--growing income disparity, growing unemployment, class strife, and, finally, perhaps, war in the streets between the growing army of near-illiterate Sternites and the upper class wealthy and with a beleageured middle class not knowing whom to side with. Anarchy."

Bruce Braun writes:

"You nailed this one. Stern is passe.

Mel Karmizan & Howard Stern have forgotten that audiences have a nasty habit of aging. When you age, as we all hate to, you hopefully mature, learn from your collective life experiences and come to view the world differently from what you did 10, 20, or 30 years ago.

The listeners who embodied this drunken frat-boy mentality and made Stern a success, grew up, graduated, got nice jobs, married and had kids they are now worried about being corrupted by guys like Stern.

Even Chris Rock summed this up when he was asked what his greatest fear in raising his young daughter was, he replied: "Keeping her off the pole!"

The current group of drunken frat-boys see Stern for what he is: an over-the-hill, 53 -ear-old guy who went through a mid-life crisis, divorced his wife and hooked up with a great looking piece of arm-candy. The current drunken frat-boys have found their own new icons and see no reason to listen to or, even more so, pay to get Stern.

Stern's old audience certainly has a hard time now explaining to their middle-aged wives why they want to pay to listen to all of the same porn star-stripper, David Lee Roth, Carmen Electra, fart joke stuff that has not changed for 15 to 20 years.

I will always remember listening to the old Ken & Bob Morning Show on KABC when they were interviewing the lateSteve Allen. Stern was very hot at the time, so Allen was asked what he thought about Stern, his style of humor and entertainment value. Allan, of course was brilliant and summed Stern up in one phrase: The vulgarians entertaining the barbarians.

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