The Howard Stern Show is in an unusual state of chaos this week, and it’s all thanks to rumors and leaks about the legendary shock jock’s contract.
The 71-year-old radio icon has reportedly launched a search for a “mole” within his own team after private details about his negotiations began circulating, causing finger-pointing and paranoia among his 95-strong staff.
The Andy Cohen Prank That Shook Fans
The drama kicked off in a very public way on Monday when listeners tuning in to Stern’s Howard 100 channel heard co-host Andy Cohen announce a fake rebrand: Andy 100.
“I know you’re expecting a big announcement from Howard and this is not how things were meant to go,” Cohen admitted on-air, adding that he was “kind of winging it.”
Fans immediately panicked, thinking Stern had been ousted, while Cohen humorously admitted he could never fill Stern’s shoes.
Twenty minutes later, Stern himself stormed on-air to thank Cohen for the prank, but the stunt only fueled fresh speculation about his contract renewal—something Stern has been tight-lipped about.
Rising Tensions Behind the Scenes
Behind the laughter, tensions at the studio were boiling.
Executive producer Gary Dell’Abate warned that a staff mole was leaking private information, including conversations from a Manhattan team-building event at Spin ping-pong bar.
Staff members quickly began pointing fingers at one another.
The investigation has been handed over to producer Memet Walker, a former U.S. Air Force airman trained in interrogation tactics.
Walker, who served from 2006 to 2010 and joined Stern’s team in 2015, has denied any involvement in the leaks.
Rumors Spark Paranoia at Staff Party
The mole rumors first reached Stern on September 2, triggered by a Google Alert pinging him during dinner at his $21 million Southampton mansion.
That evening, a staff gathering meant to boost morale with cocktails and ping pong quickly descended into paranoia.
A senior producer had even toasted to “bigger, better guests” and “the best radio we can do,” unaware that whispers of leaks were already spreading through the team.
The next morning, Stern hosted an unscheduled “emergency show.”
But instead of addressing his contract, he spent the majority of the broadcast chatting with Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich, only confirming near the end that he would return on September 2, leaving the mole hunt unresolved.
Stern Addresses Firing Rumors Head-On
Rumors that Stern had been fired intensified after he delayed returning from summer vacation.
On Monday, however, the veteran broadcaster tackled the chatter directly.
“I was just getting so f*****g annoyed with everyone writing me, asking me if I was okay because I’d been fired,” Stern said, explaining that his absence was due to illness, not stalled contract talks.
He recounted seeing reports claiming he had been “fired for being too woke” and firmly denied them. “None of it is true, zero truth,” he said.
Stern added that the situation had even disrupted his retirement plans: “What p**ses me off is that now I can’t leave. I’ve been thinking about retiring. Now I can’t.”
Despite this, he reassured fans, saying, “I am very happy at Sirius.”
Stern’s Long-Standing Impact on Radio
Stern joined what was then Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. in 2006 and quickly became one of the highest-paid figures in broadcasting, transforming the company’s fortunes.
Since then, SiriusXM has become a powerhouse, hosting talent like Trevor Noah, Andy Cohen, Kevin Hart, Stephen A. Smith, and popular podcasts such as Call Her Daddy, SmartLess, and Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend.
Before satellite radio, Stern built his reputation as the self-proclaimed “King of All Media” during a 20-year run at WXRK in New York, where his show aired in 60 markets and attracted over 20 million listeners.
Drawn to Sirius for both a record-setting paycheck and freedom from FCC restrictions, Stern became notorious for his unfiltered on-air antics—from marching strippers through the studio to eliciting candid confessions from celebrities.
Stern’s fame also crossed into film and literature.
His 1997 autobiographical movie Private Parts was a box office hit, and he has written bestselling books.
He also served as a judge on America’s Got Talent from 2012 to 2015, cementing his influence across media platforms.