Radio icon Howard Stern has Jackson Heights roots
In conjunction with the
Greater Astoria Historical
Society, TimesLedger Newspapers
presents noteworthy events in the
borough’s history.
Born on Jan. 12, 1954 in
Queens, Howard Stern is an
award-winning “shock jock”
radio personality, television
show producer and bestselling
author.
The self-proclaimed “King
of All Media” is best known for
his provocative, highly-risqué
commentary on controversial
social issues such as gender,
sex and politics.
As a result, he became the
most-fined program host in
the history of American radio
after racking up $2.5 million
in penalties from the Federal
Communications Commission.
In 2004, the Jackson
Heights native inked a $500
million, five-year contract
with Sirius Satellite Radio. The
on-air provocateur is also a
professional photographer and
has three daughters from his
first marriage.
From early childhood, Stern
wanted to be a radio star. His
father set up a recording studio
for him in the basement of their
Long Island home where the
budding disc jockey hosted his
own imaginary shows.
After graduating high school
in Rockville Centre, Stern studied
at Boston University, where he
COLUMNS
Howard Stern is a Jackson
Heights native.
Photo by Debra L Rothenberg
landed his first radio work.
Following graduation, the
future media mogul bounced
between radio stations in New
York, Connecticut and Michigan,
where he worked on developing
his on-air personality. Early in
his career, Stern set a course
for future fame and notoriety
by determining to “... kill my
competition. I was going to say
whatever the expletive I was
going to say.”
The rising star from Queens
courted controversy from the
outset. After signing a $1 million
deal with WNBC in New York
City in 1982, Stern criticized
station management on the air
and was soon fired. During his
short stint, however, he tripled
the station’s ratings and The
Washingtonian named him the
city’s best DJ.
Stern’s star continued to
rise, both due to and in spite
of his outrageous antics. An
appearance on “Late Night with
David Letterman” and a feature
in People magazine increased
his national exposure after
WNBC. He was soon picked up
by WXRK, where his program
ran for 20 years and was
syndicated in 60 markets.
His fame and fortune
reached stratospheric levels in
2004 when he signed his deal
with Sirius, which is exempt
from FCC broadcast regulations
as a satellite radio service. Two
years later, the former social
misfit from Queens was named
to the TIME Magazine Time
100 list as well as the Forbes
Celebrity 100.
From the outset, the King
of all Media could not limit
his incendiary humor to the
airwaves. In 1982, he released an
album of spoofed popular songs
titled 50 Ways to Rank Your
Mother, and in 1991 followed up
with a compilation of censored
radio segments called Crucified
by the FCC.
His two books, “Private
Parts” and “Miss America,”
both made The New York Times
Best Seller list and “Private
Parts” was adapted into a
feature film.
On television, “The Howard
Stern Show” aired in 65 markets
in the early 1990s, and Stern
again appeared in American
living rooms as a judge on
America’s Got Talent from 2012
to 2015.
Capping a career of success
and not a few raised eyebrows,
in 2015 Stern was named by
Forbes magazine as the world’s
highest paid media personality.
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