Howard Stern’s Cancellation Prank Incites ‘Fear’ Among Staff

Howard Stern‘s rumored cancellation on SiriusXM has shifted from speculation to a joke and, even worse, reportedly left his staff deeply unsettled.

Although the radio personality, who signed a five-year contract extension in 2020 for “The Howard Stern Show,” went on air to dismiss rumors of his departure, his reassurances appear to have done little to ease concerns.

Insiders say that within his more than two-decade-old media empire, tensions are running high.

With Stern’s radio future in limbo, his staff are the most worried, and the growing concern has brought about turmoil within the team. 

“People are panicking. Many employees who work there have a family to take care of, have kids, have a mortgage payment, and this is their main source of income,” an insider told Daily Mail. 

They continued, “Fear has sunk in that next week, next month, they might not have a job. It’s not fair to a lot of them.” In fact, the threats of the potential layoffs did not just start recently but have been on their “minds for quite some time.”

According to the informant, while several team members are talking about leaving, strict contract terms prevent them from speaking out about the company.

“People there, they’re all terrified because they’re all on [non-disclosure agreements]. They all signed papers that say they’re not allowed to open their mouths and talk about anything.” 

The employees are anxious that even a small slip or voicing a complaint can get them “instantly fired” if Stern gets wind of it. “There’s a ton of people there whose lives would drastically change based on Stern’s firing on a whim,” the source concluded. 

Despite Stern’s staffers’ anxieties about the series’ possible end, he previously brushed it off, but not without poking fun at it.

The Blast reported that listeners tuning in for the program’s anticipated return on September 8 were surprised to hear a different voice behind the mic.

“Bravo” host Andy Cohen opened the broadcast, joking that it was his first day and hinting that Stern had stepped away for good. 

Cohen played along, admitting he was nervous to fill Stern’s shoes and suggesting that the handoff had been far from smooth. Cohen maintained his act even when an angry listener aired his displeasure over the sudden appearance.

However, Stern soon got on-air and declared it was only a stunt before addressing all the talk of his exit. Declining to share specifics, Stern promised listeners that he and SiriusXM executives were working toward the best possible outcome for both sides. 

He reassured them that he had no issues with the broadcasting company and explained his September 2 absence, citing illness as the reason.

As for whoever in Stern’s media empire is leaking private details to the public, the individual had best count their days as Stern is doing his best to fish them out. 

As The Blast reported earlier, tensions rose as executive producer Gary Dell’Abate warned that a member of the team was spilling exclusive information. The mole had revealed talk from a team-building gathering at a Spin ping-pong bar in Manhattan. 

In response, Stern launched an internal investigation, assigning the task to producer Memet Walker, a former U.S. Air Force airman with interrogation training.