It would be a challenge to find anyone that doesn't know who Howard Stern is, and love him or hate him, the man known across the globe as the 'shock jock,' has infiltrated the air waves in a very big way. His highly controversial antics have been offensive to some, and entertaining to others, and along the path of his decades long career, he has managed to amass an impressive net worth of $650 million. Republic World reports that while most entertainers come and go in the industry, Stern has maintained his 40 year reign and is showing no signs of slowing down. He remains the king of all media.
His Attitude
At the age of 65, the man known for his notorious grasp on the world of media has a lot to brag about, and a lot to feel remorseful for, as well. He has gripped the nation with his supremely crass attitude and his unique perspective. He doesn't shy away from saying exactly what's on his mind, regardless of how his perspective will be received.
Stern is not one to sugar-coat any situation, and fans always knows where he stands on any topic, and precisely how he feels about the people he interviews. He defies the regular rules of broadcasting by slinging words and comments without a sense of filter, and a big part of his success was just how much he happened to stir the pot, every single time he took the microphone.
Global Attention
One thing that Howard Stern does very well, is attract a whole lot of attention. He does it without even trying. His innate ability to take the mic and ruffle feathers has kept fans entertained, even though they may, at times, be offended. His delivery is quick and slick, and his insults are slung fast and furious.
In fact, Stern has been so offensive to viewers that he has cost the network millions of dollars, continuously. Those fines have been a small price to pay when compared to the crowd that Stern is able to attract, so the wheels keep turning.
At one point, Republic World indicates that: "Between the year 1990 and 2004, the fines issued amounted to a sum of $2.5 million. The radio personality was issued fines as the Federal Communications Commission deemed the content as indecent."
The Sirius XM Empire
One of the highlights of Howard Stern's career was making a shift from working with conventional radio broadcast teams to the freedom of satellite radio. In a statement revealed by Cheatsheet, Stern is quoted as saying; “Fifteen years ago, I joined SiriusXM, a fledgling group of broadcasters. I had been in a toxic relationship with terrestrial radio,” he said. “And no matter how well I treated the medium, no matter how successful I made them, they abused me. Going to SiriusXM liberated me. I felt like Tina Turner freeing myself from Ike.”
During his wild antics during his time on the radio in the 90s, he was reportedly "routinely fined by the FCC for saying things that were allegedly racist, graphically sexual, or otherwise offensive." His deal with Sirius, on the other hand, has him all set up to work from home, and free from the broadcasting constraints, leaving his content completely open.
While many fans were aware of the abundance of his success, very few paid attention to the actual dollars he was bringing home. Howard Stern's contract with Sirius XM earns him an astounding $90 million a year, and puts him on the list of the top 10 earning celebrities.
What's even more shocking is the insight as to just how that relates to the industry he is in. To put things in perspective, he earns more than the executives at Sirius. The CEO of Sirius, John Meyer, is paid considerably less than Howard Stern, his employee.
Stern's fortune puts him in a circle of top earning celebrities such as Kylie Jenner, and he outranks huge Hollywood names, like Ellen DeGeneres, Ariana Grande, Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, and LeBron James.
The Full Picture
The full picture of Stern's life isn't based solely on his wild antics on his radio show. In recent years, he has made it a point to inform his fans that he feels remorseful for some of his words, and particularly feels that he acted shamefully without the ability to understand the feelings of others. When recounting his past, he tells Money; " I wanted to be interesting and entertaining to that guy driving the car. But, you know, it’s painful for me to look back on my career, because a lot of that stuff I said I don’t know how much I believed.”
The now 65 year old Stern is more reflective and begs his audience to understand he also has a sensitive, compassionate side. He's more reflective, and kind-hearted and looking back at his past, he says; “My narcissism was so strong that I was incapable of appreciating what somebody else might be feeling.”
He continues to dominate his audience, and is still brazen with his approach to sensitive topics, but the sting of his insults and the downright raunchy portrayal of himself seems to have subsided.
Stern has more than enough money to retire, but entertainment remains his passion, and he's in it for the long haul. With a $90 million a year work-at-home job, most of us would stick it out, too.
Sources: Money, Cheatsheet, Forbes, Republic World