Howard Stern Called Will Ferrell "Pathetic" After The Actor Refused To Discuss His "Intimate" Life

Howard Stern has done a drastic rebrand from his "misogynistic" and "sexist" interviews in the 2000s. Back then, the host and his sidekick Robin Quivers openly made "lewd" remarks to public figures like Mariah Carey. They also made harsh comments about celebrities' looks (they once forced Anna Nicole Smith to step on a scale and reveal her weight). So in 2003, Stern was surprised when Will Ferrell refused to get candid about his love life.

The self-proclaimed King of All Media was caught off guard by the comedian's serious conduct. Along with Quivers, Stern tried to provoke Ferrell by calling his romantic life "horrible" and "pathetic," as well as making inappropriate comments about his wife. But the Barbie star couldn't be bothered. Here's what really happened between Ferrell and Stern.

Howard Stern Called Will Ferrell "Pathetic" For Not Talking About His Sex Life

In November 2003, Ferrell went on The Howard Stern Show to promote his film, Elf. During his introduction, Quivers noted how the Saturday Night Live alum was now "a big movie star" and that "not everybody makes that leap" from the comedy series. Once the actor had his headphones and mic on, Stern asked if he was "alright" as he didn't seem to have the same energy he usually has onscreen. "No, I'm good," Ferrell said.

Once the conversation started, Stern immediately asked about his guest's wedding ring. The latter then said that he'd been married for three years already. In an early attempt at a provocative interview, the host asked: "What, were you afraid you weren't going to be a big success?" A low-energy Ferrell responded, "I panicked... No, I'm in love."

Unsatisfied with the wholesome answer, Stern asked if the Get Hard star got "a chance to [date many women]" following his SNL fame. But Ferrell didn't fail to disappoint... again. "No. See, everyone asked me that," he explained, "And I was like, you know, at the SNL parties and like someone's friend who was a school teacher wanted to meet me."

"[I] never [got the hot models]," he added. Stern suggested it was probably because Ferrell was a "nice guy," to which the actor agreed. As a result, 20 minutes into their chat, the host got seemingly bored with the funnyman's "nice guy" stories.

Quivers then asked how he lost his virginity. "Probably college," Ferrell answered, without an ounce of interest in the subject. In the comments section, fans noted how "Will [probably] found Howard's line of questioning a tad off-putting." But others thought the actor "was so boring" and that he was "supposed to be funny."

Howard Stern Didn't Expect Will Ferrell To Be So Serious In Real Life

Via: Instar

Stern probably didn't expect Ferrell to be reserved in person given his variety of hilarious roles. But as one fan said in the comments: "This is a greatly misconceived interview. Will can be a quiet kind of guy in real life, which he is here, and remain charming, which he is here. And he even still gets some funny stuff in, which he does here."

In a Quora discussion about the actor's personality in real life, a netizen said that off-camera, Ferrell had "somewhat low energy, seemed distracted at best, and kind of wandered through his lines/just went through the motions. He seemed pleasant enough, but that was about it."

Someone who also met Ferrell at a Comic-Con in 2010 said "he is more low-key in person, but that is typical of stars who expend a tremendous amount of energy during professional performances and can't possibly be 'on' all of the time."

Another fan wrote that the Old School star is "actually as funny, witty and entertaining as can be" in person. But it's important to understand that "the real Will Ferrell is nothing like the characters he plays on TV and in movies." That's probably what caught Stern off guard.

Here are the 10 "worst" guests on The Howard Stern Show, as ranked by TheThings:

Howard Stern Regrets His 2003 Interview With Will Ferrell

via: Instar

In Stern's 2019 memoir, Howard Stern Comes Again, the radio king owned up to being mean to Ferrell during their 2003 interview. "I was an absolute maniac. My narcissism was so strong that I was incapable of appreciating what somebody else might be feeling," he said of his past interviews. "I have so many regrets about guests from that time."

He went on to say that his "biggest regret was my interview with Robin Williams. When Robin came on the show in the early nineties, I spent the entire time badgering him about how he had divorced his first wife and remarried his son's former nanny. I was attacking the guy, and he was justifiably furious with me."

Stern later apologized to some of the people he offended but admitted that not everyone forgave him. "Years later, I realized I finally needed to apologize," he confessed. "I had already done this with some other people. I called them and tried to make amends. Some were gracious."