Summary
- Howard Stern addressed rumors of Simon Cowell being the reason for his departure from "America's Got Talent".
- Stern explained that he was initially hired to boost ratings, but later decided to leave due to wanting more free time.
- Stern strongly dislikes Cowell for attempting to replace him and lying about it.
Howard Stern's days of celebrity feuds have diminished. At one stage during his career, the radio legend and former shock jock was always picking fights with the rich and famous. But nowadays he spends more time delving into their insights in his outstanding celebrity interviews. However, Stern is not above mixing it up with an A-list when he thinks it's called for.
This includes Stern's September 2023 feud with Bill Maher, who criticized his relationship with his wife. But around the same time, Stern drudged up one of his most famous celebrity feuds... the one he has with Simon Cowell.
Following reports, including one from TheThings, that suggested Cowell had Stern fired as a host on America's Got Talent, Stern took to his SiriusXM radio show to set the record straight. While the report has since been amended to reflect a more accurate account of the situation, it Stern certainly had things to say. During this, he shed light on why he actually left his judging duties in 2015 and took a few shots at his longtime nemesis...
Did Simon Cowell Have Howard Stern Fired From America's Got Talent?
During his September 19th broadcast, Howard Stern addressed reports that Simon Cowell was the reason for his departure from America's Got Talent. According to Stern, the report included details of him "hiding a secret" about his departure.
"It even said in this article that I never commented on it. That I'm hiding it," Howard Stern said to his audience and longtime co-host Robin Quivers before revealing the story of what really happened behind the scenes.
"The first season I did America's Got Talent, I came in, and the ratings were low, so they wanted to fire me. But yet, for some reason, they kept me for three more years. This was the article [saying this]... Well, from what I remember, they hired me because the ratings were dropping and yeah I did the show and then the ratings were dropping that much. I guess they had dropped somewhat, but the bleeding stopped. And then we started to do the show and in year two I wanted to leave and they said 'please don't leave. Stay'. So, I stayed on for year three and I was convinced that was it," Stern explained.
The reason why Stern was convinced his third year hosting America's Got Talent was his final was because he was overwhelmed by his work schedule. After all, he was simultaneously doing his radio show while hosting the NBC talent competition show.
"America's Got Talent wasn't, sort of, my vision for my career. It was funny to do for a season or two. But now it was turning to a gig and I was looking for more free time in my life," Stern admitted.
On top of this, this was the year Simon Cowell showed up in Stern's life...
"[Simon Cowell] didn't have a gig at the time, except over in England. He wanted to be on American television. And I remember him. He saw me there. And I saw him starring at me the hole f***ing time. And I said to my wife afterwards, 'Oh oh, this f***ing guy..' I could see the wheels turning in him. He was freaking out how popular I was on the show."
Not long after, a hacker group tied to the North Korean government hacked SONY, releasing numerous private emails. The 2014 hack included private emails from Simon Cowell to SONY executives, where he begged to be Stern's replacement.
"[He said] 'Please, let me come to America's Got Talent. I want to replace Howard Stern, and I'll work much cheaper,'" Stern claimed. "This is the way I remember it and I'm sure my agent does too."
Soon after this, Cowell reportedly called Stern to claim that it was all a big misunderstanding. According to Stern, Cowell refuted what he had allegedly written in these emails.
"I said, 'Simon, look, it's fine. I don't know you but what do you mean it's not true? It's your email'," Stern recalled. "What am I, an imbecile?"
While Simon Cowell absolutely did want Howard Stern's job and tried to get it behind his back (as per his leaked emails), according to the radio host, he was not the source of his departure.
Why Did Howard Stern Leave America's Got Talent?
During Howard Stern's September 19th, 2023 radio show, he explained that during his 4th year judging America's Got Talent alongside Howie Mandel, Mel B, and Heidi Klum, the self-proclaimed was approached by NBC executives. This included former executive Paul Telegdy who requested that he stay longer.
Despite saying that he felt like he was "done" with AGT, Stern was persuaded by the producers.
"I even said, 'I'll do one more year, but I'm done. I'm being honest with you. I'm done because I have a radio career. The other judges, you know, they're fine. They're doing they're doing. Besides, I read in the paper that Simon Cowell is dying to get on. You can get him for a lot less money.' I mean that was it," Stern claimed.
Following this, Stern said that the British head of America's Got Talent tried to offer him a job as a game show host in order to keep him in the NBC family. Despite being tempted, Stern rejected these offers in order to devote his time to his acclaimed radio show on SiriusXM.
"As far as being fired, I don't know, it seemed like everybody wanted me to continue on to host my own show. They seemed, every year, to ask me... I mean there's no truth to this story [that Simon Cowell had me fired]," Stern added. "This article sounds like Simon Cowell trying to re-write history."
Robin Quivers, Stern's longtime co-host, remarked that NBC changed the entire show format in order to accommodate having Stern there. She's referring to them altering the location of their audition so that Stern could still be near his New York radio studio.
Howard Stern then went on to say that he felt that judging AGT became "redundant".
"How much more could I have done? Sitting at that desk. Saying the same s***," Stern said. "It was fun for the first year or two and then it got to be too much."
Does Howard Stern Hate Simon Cowell?
It does appear as though Howard Stern strongly dislikes Simon Cowell. While there are many reasons for this, the main one does appear to be Cowell's attempt to take his job as revealed in the hacked SONY emails.
"I know [Simon Cowell] lied to my face," Stern said on his radio show.
Howard Stern Show listeners know all too well just how much Howard Stern dislikes Simon Cowell as he has slammed him on repeated occasions. Not just in terms of Cowell's alleged conduct behind the scenes of America's Got Talent but also for actions in his personal life.
According to Radar Online, Stern has also called Cowell a "liar", "d****bag", and a "sleazebag".
