Summary
- Howard Stern's in-depth interviews often pushed celebrities to their breaking point, but his massive radio audience loved it.
- Mel B stormed out of her interview with Stern in 2013 after he probed into her troubled past and relationship with Eddie Murphy.
- Despite the stormy interview, Mel B ultimately developed a good working relationship with Stern during their time together on America's Got Talent.
Upsetting celebrities to the point where they'd tear off their headphones and storm out of the studio was something staffers on The Howard Stern Show actually wanted during the radio legend shock jock years. Prior to Stern becoming arguably the best celebrity interviewer out there, he always went for the jugular when talking to an actor, musician, or model. Like a lion taking down a gazelle, Stern knew exactly which pressure points to push with his A-list guests.
Howard Stern's massive radio audience freaking loved it... The stars, on the other hand... not so much...
In some cases, such as when Johnny Knoxville spoke about Jessica Simpson, Howard Stern would skillfully get stars to reveal too much. In other cases, he'd straight up infuriate them. This is precisely what happened when his America's Got Talent co-host, Mel B came on the show. Oddly, not long after, the music superstar and former Spice Girl would actually grow to love Stern. But her 2013 conversation with him caused her to get up and storm out mid-interview. Here's what happened...
Why Did Mel B Storm Out Of Her Interview With Howard Stern?
In September 2013, Howard Stern welcomed Mel B onto his iconic SiriusXM radio show. However, the interview didn't last nearly as long as either intended. At this point in his epic career, Stern was transitioning from his shock-jock persona to the renowned celebrity interviewer he is today. During the interview, Stern probed Mel B on a wide range of topics, delving into her troubled past, her relationship with ex-Eddie Murphy, and her experiences with the Spice Girls.
According to EOnline, Mel B was downright furious with Stern's antics. But actually listening to the interview or watching the clip on YouTube paints a slightly different picture. While Mel B was clearly somewhat uncomfortable with Stern probing about her rather dark and emotionally turbulent past right off the bat, Mel B ultimately got up and left the show in a far more playful fashion than what has been described in the media.
When Mel B went onto the Stern Show in 2013, the pair had already been working together as co-judges on America's Got Talent for months. Their playful and competitive report was already somewhat established, and that meant Stern felt comfortable pushing the former Spice Girls buttons on air.
"Oh my god, you're going to go there right now?" Mel B asked following Stern's probing about how she almost took her own life as a teenager. "F*** you! Not even gonna go their with you!"
As Stern continued to question, Mel continued to fight back:
"F*** you, Howard! I'm going to see you at work tonight and I'm gonna slap you on the f***ing head!"
But none of Mel B's fiery protests landed on Stern.
"Were you afraid I was going to ask you about Eddie Murphy?" Stern asked.
"Oh, God, please! F***k you!"
"Why!?"
"F**k you!" Mel B said pointing directly at him.
As they neared the end of their interview, Mel B famously revealed how she hooked up with her former Spice Girls bandmates. But this was just one of many revelations Stern skillfully forced out of her. And the whole thing just exhausted her...
"I need to go to bed. You've tired me out," Mel B said, laying across his studio couch. "It's really tiring and exhausting. Seriously."
Stern continued to question Mel B about her bisexual leanings. It was at this point, Mel playfully smiled at her AGT co-host, ripped off her headphones, and stormed right out. While she almost certainly left the interviewer early and abruptly, as well as was uncomfortable with some of Stern's questions, it's clear that she didn't do this out of anger. Mel also returned to the show a few months later, this time with Heidi Klum and Howie Mandel to back her up.
Did Howard Stern And Mel B Get Along While Judging America's Got Talent?
When Howard Stern first signed on to judge America's Got Talent, he was working with his friend Sharon Osbourne and Howie Mandel. When Osbourne left, NBC hired Heidi Klum and Mel B to take her spot.
Two years into their working relationship, Stern addressed this hiring on his radio show. He basically claimed that he never knew about Mel B nor cared about her contributions to the music industry prior to her being hired on AGT.
Mel B addressed his comments on 2DayFMSydney, stating that he was "rude". But she also stated that they had a good working relationship and that she was friends with his wife, Beth Stern.
Stern also publicly addressed the strange personal life that Mel was engaging in off-air. This would later culminate in a scandal with her nanny in which Mel was accused of pressuring her into sexual activities, according to The New York Daily News. Within the context of an F, Marry, Kill game, Stern also claimed it would be impossible to be in a long-term relationship with Mel due to her intensity.
This wasn't the first time that Howard Stern criticized Mel B. He also made comments about her judging skills early on in their working relationship. This is something that Mel B did not appreciate. But at the end of the day, it appears as though their working relationship was actually solid.
After Stern announced that he was quitting AGT in 2015, Mel B went on Today and claimed that she would miss working with him. Not only did she praise his work ethic and his abilities as a judge, she also said that she enjoyed working with him. But the statement wasn't without a caviate.
"I'm sad he's not going to be doing it. Because he's so great. He's a great guy to work with. He's a great judge. A bit moody and grumpy sometimes," Mel B said to Today.
In the rare times America's Got Talent comes up in conversation on The Howard Stern Show in the years following his exit, the radio host almost never brings up Mel B. He mostly bashes Simon Cowell, whom he openly hates.
Stern also reflects on how much Heidi Klum annoyed him behind the scenes, particularly with her love of social media and singing during the commercial breaks. But Stern did address Mel B's 2017 scandal involving her nanny and her now ex-husband Stephen Belafonte.
Stern's comments very much reflected what he said about her personal life years earlier. He just wasn't exactly sure what was going on there. Still, Stern did not bring the hammer down on her. This may reveal that they have a cordial relationship following America's Got Talent. However, it's extremely unlikely that they have any sort of close friendship today.
