Robin Quivers Said Dwayne Johnson Was The Worst Howard Stern Show Interview

Summary

• Dwayne Johnson faced negative comments from Robin Quivers during his appearance on The Howard Stern Show in 2002.
• Quivers called him one of the worst guests they've ever had.
• Stern has made comments about Johnson's acting abilities.

Howard Stern has never shied away from brutal honesty on his acclaimed SiriusXM radio show. However, the former shock jock has toned it down over the past couple of decades. While there was a time when Stern's staffers would attempt to make celebrity guests uncomfortable, now the show is known for its hard-hitting and fascinating interviews.

Unfortunately, for Dwayne Johnson, his appearance on The Stern Show occurred in the old days. But he didn't get skewered by Stern as much as he did by his longtime co-host, Robin Quivers. During his 2002 interview, Quivers claimed he was one of the worst celebrity guests they've ever had on The Stern Show. Here's why...

Robin Quivers Insulted Dwayne Johnson During His Interview On The Howard Stern Show

One of the best things about Robin Quivers is that she is just as brutally honest as the man who made her famous. Of course, Howard Stern and Robin Quivers are incredibly symbiotic. Their careers have been reliant on one another for decades. They're also exceptionally close friends. So, it's not exactly surprising that they would be equally cutting for the sake of comedy.

But when Dwayne Johnson (then known as 'The Rock') appeared on The Howard Stern Show in 2022, he faced the negative side of this honest comedy symbiosis. This was Johnson's second appearance on The Stern Show, which prompted Robin Quivers to comment as soon as he entered the studio.

To be fair, Johnson seemed to know what he was getting into when coming on the show to promote The Scorpion King. In the behind the scenes footage from the now-defunct HowardTV, Johnson said:

"Howard's cool. But, you know, Howard -- tells it like it is. Straight between the eyes. And he asks those questions, you know, that a lot of reporters and a lot of press typically don't. Howard's the guy [who says], 'Look, all bull**** aside, what's the deal?'"

Johnson claimed that he wasn't afraid of anything Stern might throw at him. But the first thing out of Stern's mouth during the 2022 interview was complimentary.

He called The Rock 'the next big action hero' -- something that ended up being true. But then he called out his longtime co-host in front of the action star.

"Robin didn't want The Rock here, but I did!" Stern said to his audience as Dwayne Johnson walked into the studio. He then turned to Robin and asked, "I didn't know you thought he was a bad guest?"

"Oh! [Dwayne Johnson] was just one of the worst [guests]."

Quivers then went on to say, "[He was] one of the worst we've ever had."

"Rock, you got to take this up with Robin," Stern said to Dwayne Johnson as he sat down on the interview couch. "I was excited, they said, 'The Rock wants to come on and promote The Scorpion King'. I said, 'Hey, book the guy, he's great.' Well, Robin goes to me, 'Are you crazy? The Rock was the worst guest we've ever had.'"

"You're kidding me?" Dwayne Johnson said before turning to Robin Quivers with a shocked look on his face.

"How is The Rock bad? Tell him," Stern said Quivers.

"Well, what do you know about The Rock? He's been here once. You know nothing. He's 'The Rock'."

Stern and Johnson continued to probe Quivers for a more concrete answer, prompting her to say the following:

"He didn't stop being The Rock for a second. I don't know who this person is! This is The Rock. In fact, I'll tell you what else I don't know... I can't tell what The Rock is cooking."

"What do you mean, you can't smell what The Rock is cooking?" Stern asked.

"See, you don't even know that much about The Rock. That's his slogan. When he comes on WrestleMania, or whatever that thing is, he goes, 'Can you smell what The Rock is cooking?' And my answer is always... NO!"

During the time that this interview took place, Dwayne Johnson was certainly acting as his wrestling persona as opposed to the A-list actor he is today.

So, Quivers' point hasn't exactly been proven wrong with age. If Johnson were to appear on The Stern Show today, chances are she would receive a completely different experience. Not just because Stern has become a stronger interviewer, but also because Johnson opens up more.

Still, Howard Stern defended his guest to his co-host, claiming that he felt The Rock opened up during his first appearance on the radio show.

"I missed it," Quivers responded before quizzing Stern how how much he actually knew about the then-wrester. With each question, Stern inadvertently proved that he actually knew very little about the star.

"[See], we learned nothing!"

As Stern started the interview, Robin Quivers chimed in once more: "Open up this time, Rock. Be a good guest!"

What Did Howard Stern Say About Dwayne Johnson's Acting

Howard Stern hasn't exactly been kind to Dwayne Johnson ever since he shifted from his Rock wrestling persona into the blockbuster superstar he is today. Even during his interview with The Rock in 2022, Stern insulted the Scorpion King star's marriage. Although, it seemed to be a part of the frivolous fun of the interview.

While Howard Stern has made comments on his show about Johnson's acting abilities, he has also publicly cautioned him. In 2021, Stern warned Johnson that he shouldn't run for political office.

During his show, Stern said, "You know what it is with these guys is that they don’t understand, once you run for office, you actually have to give an opinion."

“Like this guy, The Rock. Lovely guy, I’ve met him. He’s the most noncontroversial human being you’ll ever meet," Stern said, according to The New York Daily News. He then stated that once Johnson voiced a political opinion, he'd gain haters. "Oops. Suddenly, people don’t like The Rock."