HOWARD Stern can’t stand Call Her Daddy host Alex Cooper, as the beloved podcaster is now SiriusXM’s biggest star, sources have told The U.S. Sun.
According to one insider, Stern’s hostility toward the 30-year-old podcasting sensation runs so deep, SiriusXM execs make sure the two don’t cross paths when she’s in New York.
“She’s the one that bugs him,” the insider explained.
“She gets hundreds of millions of hits, she has this mega $125 million deal, and he hates that this young bubbly woman is the big new thing.
“That’s who they have to keep Howard away from when she comes to New York.”
L.A.-based Alex left her previous home on Spotify and signed the massive deal with SiriusXM last year.
The source claimed talented podcasters like Cooper are leaving old-school radio personalities like Stern, 71, in the dust.
“It’s completely turned Howard’s world upside down. He’s been in radio 40 years, and this change has really shocked everyone.
“Alex and Joe Rogan, these massive podcasters, have traditional radio guys stunned.”
The insider added of Cooper, “she’s female, she’s the next generation.
“That’s the future. iHeartRadio is desperately trying to find someone like that.”
Meanwhile, a second source also touched on rumors that Stern is taking issue with his fellow SiriusXM superstar, Bravo’s Andy Cohen.
“Andy’s interviews are regularly promoted by Sirius, while you just don’t hear much about Howard’s interviews these days.”
The first insider also added that Howard, who for the most part has been taping from home since Covid, has his own wing at SiriusXM in New York City.
“Once you’re inside Sirius, you need a special access card to get to where Howard tapes. It’s his very own wing, and he barely uses it.”
SHOW OVER?
Sources claimed to The U.S. Sun on Tuesday that Stern’s SiriusXM show is set to be canceled, as it is unlikely they’ll meet his financial demands when his current five-year contract ends this fall.
An insider disclosed: “Stern’s contract is up in the fall, and while Sirius is planning to make him an offer, they don’t intend for him to take it.
“Sirius and Stern are never going to agree on the money he is going to want. It’s no longer worth the investment.”
The source also mentioned that SiriusXM is expected to negotiate a deal to retain Stern’s extensive show library, stating: “But as far as him coming back to doing the show, there’s no way they can keep paying his salary.”
Howard Stern’s Career
Howard Stern has had a prolific radio career, but he’s also had success in film, books and TV.
Stern’s love affair with radio began when he was a student at Boston University, where he worked at the school’s radio station before graduating in 1976.
After college, he had a series of on-air jobs in Hartford, Connecticut, Detroit, Michigan and then Washington D.C., where he met his eventual sidekick Robin Quivers.
It was in D.C. where Stern began honing his shock jock schtick.
They were fired and the pair landed at WNBC in New York City in 1982.
In a few short years at WNBC, Stern butted heads with management and was ultimately axed.
The duo joined WXRK-FM in New York in 1985 and they were there until 2004 when they joined SiriusXM.
Howard has been at SiriusXM since, with his contracts estimated to be between $80 million and a $100 million a year over the last two decades.
He also starred in and was the executive producer of his autobiography and blockbuster movie Private Parts, which debuted in 1997.
He’s also authored several books and was a judge on America’s Got Talent for three seasons.
-By Jessica Finn, Exclusives and Investigations
Referencing broader financial challenges in the media industry, the insider added, “After you saw what happened with Stephen Colbert, it’s like they just can’t afford to keep him going.”
Neither SiriusXM nor Stern responded to The U.S. Sun’s request for comment.
One thing both Cooper and Stern have in common: They both interviewed presidential hopeful, Vice President Kamala Harris, in the run-up to the 2024 election.
Before The U.S. Sun’s exclusive reporting, the shock jock’s retirement rumors have swirled for years, paired with his own on-air grumblings.
