Howard Stern Cancels Return
Howard Stern will allegedly not be coming back to his SiriusXM show this Tuesday — despite earlier saying he would after his summer break.
Stern, allegedly broke the news to his 95 employees in an unexpected email on Labor Day evening, as per the Daily Mail.
Sources told the outlet that the radio host carefully crafted the “out of the blue” email to be reassuring and prevent panic. On Reddit, fans are speculating staff members are leaking the email and other details about Stern’s contract situation.
Stern, whose $500M, five-year contract with SiriusXM expires at the end of this year, allegedly decided to miss Tuesday’s show, over “frustrations over the new contract,” sources said.
Last month, it was reported SiriusXM would not be renewing his contract.
The well-known shock jock is reportedly dealing with family health challenges, especially concerning his mother, Ray Schiffman Stern, who will turn 98 in October, according to a report from the Daily Mail.
In February 2022, Stern acknowledged on his show that his mother’s health issues have caused him a great deal of distress.
“It rips my heart out. I don’t want my mom to be uncomfortable. I just want to fix her,” he said.
“I’m so tired and exhausted. Think of five other words for exhausted and tired and that’s what I am. I’m so depressed. I mentioned this on the air yesterday that my mom’s not doing well. She’s just in a lot of pain, you know? Physical pain.”
Stern’s Future in Question
The timing of Stern’s latest absence has fueled speculation about whether fans have already heard the last chapter of his four-decade broadcasting career. His $500 million SiriusXM contract, signed in 2020, is set to expire at the end of this year. Multiple reports in August indicated that SiriusXM executives were leaning against renewing the deal, citing Stern’s reduced schedule and the network’s shifting focus toward podcasts and cross-platform content. Without a new agreement in place, even short delays or missed shows can appear like early signs of closure to both listeners and staff.
For Stern’s employees, the uncertainty is already being felt. Sources told the New York Post that some staffers have been holding back their best material, worried that any future-minded content may never air. Others expressed concern that Stern’s family struggles are weighing heavily on his decision-making. His mother’s declining health has long been a sensitive subject for him, and insiders suggest her condition could ultimately influence whether he chooses to continue broadcasting at all.
For now, Stern’s camp has not made an official announcement. But as Tuesday passes without his return to the mic, the question lingers: is this just another pause, or the beginning of Howard Stern’s final fadeout from SiriusXM?
