Former 'Baywatch’ Star Nicole Eggert Recalls 'Shocking' Appearance on Howard Stern Show — After Radio Host Demanded She Be in 'Bikini
Nicole Eggert recalled her disturbing appearance on 'The Howard Stern Show' in 1995.
Oct. 21 2026, Published 4:10 p.m. ET
Baywatch star Nicole Eggert has recalled her 1995 appearance on The Howard Stern Show, claiming the shock jock radio host demanded to see her in a bikini, RadarOnline.com can report.
"I was very programmed to just go in and just let it slide off your back," she told author Greg Prato for his book, The Great American Nightmare: An Oral History of the Howard Stern Show.
Nicole Eggert Goes Off on Howard Stern
Eggert called Stern's studio an unsafe environment.
The actress wishes she could "reach out and hug" her younger self who went to the studio that day. She says she felt pressured, considering the show was #1 at the time, and she didn't want to upset those in charge of her career. Uncomfortable with some of the questions, she said the studio wasn't a "safe environment."
"Watching old clips of the show and seeing how many women were treated, or more fittingly, mistreated, is also shocking," Eggert says in the book.
She was concerned that while she had thick skin, other women may not be able to stand up for themselves. Despite the experience, she doesn't regret going on the show.
Howard Stern's Odd Rules For Women
Women have been treated unfairly for years on the show and in the studio, according to Eggert.
Eggert recalled Stern criticizing her outfit and demanded, "I want you in a bikini." The 54-year-old refused.
Stern has previously been called out for having an odd women-only dress code rule, in which only men are allowed to wear sneakers at the studio. Women must have backup shoes for executive appearances. They were also still told to dress up for Zoom meetings during the pandemic.
In 2013, he urged his staff to "work on their appearance," particularly for guest interviews, calling them homeless and zombie-looking. Employees were also allegedly forbidden from talking to Stern at industry events.
Guest 'Regrets' Distressing Moment on Howard Stern's Show
Stern was involved in a lawsuit with guest host Chaunce Hayden after an controversial on-air moment.
Staff members also share their experiences in the oral history, some regretting their involvement in more extreme moments. Celebrity journalist and frequent Howard Stern guest Chaunce Hayden recalled a problematic moment he participated in.
He recalled bringing in the ashes of his then-girlfriend and regular Stern guest Debbie Tay, a cable personality and exotic dancer who died from a heroin overdose in April 1995. Stern played around with them, pulling bone fragments out and joking about them. Tay's brother and sister later filed an $8million lawsuit, claiming the situation caused them emotional distress.
While the purpose was for an on-air memorial, Stern "offered to glue her together," told Hayden to chew pieces, and admired the size of a piece of bone, saying it looks like a piece of her head."
The case settled out of court for an undisclosed amount, though a source said the family was preparing to accept around $60,000 while Stern's initial offer was $30,000.
"It was terrible," Hayden noted. "I do regret it."
The Book Is Described As A Documentary
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The book was published on October 5 and is now on sale.
Prato's book explores the evolution of the influential and controversial broadcaster and how he became a "cultural phenomenon."
"Never before has there been a book built almost entirely around exclusive, never-before-published quotes from former show members, guests, celebrities, and longtime admirers–tracing its evolution from WNBC to K-Rock, syndication, and ultimately SiriusXM," the book's synopsis says.
It's described as a documentary in book form, allowing those who participated to tell their own accounts, giving readers the opportunity to rediscover old moments.
