Howard Stern Very Pointed Message at Critics... As Insiders Reveal His Audacious Power Plan for New Show
Howard Stern is ready for a comeback.
Aug. 9 2025, Published 12:30 p.m. ET
Howard Stern is preparing to make a high-profile comeback as questions swirl over the future of his long-running SiriusXM radio show, RadarOnline.com can report.
The 71-year-old "shock jock" has hosted The Howard Stern Show on SiriusXM since 2006, but with his $500 million five-year contract nearing its end, speculation has grown that the program may be "doomed" following a drop in listeners and criticism that Stern has gone "woke".
Howard Stern
Howard Stern has plans to potentially join huge streamers HBO or Netflix.
A source has revealed that a "pumped up" Stern is ready to "prove people wrong again" and is confident he is still "the best" at what he does. The broadcaster is now weighing options outside SiriusXM.
The insider said: "He is in a bring-it-on mind frame right now. Howard likes what he likes and though he could be bitter on how things are going, it isn't anything new to him.
"He also isn't blaming things on his age; the world has changed. He has changed himself. If he didn't, he would have been gone a long time ago.
"It is true, he doesn't like the uptick of podcasts, where everyone can be on the radio, he just thinks he is the best and there is a lot to learn from him rather than throwing him away."
Exploring opportunities
The 'shock jock' has hosted the second incarnation of 'The Howard Stern Show' since 2006.
Stern is reportedly exploring opportunities with major streaming platforms such as HBO or Netflix in a bid to end his career "on his own terms".
The source explained: "All this unknown is music to Howard's ears. He thrives in this element of the unknown. He needs to deal with a personal bad guy in the situation. In the past it was NBC, just watch his movie.
"Then it was Simon Cowell, look at the fallout of AGT and now the honeymoon might be over with Sirius after almost 20 years, but he still wants to figure something out to stay, especially for his team that would mostly be affected.
"And now if the fallout continues with Sirius, he has made roads elsewhere to potentially do something with HBO or Netflix. It is not all bad if this goes bad. His story isn't done.
"Because he wants it to all end on his own terms. He believes he deserves that for all that he has done in the medium."
Stern's future
Howard Stern is ready to 'prove people wrong again'.
The loss of his father Ben in 2022, his close friend and stylist Ralph Cirella in 2023 and longtime agent Don Buchwald last year allegedly prompted Stern to "question his future".
An insider revealed: "Howard has thought of retirement before all of this talk has been going down, one thing after another has just hit him.
"If he signs with Sirius again or anywhere else, it will be his last contract. If Sirius doesn't sign him, he will have a backup plan, he is not going to allow anyone be the reason for the end of his career besides himself and what he wants to do."
SiriusXM
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Several critics have called Howard Stern 'woke' after he criticized Donald Trump on his show.
Stern's 95-member staff was at a team-building event in Manhattan on Tuesday, August 5, when a news alert claimed he was preparing to leave SiriusXM. Stern himself learned of the rumor through a Google Alert while in Southampton.
He addressed the speculation with an "emergency show" Wednesday morning and assured listeners he would return on September 2.
Negotiations with SiriusXM remain ongoing, with some insiders saying Stern may agree to a short one- or two-year deal. In contrast, others point to his frustration over the network's strong support for rival host Andy Cohen.
Stern has broadcast mainly from home since the pandemic. Once feared in the entertainment industry, his recent embrace of being "woke" has divided fans, with Kanye West labeling him an "irrelevant old man".
