Artie Lange Says Howard Stern Was Like A Dysfunctional 'Father Figure' To Him
Drug addict comic Artie Lange has revealed that Howard Stern was like a dysfunctional "father figure’ to him. Speaking on The Dopey: The Dark Comedy Of Drug Addiction podcast, the radio sidekick, 50, lifted the lid on his relationship with the famed shock jock.
Lange has feuded with Stern and recently stunned fans by threatening Stern, 63, with releasing his full number unless the host would provide him with $2,500!
But in the podcast, Lange has conceded his addiction played a huge part in wrecking their complicated friendship.
He said, “Howard did not understand addiction. He gave me the best job ever and he is a genius. “When I left the show he missed me. He did think of me as a son sort of thing. “I was on the show for over 8 years but towards the end I was a completed addict.
“And at the end he cut me off like a son and dad kind of thing and I understand that.” Lange revealed that he was earning $4 million a year from The Howard Stern Show and all the lucrative deals it landed him.
However, despite the fame and success, Lange's life was spiraling out of control because of an addiction to both cocaine and heroin.
After he controversially left Stern’s show following a self-inflicted stabbing incident, which also saw him drink Clorox, he spent time in a psych ward and rehab while also staying with his mother for a long period. And he credits both her and his sister for saving his life. “My mother and my sister really saved me and have seen me at my highest and lowest points,” he added.
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The popular comic bumped into Stern, 64, by accident when he went to visit their former sidekick Robin Quivers who was suffering from cancer.
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He revealed: “It was just me, Robin and Howard, in a room and we made her laugh for about an hour.
“Afterwards, Howard and I hugged one another. The last time I phoned him he did not call me back, it is like a son trying to get attention from his father. “But I get it, he is a busy guy and things have changed. Now he likes to talk about his cats!”
During the podcast, Lange admitted that he does not know if he will ever to be able to conquer his demons and admitted that he first got drunk at the age of 12 at an AC/DC concert.
He told his podcast hosts that during one trip to Vegas with the Stern Show he had sex with 11 strippers in only four days before walking away with $48,000 in a duffel bag from a winning streak at gambling.
However, he suffered huge losses over the years also by blowing millions on drugs, partying and gambling.
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