In 1994, Stern announced his desire to run as Governor of New York. His political programs included the removal of highway tolls to improve traffic flow and reinstating the death penalty. However, he backed out when he was required by the Ethics in Government Act to reveal his complete home address and financial status so that his name could be included on the final ballot.
“I spend 25 hours a week telling you all the most intimate details of my life… One fact I’ve never revealed is how much I make and how much money I have… it’s none of your business,” he said. In honor of Stern, Governor George Pataki signed the Howard Stern bill that restricted construction of roads in New York and Long Island during night hours.
Howard Stern, The Author
More than being an outspoken and rude radio host, Howard Stern is also an accomplished author. His two books, Private Parts, and Miss America were both listed in the New York Times bestseller list.
His first book, Private Parts, was an instant success as evidenced by its first batch of copies being sold just hours after it was released. Stern described his writing experience as “the most challenging thing I have ever done in my career.” It just goes to show that Stern is a celebrated artist both in radio and book, despite his big mouth. Well, to be fair, his blunt personality actually helps a lot more than it hinders.
Stern is Miss America
Stern inked a $3 million deal with ReganBooks in 1995 to write his second book, Miss America. The New York Times bestseller covered a range of topics, from Stern’s cybersex experiences to his private meeting with Michael Jackson.
When asked the reason for the title of his book, Stern said, “When I was a kid growing up in high school, I would come down the steps. My parents were disgusted by me. I had started this growth spurt. I looked like a big, hairy pencil. I’m walking down the steps and my father would look at me and I’d be in my underpants. And he looked down at “his son who was sprouting with facial hair and he’d go, ‘Oh, look. There’s Miss America.”
Judging Others
Stern added a feather on his cap when he replaced Piers Morgan as a judge on America’s Got Talent in 2011. He served as a judge on the seventh to tenth season of the talent competition show.
“I thought it would be really cool to be a judge because I think I have something to offer,” he says. “If I had any dream about this, it’s that I could take someone who was struggling and seriously give advice. I was told over and over again that I had no talent. I was on college radio. No one was banking on me. I sent a copy of my show to my father, my father wrote me back a five-page letter and was brutally honest… It wasn’t harsh, I think it was out of love.”
A Martial Artist
The celebrity DJ is a proud brown belt holder in Shotokan karate, a martial arts style that engaged Stern for a couple of years. Shotokan originates from Japan and is considered a dynamic martial art due to its powerful techniques that improve one’s speed and agility. Those who have progressed to brown and black belt levels are said to have developed a smoother style that integrates grappling and throwing.
Seems anyone who wants to mess with Stern should not follow through unless you want a broken bone. Could this be Stern’s strategic move against his critics and bashers? If so, he’s doing himself a great favor.