'Together, we are STRONG'
by Sir Andrew MacCreary
For those who take the time to get to know a person, there is always something rewarding that is worth the wait. No matter your first impressions there is always more than meets the eye. Well I guess most of the time. It doesn't always happen, and sometimes you can be completely wrong, but first impressions can be deceiving. And if you take the time, most often, that patience is rewarded. When I first heard Howard on the radio it was just a bit under 7 years ago working at the Newbury Comics warehouse in Boston. A total shithole of a job standing in one place all day putting price stickers on CD's and the ONLY thing that got me through the morning, and got my day started off right, was listening to Howard and the rest of the gang on the show mercilessly make fun of Bill Clinton during the Lewinsky 'scandal'. I'd never laughed harder in my life, and as I was laughing I would notice a few things. One, every single radio in this massive warehouse tuned in and everyone was listening, and everyone had smiles on their faces and were laughing as hard as I was. Two, all the people I worked with there were probably some of the nicest, sweetest and most sincere people I had known up until then. I thought to myself - 'these arent the angry, sexist, racist, disgusting people I had expected to be fans of this show'. Ever since then all the people I knew or met who were fans of the show were probably the kindest people you could ever ask to meet. It was like a very large and strange family. I realized that what Howard was doing on his show was not making fun or degrading strippers, he wasn't insulting the mentally handicapped, he wasn't condoning racism, he wasnt belittling dwarfs (no pun intended). He relates to outcasts of society as he felt, and in many many ways still feels, to be one himself. Its ironic that to this day people who say hes a sexist, racist, hateful human being are the very ones who dont take the time themselves to get over their OWN prejudice, to see if their own hatred is justified. If they did, they'd see it isn't. His sense of humor isnt everyones cup of tea, but beneath that is a person who hasnt forgotten who and what got him where he is today. He is a loyal person to his friends, family and fans alike. How do I know? Listen to the honesty that comes out of his mouth everyday and you will see. The real anger, the real passion, the real humor, and the real love for people. He gives millions of outcasts (12 million listeners every day, 20 million a day at hs peak in the early to mid 90's) a place to vent every morning and to get through jobs they feel get them nowhere in life. He relates to his guests, he understands where they come, he comes from that same insecure place. He relates to his guests, his 'Whack Pack', his fans. Sure he busts their balls and teases them on their show, but friends do that to each other. I realized that Howard is very humane caring person, and listening to such things as when he talked a man down from killing himself on the GW Bridge in NYC years ago, or his 9/11 show breaking the news live in total disbelief just blocks away from the World Trade Center, or just his second to last show where he was choked up saying goodbye to members of the famous 'Whack Pack'. His show is a place for people who feel left out in some way, to come together, laugh, tease one another, and ultimately feel like they are part of something. I love and respect Howard Stern immensely not just for his humor, but for giving alot of people a strange sense of belonging to something, and something that brings joy to everyone who is in their own way, become a part of the show. He has said himself its like one big family of dysfunctional people, and 'together we are strong'.
For those who take the time to get to know a person, there is always something rewarding that is worth the wait. No matter your first impressions there is always more than meets the eye. Well I guess most of the time. It doesn't always happen, and sometimes you can be completely wrong, but first impressions can be deceiving. And if you take the time, most often, that patience is rewarded. When I first heard Howard on the radio it was just a bit under 7 years ago working at the Newbury Comics warehouse in Boston. A total shithole of a job standing in one place all day putting price stickers on CD's and the ONLY thing that got me through the morning, and got my day started off right, was listening to Howard and the rest of the gang on the show mercilessly make fun of Bill Clinton during the Lewinsky 'scandal'. I'd never laughed harder in my life, and as I was laughing I would notice a few things. One, every single radio in this massive warehouse tuned in and everyone was listening, and everyone had smiles on their faces and were laughing as hard as I was. Two, all the people I worked with there were probably some of the nicest, sweetest and most sincere people I had known up until then. I thought to myself - 'these arent the angry, sexist, racist, disgusting people I had expected to be fans of this show'. Ever since then all the people I knew or met who were fans of the show were probably the kindest people you could ever ask to meet. It was like a very large and strange family. I realized that what Howard was doing on his show was not making fun or degrading strippers, he wasn't insulting the mentally handicapped, he wasn't condoning racism, he wasnt belittling dwarfs (no pun intended). He relates to outcasts of society as he felt, and in many many ways still feels, to be one himself. Its ironic that to this day people who say hes a sexist, racist, hateful human being are the very ones who dont take the time themselves to get over their OWN prejudice, to see if their own hatred is justified. If they did, they'd see it isn't. His sense of humor isnt everyones cup of tea, but beneath that is a person who hasnt forgotten who and what got him where he is today. He is a loyal person to his friends, family and fans alike. How do I know? Listen to the honesty that comes out of his mouth everyday and you will see. The real anger, the real passion, the real humor, and the real love for people. He gives millions of outcasts (12 million listeners every day, 20 million a day at hs peak in the early to mid 90's) a place to vent every morning and to get through jobs they feel get them nowhere in life. He relates to his guests, he understands where they come, he comes from that same insecure place. He relates to his guests, his 'Whack Pack', his fans. Sure he busts their balls and teases them on their show, but friends do that to each other. I realized that Howard is very humane caring person, and listening to such things as when he talked a man down from killing himself on the GW Bridge in NYC years ago, or his 9/11 show breaking the news live in total disbelief just blocks away from the World Trade Center, or just his second to last show where he was choked up saying goodbye to members of the famous 'Whack Pack'. His show is a place for people who feel left out in some way, to come together, laugh, tease one another, and ultimately feel like they are part of something. I love and respect Howard Stern immensely not just for his humor, but for giving alot of people a strange sense of belonging to something, and something that brings joy to everyone who is in their own way, become a part of the show. He has said himself its like one big family of dysfunctional people, and 'together we are strong'.
posted by GHOSTLIFE at 8:57 PM
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