Plot
The auto-biographical story of Howard Stern, the radio-rebel who is now also a TV-personality, an author and a movie star.

Release Year: 1997

Rating: 6.7/10 (20,129 voted)

Critic's Score: 67/100

Director: Betty Thomas

Stars: Howard Stern, Mary McCormack, Robin Quivers

Storyline
Having always wanted to be a disc-jockey, Howard Stern works his way painfully from radio at his 1970's college to a Detroit station. It is with a move to Washington that he hits on an outrageous off-the-wall style that catches audience attention. Despite his on-air blue talk, at home he is a loving husband. He needs all the support he can get when he joins NBC in New York and comes up against a very different vision of radio.

Writers: Howard Stern, Len Blum

Cast:
Howard Stern - Himself
Robin Quivers - Herself
Mary McCormack - Alison Stern
Fred Norris - Himself
Paul Giamatti - Kenny
Gary Dell'Abate - Himself
Jackie Martling - Himself
Carol Alt - Gloria
Richard Portnow - Ben Stern
Kelly Bishop - Ray Stern
Henry Goodman - Moti
Jonathan Hadary - Griff
Paul Hecht - Ross Buckingham
Allison Janney - Dee Dee
Michael Murphy - Roger Erlick

Taglines: Never before has a man done so much with so little.

Release Date: 7 March 1997

Filming Locations: Astoria, Queens, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office Details

Budget: $20,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend: $14,616,333 (USA) (9 March 1997) (2138 Screens)

Gross: $41,198,146 (USA) (8 June 1997)

Runtime: 109 min

Trivia:
Jeff Goldblum was originally considered to play Howard.

Goofs:
Factual errors: 'Howard Stern' did not have long hair when arriving at WNBC, and in fact did not grow it long until approximately the time he was hired by WXRK.

Quotes:
Researcher: The average radio listener listens for eighteen minutes a day. The average Howard Stern fan listens for - are you ready for this? - an hour and twenty minutes.
Pig Vomit: How could this be?
Researcher: Answer most commonly given: "I want to see what he'll say next."
Pig Vomit: All right, fine. But what about the people who hate Stern?
Researcher: Good point. The average Stern hater listens for two and a half hours a day.
Pig Vomit: But... if they hate him, why do they listen?
Researcher: Most common answer: "I want to see what he'll say next."

A little one-sided in it's story telling but it's all very funny

Rating:

The true story of Howard Stern's "rise" from schoolboy nerd to leading DJ in the USA. This is adapted from his book and is a whirlwind ride through 30 years, with the main focus being on his career at small stations and his big break at NBC. The fact that it is from Stern himself means that the story focuses on his good sides and tends to brush over the more difficult issues relating to his insensitivity towards his wife etc, but that doesn't stop this being a funny enjoyable film.

Stern plays himself with a great sense of self - most of his jokes put himself down rather than being arrogant. This helps endear the audience to him with great effect and makes him more sympathetic. The comedy is very sharp (and rude) throughout and even if we don't get any great insights at least we have a good laugh.

Stern is good in the lead role (admittedly if he can't play himself what can he do!) And his colleagues are also good as themselves. Paul Giamatti is great as the put upon producer at NBC and the rest of the cast is filled out with weird characters. One complaint would be the copious amount of nudity in the film - I realise that it's a true story but it did seem to be put in just to get the audience at times (well....like Stern's show itself I guess).

Overall this plays like a rude Woody Allen film (funny narrative voice-overs) and it has a certain charm to it that towers over the smuttiness to make it feel a much nicer film than it is. Even if you don't know who Stern is (i.e. most people outside of America) this is a very funny enjoyable film.

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