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The Daily Stern

41 comments on The Daily Stern

The Daily Stern

: PORNOGRAPHER OPRAH: This morning, Stern tried to play a clip from the Oprah show yesterday in which they were doing exactly what Stern was fined for yesterday: defining sexual colloquialisms. Oprah defined “tossing your salad,” Howard defined “David Copperfield.” Oprah played it on her show. Jimmy Kimmel played the clip on his network show to make the point. But Stern’s button-pushers hit the delay button when he tried to play it. Howard begged to play it: Let them fine Oprah as a pornographer. But they won’t fine Oprah. They only want to fine Stern. Same statement, different mouths, different treatment.

I just bought the transcript of the Oprah show and here is what was said yesterday:

WINFREY: OK–so–OK, so what is a salad toss?

Ms. BURFORD: OK, a tossed salad is–get ready; hold on to your underwear for this one–oral anal sex. So oral sex to the anus is what tossed salad is.

Hi, Mom.

That is exactly the kind of statement for which Stern was fined yesterday. Exactly. Here‘s the Stern transcript. And I quote:

HS: Well, a blumpkin is receiving oral sex while you

41 responses to “The Daily Stern”

  1. Dan Herzlich Avatar
    Dan Herzlich

    Jeff, you said you were blogging from your Treo in church last night. Would you have any problem with the young women of your parish going on the Stern show and stripping for an iPod? Do you express your undying support for Stern at your church meetings? I see this as being your vanity project, YOUR Passion.
    My idea for taxing indecency was a joke. It’s scarey to think that some are seeing this as an acceptable answer.
    As a matter of principle, I no longer listen to Stern at all, and I suggest that others do the same. His humor and acts are degrading to women but even more to men who are portrayed as insecure.
    Jeff, Stern is now belching in your face, not mine. It’s not about Stern, it’s about you.
    DH

  2. kkl Avatar
    kkl

    Zzzzzzzz….

  3. susan Avatar
    susan

    Meanwhile, I read today in the NY Daily News opinion section from a man living in Brooklyn who has had enough with potty mouthed people that he has decided to move far away from Brooklyn.
    Parents who have children today know their children face a dim future filled with vile languauge because nobody seems to care.
    And, I do not think Founders expected our society to trash itself as it has been doing for the past thirty years.
    This no-shame, any-thing-goes mentality is pathetic. Thanks to the baby-boomers for making all this possible.

  4. Dan Herzlich Avatar
    Dan Herzlich

    “On the one hand there’s Stern, whom the government seeks to shut down on account of they don’t like what he’s saying.”
    Jeff, where’s the proof? Hows about a quick game of anal ring toss for some mental stimulation? I guess you’ll finally get your chance to enjoy the “Wheel of Gas” with your morning commute.
    DH

  5. Rob Avatar
    Rob

    The government is seeking to shut down Stern because Stern said they were! Why would anyone need more proof.

  6. kristen Avatar
    kristen

    Any news on the Oprah debacle?

  7. KMK Avatar
    KMK

    This article points out some larger implications and suggests the latest FCC debacle maybe just a distraction, or even a move backward. I know Jeff is kind of blase on media consolidation but the article is chock full of facts.
    http://www.missoulanews.com/News/News.asp?no=3921

  8. Dan Herzlich Avatar
    Dan Herzlich

    “But they won’t fine Oprah. They only want to fine Stern.”
    Maybe Oprah at least pretends to have an adult view of sex. Context is important. She’s not degrading anyone to bolster a weak self-image. If you can’t appreciate this, I can see why you blindly follow Stern. Forest for the trees, buddy.
    Oprah was taken to court by the cattle ranchers when she made some negative comments about eating beef and industrial farming. She lost. I happen to agree with her.
    Jeff, you’re against any kind of gov’t influence on speech, but when an industry uses its force to silence critics, that’s okay?
    DH

  9. Mike Avatar
    Mike

    Give me a break Jeff, why do you continue to frame this argument as a Republican political agenda? Your post below this one is atrocious. Only 22 members of the House voted against the new indecency act, how is this only a Republican (read: a religious right) issue?
    You want to point out double standards with the Oprah tapes, fine. That’s a valid point, and I wish Howard would have played those tapes to prove if there is a double standard.
    Bottom line, Howard has become a mouth piece for the Democratic Party and you’re buying into everything thing he’s saying.

  10. susan Avatar
    susan

    Do you know what Oprah’s topic was? It was “Is your child living a double life?” and addressed the issue of teenagers living a double life of sex, drugs, and parties behind their parents backs. The movie “Thirteen” was the catalysis for Oprah’s discussion on the topic.
    Have you seen the film “Thirteen”?
    No one seems to care about protecting the lives of our children, particularily Howard Stern!
    Our children see this lack of concern from the adults, and are acting out in ways far more damning to their lives than those who acted out during the sixties and seventies.
    Equating teenagers who grew up in the sixties and seventies with their acts of rebellion are far different than the acts of rebellion teenagers experience today.
    Don’t believe for one minute that your children are imnune from the adults who are consistently trashing our culture all for the sake of personal profit.
    And please spare me any attempt of making this a right-wing-God argument.
    It is rather an adults-wanting-to-be-children- not-wanting-to-grow-up-and-take-resposibility-for-their-actions-upon-their-community issue.
    Howard Stern represents this adult-child phenomenon.

  11. Bruce H. Avatar
    Bruce H.

    So Jeff, what’s happening in Iran?

  12. Dan Herzlich Avatar
    Dan Herzlich

    Susan is right. Howard is pandering. I don’t feel uncomfortable at all in supporting someone like Oprah. I believe her intentions are good-hearted.
    Besides, consider the truly talented entertainers who never needed bathroom humor to be successful. The ones coming up now, haven’t a chance at the LIMITED public airwaves because poor Howard has a dedicated following of maladjusted cretins who have no interest in anything else except what’s in their underwear (or lack thereof). If anything Howard reinforces our inability to talk about sexuality by reducing it to an infantile level.
    DH

  13. sean bonner Avatar
    sean bonner

    We should have some reports on the Stern rally posted on http://www.blogging.la sometime today, waiting to hear back from some people right now…

  14. Kev Avatar
    Kev

    “[The Howard Stern vote] will have more of an effect than the Nader vote,” said Matthew Felling, media director for the Center for Media and Public Affairs.
    Uh, really? You willing to take odds on that?

  15. Michael Sweeney Avatar
    Michael Sweeney

    It doesn’t matter if Oprah was pandering or not, according to the rules she should be fined. From the story Jeff posted earlier, “Federal law bars radio and television channels from airing references to sexual and excretory functions between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m.”
    If Oprah wants to run a show like this, educational or not, then the stations that pick up her syndicated program should run it at a different time slot.
    Mike

  16. Michael Sweeney Avatar
    Michael Sweeney

    I should also quickly point out I’m not advocating any fines, I’m pointing out the double-standard which exists within the guidelines the FCC has set forth.
    Mike

  17. JohnO Avatar
    JohnO

    I realize I’m talking to someone who has a completely closed mind when it comes to Stern, but in the event your intellect is still functioning:
    You state that Oprah (who I assume is as left wing as anyone) is not getting fined/shut down for saying the exact same things that St. Howard is. Yet your mantra has constantly been “It’s not about Howard, it’s about free speech.” Doesn’t this undermine your whole argument? Maybe it is all about Howard.

  18. Jeff Jarvis Avatar
    Jeff Jarvis

    Michael: Agree.
    JohnO: The witchhunt may be about Stern but the ISSUE is about the Constitution, about free speech, about my speech and yours. It’s about much, much more than Howard Stern.

  19. Dan Herzlich Avatar
    Dan Herzlich

    Mike: The major flaw in Jeff’s argument is related to how he presents the problem. He says that gov’t cannot have ANY influence on public speech. We all know that he’s dreaming.
    Truth is, it’s near impossible to set explicit guidelines on what is decent and what is not.
    “…airing references to sexual and excretory functions between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m.” This is vague to the point of being useless. This means no one can use the word “defecation” or “expectoration,” even in a scientific context.
    Jeff would have you believe that you have to either fine everyone or fine no one. Neither is a workable solution. He eschews all nuance as evidenced by his willingness to ignore both content and intent when it comes to controlling indecency.
    DH

  20. tony Avatar
    tony

    oprah is beyond scrutiny because she isnt blatantly telling her viewers to vote Bush out.
    howard was safe in 2001 because back then he was pro-Bush.
    in 2004 howard became anti-Bush and suddenly that 2001 discussion is finable.
    couldnt be clearer.

  21. sol Avatar
    sol

    Stern only became anti-Bush when the FCC started talking bout fining individual radio personalities rather than just their companies. You havn’t been listening to his show. Stern started hearing what the FCC had in the pipeline regarding the new rules of fining long before he started whining publicly on the show. His anti-Bush rants did NOT start prior to him getting shocked that he might have to start paying out of his own pocket for fines. (Really, this is about as dumb as anything can get. And, as for Stern effecting the election, in the same sentence he tells his audience to vote for Kerry – usually sparked by a ‘moby’ caller [“I’m a Republican, but now I don’t think I can vote for Bush…”] he starts whining that a segment was cut where a guy did a 30 second fart. Stern will only GET votes for Bush…)

  22. KMK Avatar
    KMK

    I think the FCC’s inconsistency’s have lead to all the speculation and left/right theories. They’ve done it to themselves. You have Howard and Oprah describing the same act. Ones fined the other isn’t on the radar. You have Bono with his F*ing on CBS and Ritchie with her F*ing and S*** on Fox, ones is ruled on twice and the other isn’t even on the radar. There is either a specific set of guidelines that apply to all or there is a selective set of guidelines that apply to some. If it’s selective then we the people ought to ask why as it directly affects us. If it comes down to the number of complaints that were filed with the FCC then I think the public ought to answer why it’s OK for Ritchie and Oprah to and not OK for Bono and Howard.

  23. John Smith Avatar
    John Smith

    That ‘profanity’ has been resurrected is great news! Mikey might be on the side of the angels after all, just possibly…

  24. Dan Herzlich Avatar
    Dan Herzlich

    KMK: I agree that the gov’t is least suited to determining decency. The media companies should get together decide upon and policy and present it to the public, and somehow come up with an agreement the seems reasonable.
    DH

  25. HH Avatar
    HH

    Stern’s popularity is mostly in states that lean Democratic anyway… his past “influence” is ascribed to races in New York state. Nationwide, it’s a whole new ballgame and his influence is greatly exaggerated.

  26. shark Avatar
    shark

    Guest Mike Walker this morning said the net result is that the left now has a talk-show star and it’s Howard Stern
    No, Stern is actually in a niche he cannot occupy much longer. If he goes all whine “Bush is evil” all the time like he is now, the left may love him but he’s going to lose all the people who listen to him in the morning because they want laughs. If he goes back to normal, the left will despise him, he degrades women, minorities, gays (in their eyes).
    All I can speak for is my limited circle, but I can tell you that even here in NYC, most of my office just switches him off now when he gets political. Even Democrats. As one put it “it’s too early in the morning for that.” I imagine that he will soon see this on a larger scale. He either goes back to making people laugh, or he should get an airshift on Air America, where he can be marginalized with the rest of the DNC-funded lefty talkers.
    Either way- the path he’s on now can’t last.
    PS- This is a man who spoke admiringly of Kuchinich just this morning. This is a man who admits to voting for Gore and never admits how horribly wrong THAT decision was. And this idiot’s vote counts as much as mine? Not fair…

  27. Reid Avatar
    Reid

    “The witchhunt may be about Stern but the ISSUE is about the Constitution, about free speech, about my speech and yours.”
    Really? When did we all get the right to talk on the radio? Where is that in the Constitution? Howard has the same rights to free speech that you and I do. In addition, he has a contract to talk over airwaves that have always been regulated by the FCC.
    Has the FCC fined anyone for saying the F-word in their home, on the street, or on their weblog? If so, I’ll join you at the barricades.
    Until then, the issue is about Howard, his contract, and the ongoing saga of more than 12 years in which Howard was assessed half the $3.95 million in broadcast indecency fines the FCC gave out.
    Why hasn’t Oprah been fined? Fact: “The FCC does not police the airwaves independently. It relies on complaints from listeners and viewers. Once a complaint comes in, it is investigated.”
    And another interesting fact from that page about these “punitive” fines … most of them go uncollected: “In that report, the GAO notes that at the end of fiscal year 1998 the FCC estimated it had an uncollected balance of about $15 million for all civil monetary penalties, including indecency. FCC officials told the GAO that about 75 percent of the outstanding proposed or assessed penalties would remain uncollected.”
    “The GAO study also found that the FCC’s reports to Treasury contain errors and are ‘therefore not reliable. As a result, we cannot reach any conclusions about the effectiveness of FCC

  28. tony Avatar
    tony

    HH,
    once again, the reason that Stern is being targeted is although he lives in NYC, which leans to the left, he has historically backed NY/NJ Repubs (Guilliani, Pataki, Whitman) and they won… some by the thinnest of margins.
    He also backed Bush.
    Now that he has gone against Bush … for whatever reason(s), sol, he is being fined for the first time in 10 years, for something that he said in 2001.
    The two states that CC dropped him in that mattered were Ohio and Florida which could go either way in this presidential election.
    All of this might be completely coincidental, but, as Jeff pointed out today, it appears fishy when Howard can get fined for the same thing that Oprah says on tv, and yet Oprah goes unfined.

  29. Percy Dovetonsils Avatar
    Percy Dovetonsils

    People, people, we are missing the critical question here:
    What in blazes is a “David Copperfield”?
    (Topic? After Anyone who wants to fine Oprah has my vote – I’ll never forgive anyone who inflicted Dr. Phil on us.)

  30. mrsizer Avatar
    mrsizer

    I haven’t been following the Stern threads, because he doesn’t interest me. I happened to read today’s and I’m appalled we’re even having this discussion in 21st century America. Hasn’t this been settled?
    Judging from the discussion, framing this as a partisan matter is flawed. It’s a cowardice matter: Politicians are pandering and not being held accountable. Three cheers for democracy.
    I’m going to stop wasting time here and go write my representatives.

  31. Arnold Williams Avatar
    Arnold Williams

    OK, you finally awoke my conscience. Stern’s fine is nothing but major-league stupidity. The idea that the FCC can regulate the content of the airwaves to please those who are careless with the dial is a fundamental denial of the first amendment: Stern has the right to say what he wants, I have the right to listen or not to listen as I want. That’s a balance for you.

  32. hugh macleod Avatar
    hugh macleod

    I don’t understand all this hostility to Jeff. He has an opinion and he articulates it well. You don’t have to agree with him, but at least give him credit for stating his case at a standard much higher and reasoned than the average blogger.

  33. sol Avatar
    sol

    First of all, what shark said above. But as to this:
    “Now that he has gone against Bush … for whatever reason(s), sol, he is being fined for the first time in 10 years, for something that he said in 2001.”
    The question is the timing. He didn’t start to go after Bush UNTIL he heard the fines were coming down (and more importantly that the FCC was going to start fining radio personalities rather than just their companies). Your argument says that when Stern was pro-Bush Bush then decided to fine him.
    Anyway, Mancow gets fined for saying something about Clinton ages ago and nobody cares. Because he doesn’t toe the left-liberal line.
    Stern’s problem is he doesn’t have the talent or intelligence to just do a show where the comedy is real comedy and not crap-pies thrown in people’s faces comedy. He can be as ‘dirty’ as he wants, and funny too, if he has the talent to use the language in subtle, creative ways.
    Anyway, Stern is mentally retarded in case anyone hasn’t noticed by now…

  34. Mancoward Stern Avatar
    Mancoward Stern

    What in blazes is a “David Copperfield”?
    That’s where you sit in church with your Treo in one hand and you’re yanking your crank with the other.

  35. Matt Avatar
    Matt

    FYI: I’ve been blogging about the LA Howard Stern rally for weeks now.
    Guess no one checks my blog! =)
    http://www.savethehowardsternshow.com
    Matt

  36. KMK Avatar
    KMK

    Dan – The government is the least suited to determine decency. That’s why our forefathers wrote the first amendment. I love my constitution and my amendments ( all of them) and when government screws with the wording it raises my hackles. They want to add or change something they had better let us vote on it. It’s the only guarantee we have besides death and taxes.
    Reid – It’s not about Howard having the same rights to curse as a citizen or a radio broadcaster. It’s the selective fining that worries me. Set a guideline and stick to it across the board. They haven’t ever done that. The FCC can’t fine anyone outside their jurisdiction. You and I could curse each other and be protected via the first amendment. Take the canoer case. Guy tips his canoe curses his head off in front of women and children. Final verdict — first amendment protection.
    As you pointed out they can’t even collect the fines properly. Where does the money come from to support the FCC? Taxes? Great they aren’t representing us with any consistency, we have to do all the work and file the complaints and they still get paid. And if we are the ones responsible for the complaints then why is it all right for Oprah and Ritchie and not Howard and Bono? Why the public double standard? Or could it be that getting Howard off the air is a special interest groups agenda? Can you imagine if religious leaders came out against Oprah they way they do against Howard. It would backfire. Horribly. I like Oprah but I do remember her coming up the same ladder as Morton Downy, Geraldo, Montel etc. If she’s talking about tossin salad, I don’t care what the context is, she’s talking about tossin salad.
    Whether we like it or not the line has clearly moved on acceptable language. We have the President and Democratic Presidential Nominee’s dropping the F bomb’s. Where was the public uproar? Did you hear it? I didn’t.
    One question that still hasn’t been answered anywhere – Is this fine against Infinity et al. their first strikes in the three strikes and your out ruling?

  37. Dan Herzlich Avatar
    Dan Herzlich

    KMK: The forefathers had no concept of broadcasting and licensed frequencies (or abolition or gay rights). The gov’t got stuck with regulating the public airwaves. The only other option is the ultimate monopoly which will belong to the richest player. Jeff would rather see this than any type of regulation. Where does the public suffer more? From the FCC or an overarching monopoly which might be more restrictive in content. Left to his own devices, Stern would himself try to set up a monopoly by silencing those who dare compete with his format. It doesn’t take much talent to do what he does, and it’s easily copied.
    DH

  38. Ebb Tide Avatar
    Ebb Tide

    For a guy who doesn’t want people posting bad words on his blog in case his kids might read it, you are posting some crazy **** lately!
    =:-/

  39. tony Avatar
    tony

    DH,
    youre insane right?
    nobody wants any monopoly. stern doesnt want to Own his own station(s). he’s quite happy getting his limo ride to work each morning and kicking all the howardstern-clones in the tail.
    if it doesnt take any talent to do what he does, why has he been so successful for 20+ years? why has he been the #1 morning guy in NY & LA so many years in a row? no competition in those markets?
    the answer is to go back to letting companies only own a few stations.
    not only would it prevent the monopolies that you seem to be so concerned about, but it would keep stations from being so easilly manipulated by politicians.
    dont kid youself, the gov’t loves “regulating” the airwaves. nothing the powerhungry want more than more power. and although they say they dont want to regulate sat. radio and the like, i dont trust them. they’re still trying to figure out ways to f with the web. dems and repubs alike.
    either way, you couldnt be more wrong about howard’s talent. not every schmo can get on the radio every morning for 20 years with what has been called simple toilet humor and knock off one competitor at a time year after year after year after year.
    the only reason he hasnt completely dominated LA radio is cuz he doesnt speak spanish.
    yet.

  40. Patrick Banks Avatar
    Patrick Banks

    “And, by the way, the Oprah show gets much more graphic. I’m not even telling you what a “rainbow party” is, and, believe me, it has nothing to do with the Rainbow Coalition.”
    Jeff, at least be thankfull she didn’t provide a definition for the “Cleavland Steamer”. (At least I _hope_ she didn’t.) Anyway, in regards to this “rainbow party” she speaks of, my curiosity got the better of me and I looked up it’s meaning on Google. I wasn’t as appaled as I thought I would be, but in the course of my internet research, I read on some website or message board that when Oprah first discussed this…phenomenon, it was naught but an urban legend. But you know Oprah, she had to warn parents about what shocking new activities their kids were engaging in. Keep in mind this was an urban legend, key word being “was”. Also keep in mind that when many kids come home from school, Oprah is often on the teevee. Now, what do you think some of these kids are going to do when Oprah “warns” against some “dangerous” new fad like the Rainbow Party? Teenage punks being teenage punks, some of them just ain’t going to nod their heads in agreement. They’re gonna go out and try it for themselves – just the opposite behavior that Oprah wanted from them. And people say Howard Stern is a danger to America’s youth.

  41. HSternak Avatar
    HSternak

    ATTENTION!!!! Please use this form below to complain BITTERLY to the FCC about the double standard employed with Oprah vs Howard Stern and that it is not fair etc etc.
    https://www.parentstv.org/ptc/fcc/fcccomplaint.asp
    Yes this is using the same form that a right wing religious group uses but hey why not?! Ef them!
    Also please see my site
    http://www.savehoward.org for more info!
    thanks.