Former employees from The Howard Stern Show previously addressed the “frightening” truth about working on the radio show.
Three years before Stern’s executive assistant sued him for creating an allegedly hostile work environment, other ex-staffers spoke out in the Vice TV docuseries Dark Side of the 2000s about issues including low wages.
Jackie Martling, who was a cast member and writer for Stern’s show from 1983 to 2001, claimed a majority of the staff “weren’t getting paid well” despite Stern “making countless millions of dollars.”
“It was frightening what was going on,” Martling, now 78, said at the time before adding, “There was so much money coming in. It was crazy the amount of money.”
Howard Stern has gotten into feuds with David Letterman, Lena Dunham and many more stars throughout his career. Stern and Letterman started off as friends in the ‘90s — until the radio host started bashing the former late-night host. The two had a falling out and did not patch things up until 2018 when […]
Martling ultimately left the show because of Stern’s refusal to increase his salary.
“You are beyond rich and successful, and you have someone sitting next to you who makes you enjoy that job much more. And you let them go?” Martling continued. “Because he asked for more money? Especially when you’re friends. It boggles the mind.”
Martling also called out Stern, 73, directly, saying, “He’s got all his listeners calling me cheap. And he just crows and crows about how he’s the most loyal guy in the world … which, you know, it’s funny.”
John Melendez, meanwhile, claimed he only made $20,000 a year. After bringing in $75,000 after 15 years on the show, Melendez left to earn from $350,000 to $400,000 with Jay Leno.
“He couldn’t let me evolve and be happy,” Melendez, now 60, said about Stern.
Elsewhere in the 2023 docuseries episodes, Steve Grillo, who was an intern on the show from 1991 to 1998, alleged that he wasn’t paid at all until six years later.
Howard Stern, Jimmy Kimmel Randy Holmes/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images
“I started getting paid about 30 hours a week, minimum wage, which was like $6.35 at that time,” he explained. “So I got paid for 30 hours and I was working, like, 60.”
Grillo, now 58, recalled asking K-Rock vice president and general manager Tom Chiusano for a raise to help qualify for health insurance. The request was allegedly shut down at the time, which is when Grillo contacted Stern.
Stern allegedly told Grillo, “Yeah, well, that’s just Tom.” Grillo expressed frustration at his former boss’ lack of support, adding, “That’s a horrible way to do it — to not stand up for an employee that’s [taken] care of you for the past eight years.”
He continued: “You’re making a million dollars an hour and I have to go work at a nightclub in order to survive. And this is the moment I knew I was gonna leave. If that man’s not gonna stick up for me, I’m out. And that’s when I left.”
Stern did not publicly address the accusations made in the docuseries at the time.
Howard Stern will still be on the airwaves after reports swirled of an alleged cancellation of the beloved The Howard Stern Show. Multiple outlets reported in August that Stern’s show was canceled after making his debut on Sirius Satellite Radio in 2006. Stern, who began his radio host career in the 1980s, was inducted into […]
Us Weekly confirmed on Monday, April 6, that Leslie Kuhn sued Howard and his wife, Beth Stern. In the court documents, Kuhn recalled being hired as an office manager for SiriusXM’s The Howard Stern Show in September 2022 before becoming Howard’s executive assistant in January 2024.
Kuhn claimed she was later asked to move to Southampton, New York, to work at Howard and Beth’s mansion.
“Beth Stern told Kuhn that, in addition to assisting [Howard], Beth needed assistance with such things as managing the staff of the mansion, setting staffing schedules, completing staff payroll and managing general household operations, including Beth’s extensive at-home feline rescue and fostering operations,” the docs stated.
Kuhn’s employment was allegedly terminated for cause in February.
“Kuhn contends that her termination was the result of, among other things, a hostile work environment and enablement of that hostile work environment, immense pressures on the household created by irresponsible and untenable animal rescue and fostering operations occurring on-site, and massively disorganized and questionable business operations and accounting practices,” court documents stated. “As such, Kuhn fully intends to disclose details concerning the facts surrounding her employment.”
The lawsuit claimed Kuhn was presented with a separation agreement containing a nondisclosure agreement that she allegedly did not sign. She requested that the court declare the NDA unenforceable and to require the Sterns to cover her court costs.