Comments on: Howard Stern: Anti-Gay Marriage Advocates Lead the ‘Most Empty Fucking Life’

By: Bertie

Bertie — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 19:53:46 +0000

Howard is a tremendously empathetic man. He is damn funny, a brilliant interviewer, and a staunch advocate of gay rights. Love Stern ! His XM-Sirius show is great and Howard TV (on demand service) rules.

By: rogue dandelion

rogue dandelion — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 16:47:14 +0000

@sam: Arty is so adorable!
howard has been supported since i can remember-i stopped listening since he went to sirius(i am broke) but I would have imagined that would continue.

By: sam

sam — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 15:45:14 +0000

I like how they kind of all struggle to talk about it in the right way: “Well, not just Broadway, that’s stereotypical.”

I think “Nobody’s born a Nazi” might be my favorite line. Awkward! But trying!

By: Licky

Licky — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 14:49:21 +0000

He has always been a hero.

By: hephaestion

hephaestion — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 14:27:49 +0000

I don’t think “feminists and lefties” made us think Stern was anti-gay. He WAS relatively anti-gay about 15 or 20 years ago. He made it clear that gays were little but something to laugh at. I don’t know when Stern’s transformation took place… maybe in the 90′s, maybe in the 2000′s, maybe in the 80′s… but I am extremely glad to learn that Stern is now such a great supporter of equality and justice for us. (Stern’s biography from the 90′s said he thought we chose to be gay.)

But don’t blame “feminists and lefties.” Leave that language to Rush Limbaugh and those who never will desire justice or equality for anyone but straight white males.

By: Tim

Tim — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 14:18:56 +0000

I remember him once yelling at someone and asserting that, “It’s not a choice…idiot!” After that, it’s been hard to take offense when he is just making jokes.

By: Rev. Steve

Rev. Steve — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 13:56:57 +0000

The Real Story: “The Audacity of a Place Called Hope” on Rev. Steve’s Cyber-Pulpit http://tinyurl.com/cymw44

By: Oaklander

Oaklander — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 13:31:35 +0000

I like that he gets the relationship between marriage rights and bashing. If someone doesn’t have the same rights as you, they are less than you, and there is no foul in harming them. I feel that this is really an important, less-spoken piece of the pro-marriage argument.

By: John Santos

John Santos — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 13:09:25 +0000

@cufflinks:

I used to hate him because the lefties around me hated him.

Bingo! Feminists and anti-porn crusaders had us all convinced he was a hater. And like you, I was forced to listen to him on a car trip in the early nineties, about the time of DADT and I was shocked at his disgust at keeping gays out of service.

Although, when my uncle thought he was all un-PC, he loved Stern. Then he came out with his book, Miss America, and my uncle hated him because he put on a dress and make-up. And I loved him even more!

By: Mike in MO

Mike in MO — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 12:58:18 +0000

ditto to those who say Howard has been an ally for many years. If you can find a clip of the first “lesbian Dial-a-date”. It was from WAY back in the mid 80s, loooong before Will & Grace, etc. It is remarkable how sensitive he is with the women. And as cufflinks points out, he reaches an audience that would never ordinarliy pay much thought to gay issues.

By: vernonvanderbilt

vernonvanderbilt — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 11:55:14 +0000

Howard’s pretty much always been an ally, at least for a very long time, so this is hardly groundbreaking news for those of us who have actually listened to him. A lot of people seem to have this image built up in their minds as to who Howard Stern is, but what amazes me is how most of them completely miss the mark. Howard is nothing if not honest, for better or worse, and he’s not afraid to delve into uncomfortable territory if it will increase his (and, by extension, his audience’s) understanding of an issue.

By: frisky

frisky — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 10:36:43 +0000

Enough with being surprised about Howard Stern’s support of the gay community. He is absolutely one of the biggest and most vocal supporters of lgbt rights and everyone’s rights and he does have a massive audience of people of all views. Queerty, you need to get a sirius subscription and listen to him every day. You will be so hooked, you’ll get nothing done.

By: getreal

getreal — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 07:12:29 +0000

@cufflinks: Well put.

By: cufflinks

cufflinks — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 07:09:33 +0000

Howard Stern is very progressive. Listen to him sometime. I used to hate him because the lefties around me hated him. But I was forced to listen to him on a car trip once and I was struck by his humanity and sense of humor. He “goes there.”

But what’s more important is that he has the ear of a lot of people who aren’t intrinsically gay friendly. He’s not Rachael Maddow, but he reaches listeners who do not listen to PC musings or care about politics. And for that reason he’s a lot more powerful and influential.

By: getreal

getreal — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 06:56:11 +0000

I have been telling people for years and actual sent email to Queerty about how he supportive he was when his staffer came out he is so gay positive. Is he obnoxious yes crude sometimes but he is one of the biggest proponent of gay rights today and most people who don’t listen to his how think he is a homophobe. Long live Howard Stern!