While some Don Imus’ gay-baiting leaves a bad taste, sappho-journo Jenny Stewart celebrates shock jock Howard Stern’s seemingly coarse queer discourse:
Most people in the gay community — at least those not familiar with Stern, and few have bothered to familiarize themselves — believe him to be a loudmouth and a homophobe, a nothing-is-sacred Don Imus type who does nothing but make faggot jokes and exploits lesbians on air by reducing them to sexual objects.
But as a lesbian who’s been listening to Howard daily for more than 20 years, I can say that this is so not true: Just take a look beneath his shtick, and you’ll find one of the most pro-gay media personalities in the country.
Stewart points to Stern’s “glamorization” of lesbians, George Takei’s stint on the syndicated radio show, as well as his routine roasting of the Westboro Baptist Church as examples of Stern’s pro-gay agenda. For the record, we think the secret’s in his curls…
abelincoln
Shouldn’t this be in the “smells like bullshit” area?
Just because he’s an equal opportunity basher doesn’t mean he isn’t a hateful pig.
Using Miss Chickadee’s reasoning, the Westboro Baptist Church could say the same thing – he’s pro Westboro because he bashes gays.
todd
If you actually listen to Howard, you know he’s NOT a homophobe or gay basher. He’s actually quite pro-gay.
WWH
Howard is our friend.
Ba Ba Booey
Our friend indeed
Jon
Howard is totally cool. I’ve never heard him say anything negative about gays in a serious manner. Sometimes he makes jokes, but a joke is a joke and his whole “shock jock” persona is a role he plays anyway.
praenomenal
I agree, I used to listen when I was younger and there were times I would get offended but as I listened I realized it was always good natured. The thing is our community can get pretty huffy at times about how we are viewed, meanwhile we can be catty as fuck.
What I think Howard does for us is poke fun in the same way he does everyone else. It is one thing to stand on a pulpit and scream that queers are going to hell. It is another to tease us for our stereotypes in the same breath as everyone else. It is a normalizing influence.
"D"
I’ve also listened to Howard for over 20 years and I find most people I tell this too that claim to hate Howard Stern have never even listened to his show, they’ve just “heard” things about it. But I agree Howard is probably the most pro gay “shock” jock out there, and probably one of the best interviewers in the business period.
Ken
“Of course gay people should be allowed to marry – they should be as miserable as everyone else”
Howard
Jack Jett
Howard Stern is one of those celebrities that have done more for the gay and lesbian community than we realize.
If Howard thinks gay people are cool, so will his audience which is a huge segment of the American population and one that many other celebrities can not reach.
I use to find him really offensive and then if you listen, he is making fun of people who make fun of gays.
Reverend Flash
It’s nice to see people saying so many nice things about Howard. Usually, a forum about Howard features his detractors in abundance. Obviously, Howard is pro-gay. He’s an intelligent man who knows full well that there is no reason why gay people shouldn’t have the same rights as anyone else. Unlike ‘Frightening Fred’ Thompson.
sam
Howard Stern reminds me of the sleazy porn industry. Like the sleazy porn industry, Howard normalizes female bisexuality for reasons of the sleazy straight guy fetish of “girl-on-girl” action. It’s his means of appealing to the sleazy straight males who attempt to control our culture. In a sense, Howard is patriarchal because his shtick is all about entrenching male heterosexual control. Note how Howard never promotes male bisexuality in the same way.
Dave
“No. 11 sam says:
Howard Stern reminds me of the sleazy porn industry. Like the sleazy porn industry, Howard normalizes female bisexuality for reasons of the sleazy straight guy fetish of “girl-on-girl†action. It’s his means of appealing to the sleazy straight males who attempt to control our culture. In a sense, Howard is patriarchal because his shtick is all about entrenching male heterosexual control. Note how Howard never promotes male bisexuality in the same way.”
This is exactly what people who don’t listen to Stern think. Howard doesn’t promote male bisexuality the same way because he’s not attracted to men, and he says so. It’s a very honest and open dialogue on the show. Something that you’d think gay people wouldn’t have a problem with. Maybe you should listen? Howard is incredibly pro-gay, both male and female.