Among Friends

[LilacTree]

I have never liked Howard Stern. However Anderson Cooper interviewed him and I watched it last night.  I was first, quite shocked at his intelligence, but it was the content of the interview that really surprised me.  

He is in intensive therapy and has been for quite some time.  He has really begun to understand who he is and why he acted the way he did in interviews, saying cruel things to people, etc.  He said he doesn’t do that anymore, though he still has a show on Serius radio.

He described his conflicted childhood and how he believes our psyches begin to take shape as early as two years old. He admired his father who was also in the radio business and how he always wanted to be like him, but he was never around. Then his mother who was mentally ill and always talking about killing herself, keeping him always alert as a very small child and how his whole childhood was spent in trying to protect her.

It seems Anderson felt the same way about his mother, although the circumstances were different.  It was really very deep stuff, these two very conflicted grown men talking about how their childhoods shaped them.  Anderson’s mother was Gloria Vanderbilt, some of you may know that, and she just died recently in her 90s.

Stern has written a book about his radio interviews over the years, but he wasn’t there just to push his book.  He said it’s mostly how he realized that he had to change to live a fuller, happier life.  I will read this book.

Anyway, I suggest anyone who is interested in deep therapy, whether you like Stern or Anderson or not, watch this interview because it fascinated me.  Stern says anyone can change no matter how old they get.

[proudlyfromNJ]

I’ve listened to Howard Stern for years. A great interviewer. He kept me going during my boring days at work.

[Witchy Woman]

@LilacTree 

How fascinating.

I was never a big fan, but, certainly, aware of him and the kind of shows he did.  Listened to him now and then before he went to satellite radio. 

It always struck me that he was wasting his potential.

His current wife is, I believe an animal activist and supports pet adoptions.

I'll look for the interview.

[RainyDayGal]

Never was a fan, his interviews on HBO were horrid (I only watched a few minutes, not regular). I thought he was pretty disgusting.

However, he and his wife are huge animal advocates, which I greatly admire.

[sidsmom]

I adore Howard Stern.

Used to listen to his syndicated show here in DFW back

in the early 90s.  He reminds me a lot of Hugh Hefner.

Quiet. Intelligent. Funny. Loyal. Kind. Everyone dislikes them

but don’t know why...honestly? the public doesn’t understand them.  

When I found out Howard Stern practiced

Transcendental Meditation, I adored him even more. 

[Goldengate8361]

I've always liked him and have always thought he was very intelligent. I'm surprised that people find his intelligence and depth surprising.

[Mary Bailey]

I was never a HS fan but DH has always been.  I liked him on America's Got Talent.

I saw that interview on CNN and bought HS book in the middle of the night for Father's Day. 

DH loved it and read it in a couple of weeks.

[jackthebear]

always been a fan,  I think he is a great interviewer,

I read the book but most of it was transcripts of stuff I heard so I just read the other parts,

[NickNack]

I saw that interview.  It was really very interesting.  I learned a lot about Howard Stern and Anderson, too.  I really like Anderson Cooper and usually watch him every night.

[GrailSeeker]

I happened by chance to catch this interview.  Very interesting.