The Wack Pack—Stern’s rotating roster of eccentric, unconventional guests—dominated the airwaves in 2008. This year featured classic, chaotic appearances from Eric the Actor (then Eric the Midget), Beetlejuice, Bigfoot, and Riley Martin. Eric the Actor's demanding negotiations over various acting gigs and his refusal to fly with balloons remain highlights of the 2008 broadcast calendar. Staff Warfare: Bubba the Love Sponge and Scott the Engineer
The year wasn't all gimmicks and political talk. Real human drama played out on air. In a poignant segment on December 1st, beloved Wack Packer came out as gay live on the air, explaining that failing a polygraph test had forced him to confront his own truth. On a darker note, Artie Lange's struggles continued, and his memoir was so full of apologies that Howard joked it should be titled "Artie Lange: I'm Sorry". In a surreal turn, the show mourned the passing of one of its most unique Wack Packers, Kenneth Keith Kallenbach , in April.
The 2008 archives are packed with major real-world events and internal show milestones that changed the trajectory of the program forever. 1. The Sirius-XM Merger howard stern 2008 archive
Listening back, the 2008 interviews are jarring compared to the softened, "Hollywood" Howard of the 2020s. In '08, he was still a predator in the best possible way.
True to his shock jock roots, Stern found himself in the center of a firestorm after announcing plans to auction off the virginity of a 22-year-old woman named Natalie Dylan on his show. While Stern maintained he wanted to discuss the "why" of such a proposition, the media spin was that he was "kicking off" the auction. The story went viral globally, generating immense publicity, as the winning bidder would get to sleep with Natalie at a legal Nevada brothel. Stern ultimately had to issue a clarification, stating he was not personally hosting an auction. Staff Warfare: Bubba the Love Sponge and Scott
June brought the bizarre competition "Porn Stars Vs. Slow Adults," featuring Wack Packers competing against adult film actresses. In a classic piece of on-air humiliation, staffer Jason Kaplan was forced onto a scale, revealing he weighed 287 pounds, leading Howard to promise to weigh him weekly. The show's prank culture was on full display when Sal put on a Gary mask and started brushing its teeth with an oversized toothbrush, leading Gary to storm into the studio and attack him.
Perhaps the most infamous moment of the year occurred when Artie physically assaulted his assistant, Teddy, live on the air during a heated argument. The raw audio captures the panic in the studio, Howard’s shock, and the immediate aftermath that nearly ended Artie's career on the spot. On a darker note, Artie Lange's struggles continued,
The introduction and rise of the unique, heavy-voiced Wack Packer from Vermont. 4. High-Profile Celebrity Interviews