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Howard Stern with tags
Howard Stern,
Howard TV,
Rob Barnett,
My Damn Channel,
Radio,
Steven Clean,
Harry Shearer,
WKRP,
WCOZ,
The Rolling Stones,
WAAF,
420,
Sirius on 4/24/2010 5:08:43 PM by Rob Barnett
Like millions of us, my stepmom is a lifelong Howard Stern fan. She just sent this photo taken off of Howard TV, airing our in-studio interview from earlier this week. I had the honor of being Howard Stern's guest on his Tuesday, 420 show (scroll to 840a).
Response is coming into My Damn Channel via email, phones, video views, comments, new subscribers, tweets, wall postings, and even a live spotting this afternoon in a clothing store (to complete the surreality). The influx of intense energy all flows back to a man undeniably uniquely qualified to hold the heavyweight title: "King of All Media."
Howard endures as one of the most talented and honest souls alive. He embodies the freedom of speech with every breath. For all who've been fired, laid off, downsized, pink slipped, discharged, axed, or job eliminated...it's hard to imagine speaking truth to power on a live microphone the way Howard has done it for decades.
I first followed Howard Stern on a carrier current, college radio station, 64 WTBU at Boston University. (There's a great scene depicting TBU in "Private Parts.")
If you've ever chased a radio dream, then your college years are likely the last time and place you ever experienced the fear and thrill of exercising your freedom of speech over a live mic.
Primordial FM rock radio stations were created in the late 1960's. Early heroes like Harry Shearer and Steven Clean were blowing minds at places like KPPC in Pasadena, California (which eventually became the world famous KROQ).
The combined forces of original radio talents and pre-corporate rock music created stations throughout the 70s powerful enough to infect audiences with a sense of community, purpose, passion, sex and fun that began to hit the wall around 1980.
I was sitting on the front steps of my apartment on Beacon Street in Boston with Steven Clean and my best friend, Mike Isabella the night Ronald Reagan was elected President. I was 20. I was about to drop out of college and take a full-time job as a rock radio jock at WAAF out in Worcester, Mass. One year later, I had the only radio thrill that came closest to being on Howard's show this week. Lightning struck and we convinced the Rolling Stones to do a private show for our station's fans in 1981 to start up the "Tattoo You" tour.
But, back to Mr. Clean. I'd been Steven's intern for a time at WCOZ in Boston. At that point in his career, Clean had been fired by many of the best radio stations in the country. He was a real life inspiration for the Dr. Johnny Fever character in "WKRP in Cincinnati." Steven was incredibly talented, brilliant, a true music expert and fan...and he was rebellious enough to drive the most patient souls to the edge of their sanity.
Considering the nation's new President, Steven held a joint firmly in my face and said, "See this? This is OVER!"
By the time of Reagan's second term, most radio station managers had a "Just Say No" policy for disc jockeys expressing free thoughts on mic, or taking free reign over any music playlist.
A small number of former radio station program directors shaved their beards, cut their hair, bought expensive suits, and armed themselves with halliburton briefcases filled with blow and bullshit designed to convince every fearful radio exec that they had the only secrets to ratings success, fortune and fame.
Conformity soon became the norm. Tighter playlists made stations sound the same from city-to-city. The job of disc jockey was transforming free thinkers into people paid to read positioning slogans, timechecks and weather forecasts.
In the midst of all this unholy homogenization, Howard Stern began to build a radio show free from the constraints put on most of his competitors. His talent grew on the radio and expanded with every carefully planned new project he launched.
Superfans know that Howard pays homage to legends who came before him like Lenny Bruce and George Carlin. I can't think of another entertainer who has more succesfully won battles with corporate brass than Howard. One of the many surprises about the real man to outsiders is how he maintains his position with grace and wisdom.
No one knows what the next chapter will be for the Stern show in 2011. Assume Howard can see the possible moves on the chess board more clearly than most. As a fan, I'll be following as I have since the beginning. As a business owner, My Damn Channel stands ready to serve The King anytime he calls.
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Rob Barnett on 4/22/2010 1:30:42 PM by Virginia Reiff
If you or your absentee next door neighbor that always leaves the door open gets Howard TV, watch Rob get interviewed by The King, Howard Stern. You'll laugh, you'll learn, you'll thank me in the morning.
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South Park on 4/20/2010 7:04:13 AM by Rob Barnett
I just left Howard Stern's studio after an hour-long, on-air interview with the King.
About 2 weeks ago, Collette McLafferty set up an interview on Dr. Blogstein's Radio Happy Hour on Blog Talk Radio. Their interview was supposed to be about My Damn Channel, but they opened with a question about my old life in a thankless job at CBS Radio working to try to figure out how to replace the irreplaceable Howard Stern.
Howard 100 News ran with the story on Sirius on April Fool's Day. Gary Dell'Abate connected to invite me to come in to meet Howard this morning, 420, to tell the untold, true story.
I'd gotten advice from some of my best friends - and from some of Howard's friends about how to handle the situation. Much of it obvious. Tell the truth. Don't weasal. And the hardest advice - don't be long-winded.
Somehow, the minute I walked in LIVE - the mass nerves disappeared and Howard was totally amazing for over an hour.
We talked about the impossible situation he created by quitting radio in 2004 for satellite. I told him that the only person that came out perfectly smelling like a rose...was Howard.
We talked about Jon Stewart, Matt & Trey from South Park, Jerry Seinfeld, Larry David, Chris Rock, David Lee Roth, Adam Carolla, Jimmy Kimmel, Free FM, Harry Shearer, You Suck at Photoshop, and My Damn Channel. He couldn't have been cooler.
Today's show will loop all day on Sirius.
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420 on 4/19/2010 3:31:33 PM by Virginia Reiff
Howard Stern Tuesday, 420, 8:30AM EST. Nuff Said.
Here's what happened from MarksFriggin.com - scroll down to 8:40am.
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David Wain,
Streamy Awards with tags
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Streamys on 4/15/2010 12:34:37 PM by Virginia Reiff
Auto Tune The News Auto Tuned the Streamys. Complete Genius. See it HERE.
Rob Barnett (My Damn Channel Founder/CEO); Illeana Douglas
The My Damn Channel family of artists took home 4 Streamy Awards Sunday night:
- Illeana Douglas won 2 Streamy Awards for EASY TO ASSEMBLE. Best Ensemble Cast and Best Product Integration for IKEA.
- Jason and Randy Sklar won a Streamy Award for Best Branded Entertainment Web Series for BACK ON TOPPS sponsored by Dick's Sporting Goods.
- David Wain won a Streamy Award for Best Writing for a Comedy Web Series for WAINY DAYS.
HUGE THANKS to every artist, active fan, and advertiser for saying YES to "the good shit."
Here's the new news:
A 3rd Season of IKEA's EASY TO ASSEMBLE will debut this year on My Damn Channel. Illeana and IKEA will deliver the details in the coming days. This is a tremendous sign of support for everyone who co-creates Branded Entertainment.
David Wain told Grace on the red carpet that more WAINY DAYS is on its way to My Damn Channel. Cameras will roll on episode 32 next weekend!
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Streamy Awards with tags
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Grace Helbig,
Michelle Vargas,
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Illeana Douglas,
Jason Sklar,
Randy Sklar,
IKEA,
Easy To Assemble,
Wainy Days,
Back on Topps,
Sparhusen,
Rob Mailhouse,
Todd Spahr,
Web Television,
Kodak on 4/11/2010 9:28:30 AM by Rob Barnett
Tonight's the night web television's best are honored by the Streamy Awards.
We hit the red carpet with all the web couture we got.
Grace Helbig, Michelle Vargas, and Virginia Reiff bring you My Damn Channel coverage on our home page and our new www.MyDamnChannel.tumblr.com.
And My Damn Channel goes LIVE for the first time ever. The ceremony starts at 5:30p PST.
Look for David Wain, Illeana Douglas, Jason Sklar, Randy Sklar, Sparhusen, Todd Spahr, Rob Mailhouse, Justine Bateman, Douglas NINJA Sarine, and all our fellow nominees and nerds.
My Damn Channel BIG announcements coming from here at the Streamys too on what's new.