Gary Dell’Abate, executive producer of the Howard Stern Show, rarely gives interviews. But he wants to correct some misconceptions about one of radio’s most successful and controversial morning talk programs: the show doesn’t go out of its way to give guests a hard time he says - provided they arrive with the right attitude.
Gary Dell’Abate, executive producer of the Howard Stern Show,
rarely gives interviews. But he wants to correct some misconceptions
about one of radio’s most successful and controversial morning talk
programs: the show doesn’t go out of its way to give guests a hard time
he says - provided they arrive with the right attitude.
’Publicists don’t fully understand Howard Stern, they think the show is
all scantily clad women,’ Dell’Abate explains. ’There are a lot of
intelligent things going on. People don’t understand the impact.’
In addition to all those intelligent things, there’s a constant stream
of off-the-wall guests, from women willing to strip for free breast
implants to a Hasidic rabbi discussing his book on sex. The show feeds
many a gossip columnist by getting celebrities to talk about the kind of
things they probably wouldn’t even discuss with their own significant
others.
The suggestive subject matters have certainly done little to deter some
of the country’s biggest celebrity publicity firms - PMK, Rogers &
Cowan, Baker Winokur Ryder - and the main Hollywood studios from booking
their stars. Recent guests have included Julia Roberts, Chris Rock and
Mia Farrow.
On the other hand, it’s easy to see why some publicists might be
reticent about subjecting their clients to Stern’s razor-sharp interview
skills.
But Dell’Abate argues that no one is forced to answer Stern’s often
risque line of questioning. And he adds that - surprisingly - no one has
ever complained (to him anyway) about being treated badly.
Amy Thomases, a senior publicist at Universal Pictures who placed Arnold
Swarzenegger on the show this month, admits she would never
complain.
’Everyone is too afraid,’ she says. ’You have to just go with it.’
Thomases says the show’s heavily-male demos made it a perfect place to
promote Arnie’s latest movie, End of Days. When Swarzenegger did ABC’s
The View later that day, he said that his Stern appearance was all about
’penises and vaginas.’
’You have to just have fun with it,’ Thomases says. ’The moment Howard
knows there’s something you don’t want to discuss, that’s what he’ll
want to know about. There are no boundaries.’ Stern did in fact coax
Swarzenegger into talking about his sex life with wife Maria
Shriver.
Stern’s radio show reaches around nine million listeners nationally,
according to radio industry magazine Talkers, making it the
third-highest rated syndicated program, behind Rush Limbaugh and Dr.
Laura Schlessinger.
The Stern show airs weekdays from 6 am to 10 am in 19 of the top 20
markets (Atlanta is the exception).
The show is broadcast in New York by K-Rock (WXRK) and in Los Angeles by
KLFX. In NY at least, the Howard Stern Show remains number one, though
ratings have wavered: it had an 8.5 share this spring; 7.6 this summer ;
and 8.8 this winter.
But add to Stern’s radio ratings a TV audience - two shows are recorded
during his a.m. broadcast. Cable channel E!Entertainment and the CBS
television network air versions of the show, though which guests make
the cut is a matter for the individual editors rather than
Dell’Abate.
The producer’s day starts around 5:30 am when he opens the mail and
compiles the list of commercials. During the first break on the show,
he’ll pass Stern background on guests. Dell’Abate (aka ’Baba Booey’) is
often heard on the show alongside other characters such as Jackie ’the
Joke Man’ Martling, Stuttering John and, of course, co-host Robin
Quivers.
Dell’Abate, who has worked with Stern for 15 years, spends at least half
his day booking guests, but adds that Stern can carry the show for a day
or two without one, so there’s no pressure to take just anyone. In order
to find out who’ll be in town, he combs the Celebrity Bulletin
newsletter.
He talks to a lot of movie publicists from the main studios to learn
about upcoming films and interview candidates. Book authors are also
appearing on the show more often.
Dell’Abate is most proud of getting on the air two particular
personalities.
The late John F. Kennedy, Jr. came on to plug George magazine even after
Stern had taken some shots at him. The producer also spent years wooing
supermodel Cindy Crawford with phone calls to her office every few
months.
The effort eventually paid off. (He is still trying to convince Madonna
and Tom Hanks.)
Even politicos such as New Jersey governor Christie Todd Whitman have
appeared before the microphone at West 57th Street. ’The governor finds
the show humorous,’ says her press secretary, Jayne O’Connor. ’We can’t
speak for other people, but we feel confident putting the governor on
the show. We haven’t had any bad experiences.’
Given Stern’s support for much of what Mayor Rudy Giuliani has
accomplished in New York, it will be interesting to see which side he
takes in the Senate race between the mayor and Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Stern’s influence on voters cannot be overestimated. ’We’d take anyone
who’s running,’ offers Dell’Abate, who suggests that the Giuliani press
camp has signaled it will make an appearance later in the campaign.
As for those who need to approach the show (rather than those it is
courting), Dell’Abate encourages all manner of pitches. ’I’ll listen to
anything and if it isn’t right, pitch me again on something else,’ he
says. He advises to mail or fax and avoid e-mail.
PR pros might be tempted to try to set interview guidelines, given
Stern’s penchant for making the headlines. Fuhgeddaboudit! Dell’Abate
says: ’If something is out there, we have to talk about it.’ In an
interview earlier this month, Stern asked baseball star Pete Rose about
allegations that he had gambled on the game. Rose’s response, according
to New York Post gossip column Page Six, was to ask why the
self-proclaimed King of all Media didn’t own up to being ’a fag.’
Stern, whose personal fortune is estimated at dollars 20 million,
recently split with his wife, Alison, but Dell’Abate says this has just
reinforced his connection with listeners: ’He talks about his life on
air and so many people have been affected by it (the separation), that
they identify with him.’
Matt Labov, vice president at Baker Winokur Ryder in Los Angeles, says
he thinks Stern has ’lightened up’ over the past few years. ’He used to
be this sarcastic, zany, New York DJ. Now he’s much more accessible to
clients I’ve had.’
Labov represents comedians like Chris Rock and Jon Stewart and says the
show is perfect for his needs. Though celebrity publicists are by nature
overprotective, he says clients don’t always appreciate taking the safe
route. ’It’s not as much fun.’
However Labov adds a word of warning for appearances on the show: ’You
have to be quick on your feet. It isn’t for everybody, it’s not for
clients with skeletons in their closets.’
CONTACT LIST
The Howard Stern Show
WXRK (K-Rock Radio)
40 West 57th St. 14th floor
New York, NY 10019-4001
Tel: (212) 314 9322
Fax: (212) 314 9339
Web:www.krockradio.com
Host: Howard Stern
Co-host: Robin Quivers
Executive producer: Gary Dell’Abate
Associate producer: KC Armstrong.
