Howard Stern Hits Back at 'Too Woke' Claims: 'I Was Enjoying My Vacation!' as He Confirms Show Renewal

Radio legend Howard Stern orchestrated an elaborate on-air prank on Monday morning that briefly convinced listeners, and several major news outlets, that his two-decade run at SiriusXM had come to an abrupt end.

The 71-year-old shock jock returned to his flagship show after a week-long illness, using the opportunity to mock swirling speculation about his future at the satellite radio network where his current £400 million contract expires at the end of 2025.

However, he dismissed rumours after some time that he was fired for being 'too woke'as he confirmed his SiriusXM show's renewal, joking that speculation arose while he was simply enjoying his summer vacation.

Andy Cohen's 'Takeover' Fools Media Outlets

At 7 a.m. Eastern Time on Monday, regular listeners tuning into Howard 100 were greeted not by Stern's familiar voice, but by Bravo host Andy Cohen announcing he was taking over the channel and rebranding it as 'Andy 100'.

'I know you're expecting a big announcement from Howard, and this is not how things were meant to go,' Cohen said during the carefully scripted segment, according to CNN Business. 'Howard and the executive team at Sirius felt that it was best to kinda part ways now.'

The performance proved so convincing that Variety, CNBC, and the Associated Press all published breaking news stories declaring Stern's departure. The AP later issued a full retraction of their report, whilst Variety updated their headline to reflect the hoax.

SiriusXM shares briefly dipped nearly 2% in premarket trading before recovering once the prank was revealed, demonstrating Stern's continued influence on the company's perceived value.

Stern Sets The Record Straight on 'Woke' Firing Claims

After allowing the ruse to play out for approximately 10 minutes, Stern returned to the airwaves alongside longtime co-host Robin Quivers to address what he called 'completely false' rumours that had proliferated during his summer break.

'Lest anyone think that was real, that was all masterminded by me,' Stern explained, as reported by NBC News. 'I said to Andy, "Would you cut a bit for us?" And he immediately said yes.'

The broadcaster expressed particular frustration with claims he'd been sacked for being 'too woke'—a narrative that gained traction on social media after former President Donald Trump weighed in on the speculation. 'I still don't know what "woke" means,' Stern quipped, noting that if supporting rights for gay and transgender people made him woke, 'who gives a f---?'

According to Billboard, Stern revealed the false reports began in late July when tabloids claimed Quivers had died, followed by the alleged 'woke' firing story that he said contained 'zero truth'.

An IBTimes UK report earlier this year highlighted how Stern's repositioning has reshaped his audience, shrinking from a peak of 20 million listeners to under 150,000 regular live listeners, as podcasts and streaming competitors lured away parts of his base. Critics labelled the shift 'woke,' while others praised it as long-overdue maturity from a once-controversial broadcaster.

Contract Renewal Talks Continue Behind Closed Doors

Whilst Monday's theatrics confirmed Stern isn't leaving imminently, questions remain about his long-term future at SiriusXM. His current five-year deal, signed in December 2020 and worth approximately £80 million annually according to The Hollywood Reporter, expires at the end of 2025.

Speaking at a Bank of America conference last week, SiriusXM President and Chief Content Officer Scott Greenstein expressed confidence about reaching an agreement. 'Howard, for all these years and right up until now, is as important a single piece of content as we've had,' Greenstein said, calling him 'the best interviewer out there, period, bar none.'

CEO Jennifer Witz echoed this sentiment, though both executives emphasised any new deal would need to 'make sense' financially for the company, which has faced subscriber pressure and multiple rounds of cost-cutting in recent years.

What Monday's Stunt Means for Stern's Legacy

Stern's ability to generate headlines through Monday's prank demonstrates his enduring relevance in an increasingly fragmented media landscape. Having joined Sirius in 2006 (before its merger with XM Radio) in a groundbreaking move away from terrestrial radio, he helped transform the fledgling satellite service from 600,000 subscribers to over 33 million today.

'What p---es me off is now I can't leave,' Stern joked on air, according to The Daily Beast. 'I've been thinking about retiring, now I can't.'

The broadcaster, who now works a reduced Monday-Wednesday schedule and frequently broadcasts from his home studio, addressed speculation about younger talent like podcaster Alex Cooper potentially replacing him. 'I don't know Alex Cooper,' he said. 'If she is young and bubbly, then God bless her because I'm the opposite.'

Despite reducing his workload in recent years—broadcasting approximately 100 shows annually compared to his previous gruelling schedule—Stern insisted he remains 'pleased at SiriusXM' and that discussions with executives have been 'nothing but lovely'.

As Deadline noted, Stern successfully turned media speculation into appointment listening, with his show promising to address the rumours generating significant tune-in interest before Monday's reveal.

For now, the King of All Media continues his reign at SiriusXM, though whether that extends beyond 2025 remains an open question. What's certain is that when Stern does eventually decide to sign off for good, it won't be through a surprise Monday morning announcement—unless, of course, that too turns out to be another elaborate prank.