We’re huge fans of the Howard Stern Show. Case in point: our conversation on the way home today from the grocery store involved ranking Wack Packers from favorite to least favorite, and Stern show staffers (not including Howard) the same way. (And in case you’re wondering, our top fives were Eric the Actor, Crackhead Bob, Bigfoot, Alice, and Beetlejuice/Hank the Angry Dwarf; and Artie, Fred, Robin, Ronnie, and JD.)
Both Tony and I listened to Howard for years on terrestrial radio. When they made the move to Sirius satellite radio, we were ecstatic, since we were already subscribers. Since January 9, 2006, the day the Stern Show premiered on Sirius, my sixty-minute drive to and from work has improved exponentially. I often find myself sitting in the car until the last possible second, knowing it will be another eight-plus hours before I hear the rest of Artie’s Vegas story or Eric the Actor’s phone call. We subscribe to Howard TV and watch episodes of radio show every night in bed before we fall asleep. These subscriptions are money well spent and offer us almost limitless hours of entertainment. We wouldn’t be without them.
Recently, Tony came upon an article in Car and Driver, a reputable and trusted publication in the field of automotives. An article called Tested: 2007 MINI Cooper - Short Take Road Tests by reporter Tony Swan offered us this nugget of “information” about the cost of extra features on the MINI (emphasis, but no link, added):
One cautionary note: At an estimated $19,000, the Cooper rates as a bargain. But at about $25,500, our test car was in Cooper S territory. Careful with those options boxes. For example, are you really willing to pay $950 for a satellite-radio outfit that supports Howard Stern? Didn't think so.
This pissed me off. Not just because I’m a Stern fan, but because it offends my intelligence. When I’m looking for sheer facts about a car, I definitely don’t need Tony Swan to tell me what I am or am not willing to pay for in options, thanks. Chances are I’m reading Car and Driver for information, not opinions. Which is exactly what I told them in this letter to the editor:
To Whom It May Concern:
Recently we purchased a 2008 MINI Cooper S. Prior to that purchase, we researched the car extensively. One of the reasons we chose this car was because it offered built-in Sirius Satellite Radio. In fact, the built-in radio also includes a lifetime subscription to Sirius, which at $950, is a great deal, considering the subscription alone costs $500. By keeping the car for a minimum of five years, which we planned to, the Sirius subscription would pay for itself.
Imagine our dismay when we read this article by Tony Swan: Tested: 2007 Mini Cooper - Short Take Road Tests
This passage in particular caught my attention:
"One cautionary note: At an estimated $19,000, the Cooper rates as a bargain. But at about $25,500, our test car was in Cooper S territory. Careful with those options boxes. For example, are you really willing to pay $950 for a satellite-radio outfit that supports Howard Stern? Didn't think so."
In an information piece, is this really necessary? When did Car and Driver start offering political commentary? Or was this article an opinion piece and we just missed it? Because we were under the impression that we would receive information about the car, not an editorial on which entertainer's career we should or shouldn't support. Please clarify.
I'm surprised this made it past the editor's desk of such a reputable publication, frankly.
Thank you for your time.
I’m serious, this ticked me off beyond belief. So I also send an email to the Howard 100 News Team, because if anyone can drum up some drama with this, it’s Steve Langford. No one asks questions like Steve. And what is it with people still having such issues with Howard? The constant crusade to rid the world of his so-called ‘shock-jock’ ways is unbelievable to me. Especially considering that little thing we have called the First Amendment, the very thing which allows Car and Driver to do what they do every day. I have no problem with them voicing an opinion about Stern, but don’t lead readers to believe you’re offering one type of content and then give them quite another.
Damn, I should have ended the letter with a big, bold BABA BOOEY!