Howard Stern Says Goodbye To AGT

After four years as a judge on 'America's Got Talent', Howard Stern is leaving the show. Before being on AGT, Howard was known as a 'shock jock'. His whole schtick was to shock and often offend people on his national radio show. I read his book 'Private Parts' and saw the movie version of the book in 1997. And while I admired what Howard did as an entertainer, I knew his style would likely never appeal to mainstream America.

When it was announced in 2011 that Howard would be replacing Piers Morgan as a judge on 'America's Got Talent', many people weren't sure if it would work. The so-called "King of All Media" had many fans, but just as many detractors. For example, my wife was not a big Stern fan and wasn't sure if she'd like him on the show. It turns out she, and millions of others, did.

Although he had fun on AGT, Howard took his role as a judge quite seriously. He never made the show about him. He genuinely cared about the quality of the performances by the various acts and his critiques were usually spot on without being mean-spirited or condescending. It's almost as if America got to see the real Howard Stern, not the character he usually plays on the radio. As improbable as it may have been four years ago, Howard Stern became a star on a mainstream hit TV show watched by millions of families. And that just may be the most shocking thing he has ever done.