Jerry Seinfeld Apologizes to Howard Stern for "Outflanked" Podcast Comments: "Please Forgive Me"
Jerry Seinfeld Apologizes to Howard Stern for “Outflanked” Podcast Comments: “Please Forgive Me”
Jerry Seinfeld has issued an apology to his “good friend” Howard Stern after telling fellow comics Dana Carvey and David Spade that the self-proclaimed “king of all media” has been “outflanked” by other comedy podcasts, and that the two hosts of the Fly on the Wall podcast are “better than him now.”
Seinfeld, whose directorial debut Unfrosted was released on Netflix last week, was the week’s guest on the May 8 episode of the comedy podcast hosted by Saturday Night Live alum Carvey and Spade. When their topic of conversation moved to the podcast format itself, Seinfeld said longtime talk radio host Stern has been at for years – since 1975 when he started at Boston University’s WBTU station.
“Howard Stern invented this, right?” Seinfeld said of the format. “But we’re better than him now. Howard is interesting. Howard is a great interviewer, but comedy chops, I mean, can we speak candidly?”
Carvey agreed to allow the requested candor, but Spade, likely sensing a foot about to go into a mouth, shouted, “No!” Carvey then said, “Well, he got Robin [Quivers], and Robin is a big part of how he’s funny.”
“Yeah, they’re all great. But let’s face it, he’s been outflanked by some very, and yourselves, I mean absolutely, this show, comedy podcasts? This is the best one on the air. Because you guys play nice together. It’s smooth. You’re not jumping on each other, which is annoying to listen to,” Seinfeld said.
On podcasting, Seinfeld also said to the show’s hosts: “Who knew there was a market? Who knew people wanted to get to know us? Who gets the credit for figuring it out?”
“Jesus Christ, make us laugh, how interesting do you think you are?” he added. “You’re not that interesting, okay? You’re not. When you’re funny, you’re worth it. This is my line, which you know me, you know me … but you know that I draw that line. If you’re not that funny, we’re not that interested in you.”
After the comments about Stern caught fire online, Seinfeld issued a statement to Entertainment Weekly on Thursday, where the former sitcom star walked back what he said about Stern and his show.
“I really feel bad for what I said about my friend Howard Stern in a conversation with David Spade and Dana Carvey, talking about the glut of comedy podcasts,” the statement read. “I meant to say he must feel surrounded but I said ‘outflanked,’ which sounded terrible and insulting.
“And of course, none of these little shows are any threat to his giant show. Anyway, it was bad and I’m sorry, Howie. I still love you. Please forgive me.”
THR has reached out to reps for both Stern and Seinfeld.
Stern’s career has taken him from that frost gig at WBTU to becoming inarguably the most popular radio DJ in all of radio. His nationally syndicated radio show made him a household name and his “shock jock” hijinks built him an army of die-hard fans when it aired from 1986 to 2005. A record-breaking $500 million contract brought his brand to SiriusXM radio at that point, where he remains the namesake of two stations and a still-popular show that has focused less on comedy and more on longform interviews. Recently, he landed a rare one-on-one interview with President Joe Biden.
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