Radosh.net

Yesterday morning, NPR News had a segment (finally) about the FCC crackdown on "indecency." When it started, I assumed the report was going to deal largely with the recent dismissal of NPR starlet Sandra Tsing Loh. After all, the network's own ombudsman had thrown down a challenge:

NPR, in my opinion, owes it to its listeners to take a look at this story, even though it may be uncomfortable to some in the public radio community.
Public radio in general -- and NPR in particular -- has seemed less than eager to report on itself whenever we become the legitimate subject of news reports in other places. We appear too squeamish, as if self-examination and scrutiny are akin to self-promotion. Get over it, NPR. Let's allow the listeners in on this important discussion.

But no. In NPR News' version of the story, the FCC crackdown is only a problem for people like, you guessed it, Howard Stern. This nervous hypocrisy would not surprise Stern himself, of course. It's exactly the trait he's trying to expose by urging listeners to report Oprah Winfrey to the FCC for her show's discussion of tossed salads and rainbow parties.

Wait — don't we want more discussion of prevert sex on daytime TV?

As it happens, I have a new morning schedule, so I just started listening to Howard again right around the time his recent troubles began. It's been seven or eight years since I tuned in regularly. And around 18 years since I first began listening. He's still equal parts funny and lame, shrewd and nutty. But what's really striking is that I turned 35 today — and he hasn't grown up one bit this whole time.

Posted by Daniel Radosh

2:27 PM