Howard Stern’s radio show cancellation prank has reportedly sent his staffers into an anxious frenzy.
“People are panicking. Many employees who work there have a family to take care of, have kids, have a mortgage payment, and this is their main source of income,” a source told the Daily Mail Wednesday.
According to the source, “Fear has sunk in that next week, next month, they might not have a job.” In fact, “getting laid off has been in the back of their minds for quite some time.”
The level of stress is apparently so high that staffers are reportedly “talking about leaving.”
An added layer is that employees are reportedly “terrified” because they signed nondisclosure agreements, which forbid them from “open[ing] their mouths” about the details of their workplace.
“Employees can get fired instantly and lose everything, especially if Stern found out that they broke their confidentiality agreement,” the source said, noting that “there’s a ton of people there whose lives would drastically change based on Stern firing on a whim.”
The source argued that the current environment is “not fair to a lot of them.”
Reps for Stern and SiriusXM did not immediately respond to Page Six’s requests for comment.
Following a wave of retirement rumors, Stern announced Monday that he would be continuing his SiriusXM radio show — but only after trolling listeners with the help of Andy Cohen.
The reality TV exec and fellow radio show host first came on the air and said, “I know you’re expecting a big announcement from Howard, and this is not how things were meant to go.”
He expressed regret over not doing a “cleaner hand-off” and “kind of winging it” during the “surreal morning.”
Cohen, who said the channel would be called “Andy 100,” insisted he couldn’t “possibly fill [Stern’s] void” and was certain the 71-year-old would land another network soon.
Stern subsequently took over and thanked Cohen, 57, for taking part in the gag.
Many upset internet users blasted Stern for the “nauseating … cry for attention,” with some even pointing out that he did “this bit before” years ago with David Lee Roth.
Speculation began last month that the shock jock’s “Howard Stern Show” was in jeopardy as his $500M SiriusXM contract neared its end.
However, the Daily Mail reported that the gossip was a “desperate hoax” manufactured to boost Stern’s ratings and keep him “relevant.”
As for why he unexpectedly canceled his return from summer break, which was slated for last week, he claimed on Monday that he was sick.
“The Howard Stern Show” premiered in January 2006.
The post Howard Stern staffers ‘panicking’ after SiriusXM firing hoax: ‘Fear has sunk in’ appeared first on Page Six.
