Howard Stern staffers revealed the strange rules they had to follow while working under the famed radio host in the alleged “cultish” company.
“People were warned before any company parties not to speak to Howard, with the added note that people have actually gotten fired for it,” an insider claimed to the US Sun.
Sources also told the outlet that Stern’s SiriusXM section in New York City felt “cultish.”
“All of these men [who work for Stern] are so desperate for Howard’s attention, it’s like they all just like want Daddy’s approval so bad,” one source alleged to the US Sun.
“I think that a lot of them like acted out to get that attention. You go into that compound, and it’s just pictures of Howard everywhere,” the insider claimed.
“And then everyone greets each other like, ‘Hey now, hey now,’” said the source, referring to one of Stern’s notable catchphrases.
“And it all seems light and fun, but once you step back, you see it as something else.”
A second source told the US Sun that the workplace environment could feel like a cult, “especially if you’re on the outside looking in.”
“Whenever you’re part of something, and you know someone is in charge of everything, you know you want to please that person,” that second insider alleged.
Page Six has reached out to Howard’s reps for comment but did not immediately hear back.
Allegations about Stern’s workplace environment surfaced nearly a month after a dozen of his staffers were laid off from his SiriusXM show.
The employees received the news over Zoom last month, Page Six exclusively reported.
We were also told that Stern — who earns roughly $8,000 per minute — was preparing to drop to just one new show a week after Labor Day.
We also reported that Stern kept a core team of veteran producers, but “he just doesn’t need that much content anymore.”
Employees are now reportedly fighting for more severance after getting laid off.
The US Sun reported that not everyone signed the NDA attached to their packages and are negotiating their exits.
Last December, Stern signed a new contract to remain on the air for another three years, which he said would give him more “flexibility” within his hectic schedule.
In April, Stern and his wife, Beth, were sued by former assistant Leslie Kuhn for allegedly creating a hostile work environment.
According to the docs obtained by Page Six, Kuhn says she was fired because of “a hostile work environment” and “immense pressures on the household created by irresponsible and untenable animal rescue and fostering operations occurring on-site, and massively disorganized and questionable business operations and accounting practices.”
Stern and his wife filed to dismiss Kuhn’s $2.5 million lawsuit, dubbing the complaint a “shakedown” and “transparent sham.”
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