Howard Stern

I rarely listened to Howard Stern growing up. Even back then I thought it pretty puerile stuff, though compared to the competition Stern was Bob Edwards. I never found him terribly offensive, however, just tedious, the same thing day-in and day-out, and almost single-handedly responsible for my inability to listen to morning radio.

Still, there was always something human about the guy, whether his insecurities or his apparent off-air honesty. One of the keys to his low-key lifestyle was his odd hours - up early, in bed early - and like any good workaholic, rarely making the rounds at parties. But he also had three daughters with a woman he was married to for 21 years.

Stern and his wife, “60 Minutes” reminded me tonight, divorced back in 2001, and at the time the separation was kept kind of mysterious. Tonight the show introduced his current girlfriend, whom he met five years ago (hmm, do the math). Most disappointing about the pairing is that this new love in his life is, of all things, a model. Of course. How predictable. And how banal.

Why aren’t more of these celebrity dissolutions like Springsteen’s : he married a model, which turned out to be a mistake, then ended up marrying the modest looking Jersey Girl, now the mother of his kids, instead. Usually it’s the other way around, as is apparently the case with Stern and countless other couplings of the rich and famous.

So long, everyday guy image, Howard. Enjoy your model.