Howard Stern HBO Max Show Slammed as ‘Embarrassing’ by Fans After Premiere: What Went Wrong?

When Howard Stern’s new series on HBO Max was first shown on Sept 17, it received a strong negative reaction from fans, with critics pointing out that the opening episode was just a repeat of content that had already been broadcast on SiriusXM that week.

The show, titled “The Howard Stern Show”, was based on Stern’s weekly live radio program and had been preceded by an announcement from SiriusXM stating that new episodes would be made available for viewing on Mondays, with an edited version then being released on HBO Max on Thursdays.

The first episode, “Can’t Wait to See This on HBO”, lasted for 90 minutes and was mainly a condensed version of the Monday radio show rather than a separately produced episode designed to appeal to both the SiriusXM and HBO Max audiences.

Why are fans referring to it as ’embarrassing’?

The criticisms were directed at the duplication rather than at the quality of the programme. On an online Reddit forum relating to the premiere, users expressed the view that the episode had been re-packaged, and one long-time listener described it as embarrassing, stating that the main complaint was the absence of any new segments or interviews.

Others questioned the purpose of a Thursday episode on HBO Max if most of its content had already been on SiriusXM since Monday. A separate discussion addressed the issue of who the show was intended for, as the streaming version seemed to have nothing different from the radio broadcast. Not everybody criticised the first episode, with some viewers opposing the negative reaction and saying that they had enjoyed the episode and thought the criticisms were exaggerated.

The online response to the first episode of ‘The Howard Stern Show’ on HBO Max is mixed, the strongest criticisms being those concerning the supposed repetition of content already available to SiriusXM subscribers.

What was there in the first episode?

The series’ first episode featured a combination of segments that were familiar to long-time listeners, such as Stern’s summer break update, conversations with his long-time colleagues, and a mix of talks on topics, entertainment, and news.

Newsday’s review of the episode centered on its 90-minute length, pointing out the large amount of time devoted to the conversations between Stern, Gary Dell’Abate and Robin Quivers as a particular drawback. The parts about Ozempic and Ronnie Mund were also noted as being a carryover from the SiriusXM radio show.

A number of the critics who reviewed the debut pointed out that the spontaneous back-and-forth between Stern and his colleagues worked better in the context of a radio show, where listeners weren’t viewing a shortened version of the 90-minute episode. The posts on Reddit were critical of the show’s launch, with several of them saying that the new series was not as good as Stern’s earlier television appearances and highlighting its dependence on natural conversation. Some reviewers also mentioned that the streaming series could not be watched on Apple TV+.

What has Stern said in response to the criticisms?

When Stern came back to SiriusXM on Sept 14, he replied to some of the criticism regarding both his company’s practices and the particulars of his agreement with HBO Max. According to Page Six, he also dealt with the criticism that had involved his wife, Beth Stern, and explained how the streaming deal was arranged.

The debut episode of ‘The Howard Stern Show’ on HBO Max thus did not please fans who were dissatisfied. The U.S. Sun stated that many viewers were upset that the premiere did not mention the layoffs or include content that was not already on SiriusXM.

Is the Programme Already a Failure?

The conclusion that cannot be reached from the first episode is that the series has only just started and that SiriusXM has apparently intended the HBO Max version to act as a complementary weekly addition to the SiriusXM broadcasts.

What the reaction to the premiere does indicate is that some fans wanted a visual version of their favourite Stern segments, while others preferred a completely separate programme featuring interviews and segments that would not be available anywhere else.

The criticisms made during the show’s debut in many respects stem from the decision to extend Stern’s weekly radio show to a 90-minute streaming special without making a clear distinction between the two programmes. Whether or not the show develops beyond its initial episodes will decide if its early critics are proven wrong.