Howard Stern has gone above and beyond to avoid the COVID-19 virus that caused great life loss. He has also been vocal about his paranoia related to the disease and how it has negatively affected his personal and social life. Albeit of all the sacrifices and precautions, he has finally admitted his failure in avoiding the virus.
Howard Stern has caught COVID-19
On Monday, January 8, 2024, the well-known germaphobe and talented radio host relented the reasons behind his sudden disappearance from SiriusXM airwaves last week. He shared that his luck backed by his efforts to avoid the contagious virus has run out and he has contracted the coronavirus.
“[Let’s] see if we can get through this show. We were supposed to be back last week but we weren’t because I got COVID-19.” Stern said on air, as per Mediaite. He also took this opportunity to warn his audience about the disease stating that he went through hell and it isn’t something to be triffle with.
However, he did not share the possible ways that he contracted the virus- which is one of the most important details considering the hermit-like lifestyle that he adopted out of fear of catching the deadly virus.
Howard Stern’s Battle Against Covid-19
The 69-year-old entertainer has remained vocal about his fear of COVID-19 all through the pandemic. He completely changed his lifestyle by reportedly going into his “apocalypse bunker” and pursuing a hermit-like life for two years.
He has also frequently shown support for the vaccines and booster shots while lashing out at critics who accuse him of ‘going woke.’ He shared his opinions regarding the criticism surrounding his battle against the disease in an on-air rant in September 2022.
He accepted that if woke means not supporting former President Donald Trump, while supporting transgender rights, and the COVID-19 vaccines then he doesn’t give two pence about being called woke.
However, he has also remained vocal about the negative effects of his efforts on his personal and social life stating that his paranoia about the disease has led to arguments with his wife, Beth Stern. Regardless of that, he continued to avoid COVID with vigor.
Bill Maher Misses Stern In Post-Pandemic Era
Last year, Howard Stern’s friend and host of HBO’sĀ Real TimeĀ wondered aloud whether he would ever be able to hang out with his mate in the post-pandemic world. He also expressed his doubts about Stern ever leaving his home during an interview with comedian Kevin Nealon on his Club Random podcast.
The pandemic distanced many friends and Maher was one of them who wasn’t able to meet his friend in person. On the same show, he reminisced their history together which included many ups and downs, and admitted that he doesn’t like the self-proclaimed ‘king of all media’ approach towards the pandemic.
Later, in October 2022, Page Six broke the news that Stern had emerged from his home and went on a dinner date at a Williamsburg eatery. In this first outing since Spring 2020, he was accompanied by Jennifer Aniston, Jimmy Kimmel, Jon Hamm, Justin Theroux, and Jason Bateman. He described the experience as emotionally and physically exhausting to his listeners.
However, even after going through all of that troubles, he has finally caught the disease. This news garnered criticism from netizens who are against his beliefs, while the people who suffered during the pandemic extended their well wishes for speedy recovery.