Year: 1997
Director: Betty Thomas
Writer: Len Blum, Michael Kalesniko
Starring:
Howard Stern
Mary McCormack
Robin Quivers
Fred Norris
Paul Giamatti
…
If you’re the least familiar with American culture, you probably heard of Howard Stern. Stern’s the most popular radio personality in the US. Every morning, he hosts a show during which he talks about politics, lesbians, showbiz and masturbation. He’s shocking to some, ground-breaking to others, but you can’t deny that he’s hilarious. This movie tells the story of Stern, from his childhood to the accession of the King of All Media title. The screenplay, based on Stern’s best-selling book, goes through his life in an original way. Stern’s thoughts are mixed with the events of his life and various odd scenes, involving such things as a naked babe and a donkey. We see Stern as a weird kid, a geeky teenager, a lame DJ and finally as a careless but talented radio host. We meet such people as his father, his wife, the team of his show and his bosses. It’s always very entertaining.
Betty Thomas does a good job behind the camera, and Stern is a surprisingly good actor. He’s charismatic, funny and always believable. The rest of the cast is also very good. Robin Quivers and Fred Norris play themselves, and Mary McCormack plays Allison, Howie’s wife. The film is an interesting look on Stern’s private life, but it also features lots of lesbians, naked chicks, wacked-out humor and the almighty Fartman! So it’s an excellent movie. You might say it’s like “Forrest Gump” with an attitude, because both movies are about a misfit’s life. The movie’s often hilarious, but it’s not quite as satisfying as Stern’s radio show. But as a movie, it’s great anyway. Stern’s the best, man, he’s truly the best!