Howard Stern Teases Rumors Of Reported Cancellation

SiriusXM ran a tongue-in-cheek promo Wednesday morning, leaning into rumors about Howard Stern’s impending cancellation.

"The tabloids have spoken: Howard Stern fired, canceled, is it really ‘Bye-Bye Booey’? Chaos is swirling at The Howard Stern Show," the narrator says. "Did staffers talk to the press? Are writers withholding their best jokes? Nobody knows what’s going on or who to trust."

The spot then pivots to promote Stern’s return from summer vacation, during which he will tell all.

"Now we can reveal all the questions will be answered, all the truths will be told by the one man truly on the inside," the narrator continues. "Howard Stern will speak Tuesday September 2."

The promo is in reference to an August 5 story from the British tabloid The Sun claiming SiriusXM will not renew Stern’s contract, which is set to expire later this year.

"The Howard Stern Show ‘to be canceled’ after nearly 20 years on SiriusXM as ‘$100m’ contract is up later this year," the headline reads.

We are skeptical.

Howard Stern (OutKick Graphics)

If SiriusXM and Stern actually planned to part ways after 20 years, outlets more credible than The Sun would likely have heard. Moreover, Stern briefly appeared on SiriusXM earlier this month to announce Metallica's addition to the satellite radio lineup. If he were departing, it's hard to imagine he'd take time out of his vacation to promote a new channel on SiriusXM.

Then there is the new promo, in which Stern is clearly setting the stage to mock the critics celebrating his reported demise. 

Now, that doesn't mean Stern's negotiations have gone smoothly. Contract negotiations rarely do, no matter one's clout or value. Most likely, some low-level staffer heard about the complexity of the talks – SiriusXM reportedly pays Stern 100 million a year for just 120 dates a year – and embellished the situation in a leak to The Sun.

Ultimately, if Stern wants to continue hosting his show, SiriusXM will likely come to terms. This is not a Stephen Colbert situation in which his show is costing his employer $40 million a year. 

Though Stern is a shell of his former self and is probably suffering from a severe case of TDS, his brand remains valuable to the SiriusXM lineup. To this date, the satellite radio provider sells tiers of subscriptions around Stern's show and its library. 

Prediction: Howard Stern announces a contract extension on September 2.

Related: Howard Stern Reportedly 'Can't Stand' Colleague and 'Call Her Daddy' Host Alex Cooper