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Private Parts (1997 film)
Encyclopedia
Private Parts is a 1997 American biographical
comedy film
produced by Ivan Reitman
and released by Paramount Pictures
. Written by Len Blum
and Michael Kalesniko, the film is an adaptation of the 1993 best-selling book
of the same name by radio personality Howard Stern
, who stars as himself. It follows his life from boyhood to the cusp of break-out success in radio. His radio show staff
also star in the film, including newscaster and co-host Robin Quivers
, producers Fred Norris
and Gary Dell'Abate
and comedian Jackie Martling
.
Development began after Stern, who insisted on script approval, rejected multiple write-ups. Filming started in May 1996 and lasted for four months, with director Betty Thomas
.
Private Parts was first screened on February 27, 1997 in New York City
, followed by a general release in the United States on March 3. It topped the box office
in its opening weekend with a gross of $14.6 million. It went on to earn $41.2 million in domestic revenue overall. In 1998, the film was released on DVD
and Stern won a Blockbuster Award for Favourite Male Newcomer. In recent years the film has aired on cable television
channels USA Network
and Universal HD
.
boards a flight home following an appearance at the MTV Music Video Awards as his alter-ego, "Fartman
". He finds himself seated next to Gloria (Carol Alt
), who is visibly repulsed by him. He begins to tell his life story in his mind from his childhood, explaining the verbal abuse he received from his father Ben (Richard Portnow
). Stern dreams of being on the radio after going to work with his father, a recording engineer, and grows up to be a quiet, socially awkward teenager. He then studies communications at Boston University
, where he becomes a disc jockey
at WTBU
, the college radio station. He meets and becomes close to Alison (Mary McCormack
), the girl of his dreams before graduating. It is 1977, and Howard works at WRNW
in Briarcliff Manor, New York
. He gets promoted to program director
, where his increase in salary allows him to marry Alison. After being forced to fire a fellow DJ, he quits the station.
In 1979, Howard leaves WRNW for WCCC in Hartford, Connecticut
. He befriends fellow DJ Fred Norris
and adopts a more casual attitude on the air by becoming honest and upfront. The two are soon invited to a red carpet premiere of actress Brittany Fairchild's (Melanie Good) new film. The three leave during the screening for Fairchild's hotel room, where she strips for a bath, but Howard leaves in regret before things turned sexual. Alison finds his wet underwear in their car and leaves him after finding out what happened. It is now 1980, and Howard leaves Hartford for a job at WWWW
in Detroit, Michigan
. Howard becomes miserable without Alison, who eventually comes back, willing to forget about the incident with Fairchild. Meanwhile, WWWW switches formats from rock to country music to increase ratings, and Howard quits thereafter. He is then hired at WWDC
in Washington, D.C.
, where he meets Robin Quivers
, the news anchor for his program, whom Howard encourages to talk and contribute on air. The two refuse orders from their boss Dee Dee (Allison Janney
) for constantly breaking format. Their antics (particularly giving a listener who called in an orgasm on the air) almost get him fired until a boost in ratings keeps his job. Fred is then hired to contribute. Meanwhile, Alison announces her pregnancy, however it turns out to be a miscarriage. Howard makes light of this on the air which upsets her greatly.
With Alison pregnant again, Howard, Fred and Robin move to WNBC
in New York City
, where he earns more money and have the chance to make his show become a nationwide success. Upper management at NBC
's flagship station did not realize what Stern's show was like until they saw a news report on the subject. Kenny "Pig Vomit" Rushton (Paul Giamatti
) takes on the job of keeping Howard in line, or forcing him to quit, as the latter is the only way out of their contract. After ignoring Kenny's orders of two minute bits without swearing and sexual references on air, Kenny retaliates by firing Robin. The show fails in her absence after Quiver's replacement is hired. He then quits after a few days following the time an actress swallowing a kielbasa gets put on the air. Robin is eventually brought back. Howard's antics continue, with Kenny ultimately cutting a broadcast off for having Mandy (Jenna Jameson
), a woman who strips naked in the studio becoming the first such woman to do so. Howard gets the show back on the air, and broadcasts he and Kenny getting into a physical altercation with each other in his office. In May 1985, when the new ratings come in and Howard becomes number one, Kenny comes over to Howard's home trying to suck up to him, and is turned down flat. He thanks the fans with a concert by AC/DC
. During the performance, Alison is rushed to hospital and gives birth to a baby daughter.
Back on the flight, it is revealed he told his whole story to Gloria, and Howard now believes he could get her, but stays loyal to Alison. He gets off the plane revealing Alison and his three daughters running to greet him.
During the end credits, Stuttering John (John Melendez
) rants about his absence in the film. Mia Farrow
then presents a best actor award for Howard at an oscars ceremony. He appears as Fartman once again, with Howard falling in mid-air, which the audience applaud for. Next is a clip of Kenny, who no longer works for WNBC and is now the manager of a shopping mall. He then blames Howard for his downfall. During his outbursts, his foul language is blocked out by jackhammer
noises.
As themselves
Cameos
Other characters
. Stern first revealed his intentions to make a Fartman movie in 1992.
On November 25, 1992, Variety
reported that J. F. Lawton
, writer of Pretty Woman
and Under Siege
, was planning to write and direct New Line Cinema
's Stern film project, titled The Adventures of Fartman. The film, which would be budgeted at $8-11 million, was expected to go into production the following May in New York. David Permut
would produce the film under his Permut Presentations Banner, which has a first-look deal at New Line. According to Lawton, The Adventures of Fartman would revolve around the superhero and his alter ego, a magazine publisher in the mold of Screw
magazine's Al Goldstein
. Lawton told Time, "There's a lot of nudity, some harsh language, a lesbian love scene, and the main character works for an underground sex magazine. We told New Line Cinema the plot, and they said, 'Yeah, it sounds great. But can't we make it PG-13?' "
Due to Stern's displeasure with making a PG film and dissatisfaction with scripts the movie was never put into production and Stern decided to look into adaptations of his best-selling first book instead. Stern rejected countless scripts before deciding to make the movie, some he claimed involved scenes beginning the movie where "Richard Simmons
chasing me around the house in a tutu". Ivan Reitman
, a friend of Howard's agreed that the scripts were unsatisfactory and became attached to the movie as the producer. Betty Thomas
, who had previously directed The Brady Bunch Movie
and The Late Shift
, was chosen to direct.
David Letterman
agreed to play himself in a brief re-enactment of one of Stern's early appearances on Late Night
.
Originally, producers considered Jeff Goldblum
to play Stern, as well as Julia Louis-Dreyfus
being Stern's wife, Alison. Stern decided he should play himself and Louis-Dreyfus later backed out because she wanted to spend time with her family.
, New York City
. For the scenes that featured Stern in high school
, filming was done at Union High School
(from which comedian Artie Lange
, who would join the radio show in late 2001, graduated in 1985). The concert scene featuring AC/DC
was filmed at Bryant Park
in New York City in July 1996.
and Gene Shalit
. Stern in particular received high praise for his acting, as did Robin Quivers and Fred Norris. Paul Giamatti
was also praised, notably propelling him to stardom. Although some critics claimed that the film glossed over his use of sexist and racist humor and that it was relatively brief on recent events of Howard's career. It currently holds a 79% rating on Rotten Tomatoes
.
For his performance, Stern won the Blockbuster Entertainment Award for "Favorite Male Newcomer". The awards are given by the result of write-in votes from fans and Stern won by a wide margin. Stern was nominated for a Golden Satellite Award
for "Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy". He was also nominated for a Razzie Award for "Worst New Star".
A substantially different version of Private Parts appeared on Internet fan sites devoted to Stern sometime in May 2006. The newly-found version is an early rough cut
of the film with substantially different dialogue and music, several deleted scenes, and a very different ending. Some of the deleted scenes, such as Howard being fired and escorted out of WNBC
, appeared in the film's original trailer
and publicity materials before being cut. The picture quality of the Internet version is very poor with compression artifacts, VHS artifacts, and visible dust on the print.
The USA Network
agreed to pay $7 million for the rights to air the film for nine years from 1999. The editing featured on-air explanations from Stern for the pixelization and bleep censors required to air the R-rated film. Stern appeared in new taped segments in which he occasionally pauses the film to comment on it. USA premiered the film even though no alternate scenes had been filmed to replace the nudity nor had any alternate dialogue been recorded to replace the profanity
for television broadcasts. The nudity was simply pixelized
and the profanity bleeped. In 2007, VH-1 began airing this version.
The film premiered in 1080 High Definition on Universal HD
on March 11, 2008. It is the uncut feature-film version with minor commercial interruptions.
Biographical film
A biographical film, or biopic , is a film that dramatizes the life of an actual person or people. They differ from films “based on a true story” or “historical films” in that they attempt to comprehensively tell a person’s life story or at least the most historically important years of their...
comedy film
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
produced by Ivan Reitman
Ivan Reitman
Ivan Reitman, OC is a Canadian film producer and director. He is known for the comedies he has directed and produced, especially in the 1980s and 1990s.He is the owner of The Montecito Picture Company, founded in 2000.-Early life:...
and released by Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
. Written by Len Blum
Len Blum
Leonard Solomon “Len” Blum, is an award winning Canadian screenwriter, film producer and film composer. He graduated from McMaster University with a Bachelor of Arts in 1975 and wrote many films including Meatballs, Stripes, Heavy Metal, Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone, Meatballs...
and Michael Kalesniko, the film is an adaptation of the 1993 best-selling book
Private Parts (book)
Private Parts is the first autobiography of American radio presenter Howard Stern. Released on October 7, 1993 by Simon & Schuster, it is the fastest-selling book in the company's history. It was later adapted into a film in 1997 starring Stern and his radio show staff as themselves...
of the same name by radio personality Howard Stern
Howard Stern
Howard Allan Stern is an American radio personality, television host, author, and actor best known for his radio show, which was nationally syndicated from 1986 to 2005. He gained wide recognition in the 1990s where he was labeled a "shock jock" for his outspoken and sometimes controversial style...
, who stars as himself. It follows his life from boyhood to the cusp of break-out success in radio. His radio show staff
The Howard Stern Show staff
Throughout its nearly 30 year run The Howard Stern Show has gone through a number of staff members and contributors.-Current staff:These staffers currently work for and appear on the show on a regular, if not hourly basis.-Howard Stern:...
also star in the film, including newscaster and co-host Robin Quivers
Robin Quivers
Robin Ophelia Quivers is an American radio personality, most notable for being the long-running news anchor and co-host of The Howard Stern Show. Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Quivers graduated from the University of Maryland with a major in nursing. In 1975, she joined the United States Air Force...
, producers Fred Norris
Fred Norris
Eric Fred Norris is an American radio personality known for being the longest-tenured staff member of The Howard Stern Show aside from Stern himself...
and Gary Dell'Abate
Gary Dell'Abate
Gary Patrick Angelo Dell'Abate , also known as "Baba Booey", is an American radio producer, known for being the executive producer of The Howard Stern Show. His autobiography, They Call Me Baba Booey, was released on November 2, 2010.-Early life and career:Dell'Abate was born in Uniondale, New...
and comedian Jackie Martling
Jackie Martling
John Coger "Jackie" Martling, Jr. is an American comedian, comedy writer and radio personality. He is best known for being a writer on The Howard Stern Show from 1983 to 2001.-Early life and career:...
.
Development began after Stern, who insisted on script approval, rejected multiple write-ups. Filming started in May 1996 and lasted for four months, with director Betty Thomas
Betty Thomas
Betty Thomas is an American actress and director in television and motion pictures.-Life and career:Born Betty Thomas Nienhauser in St. Louis, Missouri, Thomas graduated from Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree...
.
Private Parts was first screened on February 27, 1997 in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, followed by a general release in the United States on March 3. It topped the box office
Box office
A box office is a place where tickets are sold to the public for admission to an event. Patrons may perform the transaction at a countertop, through an unblocked hole through a wall or window, or at a wicket....
in its opening weekend with a gross of $14.6 million. It went on to earn $41.2 million in domestic revenue overall. In 1998, the film was released on DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
and Stern won a Blockbuster Award for Favourite Male Newcomer. In recent years the film has aired on cable television
Cable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
channels USA Network
USA Network
USA Network is an American cable television channel launched in 1971. Once a minor player in basic cable, the network has steadily gained popularity because of breakout hits like Monk, Psych, Burn Notice, Royal Pains, Covert Affairs, White Collar, Monday Night RAW, Suits, and reruns of the various...
and Universal HD
Universal HD
Universal HD is an HDTV cable television network owned by NBCUniversal. The channel was known as Bravo HD+ until December 1, 2004. The network exclusively broadcasts in high definition 1080i...
.
Plot
Howard SternHoward Stern
Howard Allan Stern is an American radio personality, television host, author, and actor best known for his radio show, which was nationally syndicated from 1986 to 2005. He gained wide recognition in the 1990s where he was labeled a "shock jock" for his outspoken and sometimes controversial style...
boards a flight home following an appearance at the MTV Music Video Awards as his alter-ego, "Fartman
Fartman (Howard Stern)
Fartman is a fictional superhero, popularized and acted by American radio "shock jock", Howard Stern. The character first appeared in an issue of the National Lampoon humor magazine in the mid-1970s . A recorded version of the character also appeared on National Lampoon's White Album in 1979...
". He finds himself seated next to Gloria (Carol Alt
Carol Alt
Carol Ann Alt is an American model and actress.- Early life:Alt was born in Flushing, Queens, New York, the daughter of Muriel, an airline employee and model, and Anthony Alt, a fire chief. She was noticed waiting tables in her hometown of East Williston, New York. When she was 18, she decided to...
), who is visibly repulsed by him. He begins to tell his life story in his mind from his childhood, explaining the verbal abuse he received from his father Ben (Richard Portnow
Richard Portnow
Richard Portnow is an American actor known for such films and television shows as Barton Fink, Se7en, Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai, The Spirit, Law Abiding Citizen, Private Parts, Fallen Arches, Double Down, Spring Break '83, The Sopranos, Hannah Montana and Boston Legal.-Life and career:A...
). Stern dreams of being on the radio after going to work with his father, a recording engineer, and grows up to be a quiet, socially awkward teenager. He then studies communications at Boston University
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
, where he becomes a disc jockey
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
at WTBU
WTBU
WTBU is a "Part 15" student-managed and -operated radio station at Boston University. This means it is not licensed by the FCC but operates legally under special "low power" rules...
, the college radio station. He meets and becomes close to Alison (Mary McCormack
Mary McCormack
Mary Catherine McCormack is an American actress. Best known for her work in television, she has had leading roles as Justine Appleton in the series Murder One , as Deputy National Security Adviser Kate Harper in The West Wing and as Mary Shannon in In Plain Sight .Her film roles include Private...
), the girl of his dreams before graduating. It is 1977, and Howard works at WRNW
WXPK
WXPK, , is an adult album alternative rock radio station in White Plains, New York. The station is owned by Pamal Broadcasting and transmits from a tower in the Westchester County Correctional Facility with an ERP of 1.9 KW.-History:...
in Briarcliff Manor, New York
Briarcliff Manor, New York
Briarcliff Manor is a village in Westchester County in the state of New York. It is shared between the towns of Mount Pleasant and Ossining, and lies entirely within the ZIP code of 10510...
. He gets promoted to program director
Program director
In service industries, such as education, a program director or programme director researches, plans, develops and implements one or more of the firm's professional services...
, where his increase in salary allows him to marry Alison. After being forced to fire a fellow DJ, he quits the station.
In 1979, Howard leaves WRNW for WCCC in Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
. He befriends fellow DJ Fred Norris
Fred Norris
Eric Fred Norris is an American radio personality known for being the longest-tenured staff member of The Howard Stern Show aside from Stern himself...
and adopts a more casual attitude on the air by becoming honest and upfront. The two are soon invited to a red carpet premiere of actress Brittany Fairchild's (Melanie Good) new film. The three leave during the screening for Fairchild's hotel room, where she strips for a bath, but Howard leaves in regret before things turned sexual. Alison finds his wet underwear in their car and leaves him after finding out what happened. It is now 1980, and Howard leaves Hartford for a job at WWWW
WDTW-FM
WDTW-FM is a classic rock formatted radio station in Detroit, Michigan. The station is owned by Clear Channel Communications. WDTW-FM is licensed for HD Radio operations; its secondary channel carries Clear Channel's "Pride Radio" format, which features music geared toward the LGBT audience...
in Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
. Howard becomes miserable without Alison, who eventually comes back, willing to forget about the incident with Fairchild. Meanwhile, WWWW switches formats from rock to country music to increase ratings, and Howard quits thereafter. He is then hired at WWDC
WWDC (FM)
WWDC is a commercial radio station in Washington, D.C., broadcasting to the Washington, DC-Baltimore, Maryland area. WWDC airs an alternative rock format on 101.1 FM branded as DC101.-History:WWDC-FM signed on in 1947 as a beautiful music station...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, where he meets Robin Quivers
Robin Quivers
Robin Ophelia Quivers is an American radio personality, most notable for being the long-running news anchor and co-host of The Howard Stern Show. Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Quivers graduated from the University of Maryland with a major in nursing. In 1975, she joined the United States Air Force...
, the news anchor for his program, whom Howard encourages to talk and contribute on air. The two refuse orders from their boss Dee Dee (Allison Janney
Allison Janney
Allison Brooks Janney is an American actress, best known for her role as C.J. Cregg on the television series The West Wing.- Personal life :...
) for constantly breaking format. Their antics (particularly giving a listener who called in an orgasm on the air) almost get him fired until a boost in ratings keeps his job. Fred is then hired to contribute. Meanwhile, Alison announces her pregnancy, however it turns out to be a miscarriage. Howard makes light of this on the air which upsets her greatly.
With Alison pregnant again, Howard, Fred and Robin move to WNBC
WNBC (AM)
WNBC was a radio station that operated in New York City from 1922 to 1988. For most of its history, it was the flagship station of the NBC Radio Network...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, where he earns more money and have the chance to make his show become a nationwide success. Upper management at NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
's flagship station did not realize what Stern's show was like until they saw a news report on the subject. Kenny "Pig Vomit" Rushton (Paul Giamatti
Paul Giamatti
Paul Edward Valentine Giamatti is an American actor. Giamatti began his career as a supporting actor in several films produced during the 1990s including Private Parts, The Truman Show, Saving Private Ryan, The Negotiator, and Man on the Moon, before earning lead roles in several projects in the...
) takes on the job of keeping Howard in line, or forcing him to quit, as the latter is the only way out of their contract. After ignoring Kenny's orders of two minute bits without swearing and sexual references on air, Kenny retaliates by firing Robin. The show fails in her absence after Quiver's replacement is hired. He then quits after a few days following the time an actress swallowing a kielbasa gets put on the air. Robin is eventually brought back. Howard's antics continue, with Kenny ultimately cutting a broadcast off for having Mandy (Jenna Jameson
Jenna Jameson
Jenna Jameson is an American entrepreneur and former pornographic actress, who has been called the world's most famous adult-entertainment performer and "The Queen of Porn."...
), a woman who strips naked in the studio becoming the first such woman to do so. Howard gets the show back on the air, and broadcasts he and Kenny getting into a physical altercation with each other in his office. In May 1985, when the new ratings come in and Howard becomes number one, Kenny comes over to Howard's home trying to suck up to him, and is turned down flat. He thanks the fans with a concert by AC/DC
AC/DC
AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
. During the performance, Alison is rushed to hospital and gives birth to a baby daughter.
Back on the flight, it is revealed he told his whole story to Gloria, and Howard now believes he could get her, but stays loyal to Alison. He gets off the plane revealing Alison and his three daughters running to greet him.
During the end credits, Stuttering John (John Melendez
John Melendez
John Edward Melendez , commonly known as "Stuttering John," is an American television writer and former radio personality. Prior to his work on television as a writer and announcer, Melendez was a regular on-air personality on The Howard Stern Show...
) rants about his absence in the film. Mia Farrow
Mia Farrow
Mia Farrow is an American actress, singer, humanitarian, and fashion model.Farrow first gained wide acclaim for her role as Allison Mackenzie in the soap opera Peyton Place, and for her subsequent short-lived marriage to Frank Sinatra...
then presents a best actor award for Howard at an oscars ceremony. He appears as Fartman once again, with Howard falling in mid-air, which the audience applaud for. Next is a clip of Kenny, who no longer works for WNBC and is now the manager of a shopping mall. He then blames Howard for his downfall. During his outbursts, his foul language is blocked out by jackhammer
Jackhammer
A jackhammer is a pneumatic tool that combines a hammer directly with a chisel that was invented by Charles Brady King. Hand-held jackhammers are typically powered by compressed air, but some use electric motors. Larger jackhammers, such as rig mounted hammers used on construction machinery, are...
noises.
Cast
- Howard SternHoward SternHoward Allan Stern is an American radio personality, television host, author, and actor best known for his radio show, which was nationally syndicated from 1986 to 2005. He gained wide recognition in the 1990s where he was labeled a "shock jock" for his outspoken and sometimes controversial style...
as Himself - Robin QuiversRobin QuiversRobin Ophelia Quivers is an American radio personality, most notable for being the long-running news anchor and co-host of The Howard Stern Show. Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Quivers graduated from the University of Maryland with a major in nursing. In 1975, she joined the United States Air Force...
as Herself - Mary McCormackMary McCormackMary Catherine McCormack is an American actress. Best known for her work in television, she has had leading roles as Justine Appleton in the series Murder One , as Deputy National Security Adviser Kate Harper in The West Wing and as Mary Shannon in In Plain Sight .Her film roles include Private...
as Alison Stern - Fred NorrisFred NorrisEric Fred Norris is an American radio personality known for being the longest-tenured staff member of The Howard Stern Show aside from Stern himself...
as Himself - Paul GiamattiPaul GiamattiPaul Edward Valentine Giamatti is an American actor. Giamatti began his career as a supporting actor in several films produced during the 1990s including Private Parts, The Truman Show, Saving Private Ryan, The Negotiator, and Man on the Moon, before earning lead roles in several projects in the...
as Kenny "Pig Vomit" RushtonKevin MethenyKevin Metheny is a radio executive, famously nicknamed "Pig Virus" by Howard Stern from his days as Program Director at WNBC. He and various other historical Stern program directors were portrayed by Paul Giamatti as a composite character under the name Kenny "Pig Vomit" Rushton in the 1997 movie,... - Carol AltCarol AltCarol Ann Alt is an American model and actress.- Early life:Alt was born in Flushing, Queens, New York, the daughter of Muriel, an airline employee and model, and Anthony Alt, a fire chief. She was noticed waiting tables in her hometown of East Williston, New York. When she was 18, she decided to...
as Gloria - Richard PortnowRichard PortnowRichard Portnow is an American actor known for such films and television shows as Barton Fink, Se7en, Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai, The Spirit, Law Abiding Citizen, Private Parts, Fallen Arches, Double Down, Spring Break '83, The Sopranos, Hannah Montana and Boston Legal.-Life and career:A...
as Ben Stern - Kelly BishopKelly BishopCarole "Kelly" Bishop is an American actress and dancer, best-known for her roles as matriarch Emily Gilmore on the series Gilmore Girls, and as the mother of Jennifer Grey's character in the film Dirty Dancing...
as Rae Stern - Michael MurphyMichael Murphy (actor)Michael George Murphy is an American film and television actor.-Career:Murphy played Woody Allen's duplicitous friend Yale in the film Manhattan...
as Roger Elick - Reni SantoniReni SantoniReni Santoni is an American film, television and voice actor.Santoni was born in New York City of French and Spanish descent.He began his career in off-Broadway theatre...
as Vin Vallesecca - Allison JanneyAllison JanneyAllison Brooks Janney is an American actress, best known for her role as C.J. Cregg on the television series The West Wing.- Personal life :...
as Dee Dee - Leslie BibbLeslie BibbLeslie Louise Bibb is an American actress and former fashion model. She transitioned into film and television in late 1990s. She appeared in television shows such as Home Improvement , before she appeared in her first film, the comedy Private Parts , which was followed by her first show The Big Easy...
as the WNBC Page/Tour Guide - Camille Donatacci GrammerCamille DonatacciCamille Grammer is an American television personality, starring in The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills...
as Camille the Card Girl - Edie FalcoEdie FalcoEdith "Edie" Falco is an American television, film and stage actress, known for her roles in Oz as Diane Wittlesey, as Carmela Soprano on the HBO series The Sopranos, and as the titular character on the Showtime series Nurse Jackie...
as Alison's Friend - Jenna JamesonJenna JamesonJenna Jameson is an American entrepreneur and former pornographic actress, who has been called the world's most famous adult-entertainment performer and "The Queen of Porn."...
as Mandy - Sarah HylandSarah HylandSarah Jane Hyland is an American actress, currently starring as Haley Dunphy on the ABC comedy Modern Family.-Life and career:...
as Debra Stern - Amber SmithAmber Smith-Early life:The daughter of professional American football player Russ Smith and Carol Smith, Smith started modeling by age 16. As a teenager she traveled to Paris, France, where she worked as a model throughout Europe for four years...
as Julie - Janine LindemulderJanine LindemulderJanine Marie Lindemulder , also known as Janine Marie James, is an American exotic dancer and adult film actress, best known for her work in American pornographic films during the mid-1990s and a 2004–2005 comeback...
as Camp Director's Wife - John MelendezJohn MelendezJohn Edward Melendez , commonly known as "Stuttering John," is an American television writer and former radio personality. Prior to his work on television as a writer and announcer, Melendez was a regular on-air personality on The Howard Stern Show...
as Stuttering John - Michael C. GwynneMichael C. GwynneMichael C. Gwynne is an American film, television and radio actor. Noteworthy film roles include Payday, The Terminal Man, Harry Tracy and more recent films like Private Parts....
as Duke of Rock (as Michael Gwynne) - Paul HechtPaul HechtPaul Hecht is an English-born Canadian stage, film, and television actor best known for playing radio newsman Ross Buckingham in Howard Stern's Private Parts....
as Ross Buckingham - James MurtaughJames MurtaughJames Murtaugh is an American film and television actor. He is known for his rich and distinctive voice and was for years the television spokesperson for A1 Steak Sauce. Murtaugh is also a member of the Off-Broadway theater company TACT .-External links:...
as Payton
As themselves
- Gary Dell'AbateGary Dell'AbateGary Patrick Angelo Dell'Abate , also known as "Baba Booey", is an American radio producer, known for being the executive producer of The Howard Stern Show. His autobiography, They Call Me Baba Booey, was released on November 2, 2010.-Early life and career:Dell'Abate was born in Uniondale, New...
- Jackie MartlingJackie MartlingJohn Coger "Jackie" Martling, Jr. is an American comedian, comedy writer and radio personality. He is best known for being a writer on The Howard Stern Show from 1983 to 2001.-Early life and career:...
- David LettermanDavid LettermanDavid Michael Letterman is an American television host and comedian. He hosts the late night television talk show, Late Show with David Letterman, broadcast on CBS. Letterman has been a fixture on late night television since the 1982 debut of Late Night with David Letterman on NBC...
- Mia FarrowMia FarrowMia Farrow is an American actress, singer, humanitarian, and fashion model.Farrow first gained wide acclaim for her role as Allison Mackenzie in the soap opera Peyton Place, and for her subsequent short-lived marriage to Frank Sinatra...
- Crackhead Bob
- Nicole BassNicole BassNicole Bass-Fuchs is an American bodybuilder, actress, pornographic dominatrix actress, professional wrestler and valet previously working for companies such as Extreme Championship Wrestling, World Wrestling Federation, XPW, and the National Wrestling Alliance.-Bodybuilding career:Nicole Bass...
- AC/DCAC/DCAC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
(Brian JohnsonBrian JohnsonBrian Johnson is an English singer and lyricist who has been the lead singer for the rock band AC/DC since 1980. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003 along with the other members of the band....
, Angus YoungAngus YoungAngus McKinnon Young is a Scottish-born Australian musician, and the lead guitarist, songwriter, and co-founder of the rock and roll band AC/DC. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame along with other members of AC/DC in 2003 and is known for his energetic performances,...
, Malcolm YoungMalcolm YoungMalcolm Young is a Scottish-born Australian guitarist, best known as a founding member, rhythm guitarist, backing vocalist and songwriter for the Australian hard rock band AC/DC. Young was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003, along with the other members of AC/DC...
, Phil RuddPhil RuddPhillip Hugh Norman Rudd is an Australian drummer. He is best known for his membership of rock band AC/DC from 1975 until 1983, and again from 1994 to present. After the 1977 departure of bass guitarist Mark Evans, he became the only Australian-born member of the band...
, Cliff WilliamsCliff WilliamsClifford Williams is an English bassist and backing vocalist, who has been a member of the Australian hard rock band AC/DC since mid-1977. He had started his professional music career in 1967 and was previously in the British groups Home and Bandit. His first studio album with AC/DC was Powerage...
)
Cameos
- Ozzy OsbourneOzzy OsbourneJohn Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne is an English vocalist, whose musical career has spanned over 40 years. Osbourne rose to prominence as lead singer of the pioneering English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, whose radically different, intentionally dark, harder sound helped spawn the heavy metal...
appears during the opening scene, commenting on Stern saying: "What a fuckin' jerk" - Dee SniderDee SniderDaniel "Dee" Snider is an American singer-songwriter, screenwriter, radio personality, and actor. Snider is most famous for his role as the frontman of the heavy metal band Twisted Sister...
appears during the opening scene - Tiny TimTiny Tim (musician)Tiny Tim , , born in Manhattan, was an American singer and ukulele player. He was most famous for his rendition of "Tiptoe Through the Tulips" sung in a distinctive high falsetto/vibrato voice.-Rise to fame:Born to Lebanese parents in 1932, Khaury displayed musical talent at a very young age...
appears during the opening scene - John StamosJohn StamosJohn Phillip Stamos is an American actor, singer and musician best known for his work in television, especially in his starring role as Jesse Katsopolis on the ABC sitcom Full House. Since the cancellation of that show in 1995, Stamos has appeared in numerous television films and series. From 2006...
appears during the opening scene - Flavor FlavFlavor FlavWilliam Jonathan Drayton, Jr. , better known by his stage name Flavor Flav, is an American rapper and television personality who rose to prominence as a member of the rap group Public Enemy...
appears during the opening scene - John PopperJohn PopperJohn Popper is an American musician and songwriter.He is most famous for his role as frontman of rock band Blues Traveler performing harmonica, guitar and vocals...
appears during the opening scene - SlashSlash (musician)Saul Hudson , known by his stage name Slash, is a British-American musician and songwriter. He is best known as the former lead guitarist of the American hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he achieved worldwide success in the late 1980s and early 1990s. During his later years with Guns N'...
appears during the opening scene - Ted NugentTed NugentTheodore Anthony "Ted" Nugent is an American guitarist, musician, singer, author, reserve police officer, and activist. From Detroit, Michigan, he originally gained fame as the lead guitarist of The Amboy Dukes, before embarking on a lengthy solo career...
appears during the opening scene - MC HammerMC HammerStanley Kirk Burrell , better known by his stage name MC Hammer , is an American rapper, entertainer, business entrepreneur, dancer and actor. He had his greatest commercial success and popularity from the late 1980s until the mid-1990s...
appears during the opening scene
Other characters
- Alison Stern (Howard's then real-life wife) plays one of the receptionists at WNBCWNBC (AM)WNBC was a radio station that operated in New York City from 1922 to 1988. For most of its history, it was the flagship station of the NBC Radio Network...
during the "Lance Eluction" segment - Nancy Siriani-Martling (Jackie's then real-life wife) appears in the college film festival scene, seated in front of Howard.
- Allison Furman-Norris (Fred's real life wife) appears as a receptionist at WRNW.
Development
In the early 1990s, Stern originally was set to make a movie based on his satirical alter-ego FartmanFartman (Howard Stern)
Fartman is a fictional superhero, popularized and acted by American radio "shock jock", Howard Stern. The character first appeared in an issue of the National Lampoon humor magazine in the mid-1970s . A recorded version of the character also appeared on National Lampoon's White Album in 1979...
. Stern first revealed his intentions to make a Fartman movie in 1992.
On November 25, 1992, Variety
Variety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
reported that J. F. Lawton
J. F. Lawton
Jonathan Frederick Lawton , born on August 11, 1960 in Riverside, California, is an American screenwriter, film producer and film director...
, writer of Pretty Woman
Pretty Woman
Pretty Woman is a 1990 romantic comedy film set in Los Angeles, California. Written by J.F. Lawton and directed by Garry Marshall, this motion picture features Richard Gere and Julia Roberts, and also Hector Elizondo, Ralph Bellamy, and Jason Alexander in supporting roles. Roberts played the only...
and Under Siege
Under Siege
Under Siege is a 1992 American action film directed by Andrew Davis and starring Steven Seagal as a former Navy SEAL who must stop a group of mercenaries, led by Tommy Lee Jones and Gary Busey, on a U.S. Navy battleship...
, was planning to write and direct New Line Cinema
New Line Cinema
New Line Cinema, often simply referred to as New Line, is an American film studio. It was founded in 1967 by Robert Shaye and Michael Lynne as a film distributor, later becoming an independent film studio. It became a subsidiary of Time Warner in 1996 and was merged with larger sister studio Warner...
's Stern film project, titled The Adventures of Fartman. The film, which would be budgeted at $8-11 million, was expected to go into production the following May in New York. David Permut
David Permut
David A. Permut is an American television and movie producer. He was the producer of Richard Pryor: Live in Concert , the first theatrical live comedy concert, and Dragnet , an early example of remaking a television series into a motion picture. He is owner and president of Permut Presentations,...
would produce the film under his Permut Presentations Banner, which has a first-look deal at New Line. According to Lawton, The Adventures of Fartman would revolve around the superhero and his alter ego, a magazine publisher in the mold of Screw
Screw magazine
Screw is a weekly pornographic magazine published in the United States aimed at heterosexual men. It was first published in 1968 by Al Goldstein and was printed weekly in tabloid form...
magazine's Al Goldstein
Al Goldstein
Alvin "Al" Goldstein is a former American publisher and pornographer. His company Milky Way Productions, home of Screw, and his long-running cable TV show, Midnight Blue was started in 1968 and went into bankruptcy in 2004...
. Lawton told Time, "There's a lot of nudity, some harsh language, a lesbian love scene, and the main character works for an underground sex magazine. We told New Line Cinema the plot, and they said, 'Yeah, it sounds great. But can't we make it PG-13?' "
Due to Stern's displeasure with making a PG film and dissatisfaction with scripts the movie was never put into production and Stern decided to look into adaptations of his best-selling first book instead. Stern rejected countless scripts before deciding to make the movie, some he claimed involved scenes beginning the movie where "Richard Simmons
Richard Simmons
Milton Teagle Simmons , known professionally as Richard Simmons, is an American fitness personality who promotes weight-loss programs, most famously through his Sweatin' to the Oldies line of aerobics videos and DVDs and is known for his eccentric, outgoing and frequently flamboyant personality...
chasing me around the house in a tutu". Ivan Reitman
Ivan Reitman
Ivan Reitman, OC is a Canadian film producer and director. He is known for the comedies he has directed and produced, especially in the 1980s and 1990s.He is the owner of The Montecito Picture Company, founded in 2000.-Early life:...
, a friend of Howard's agreed that the scripts were unsatisfactory and became attached to the movie as the producer. Betty Thomas
Betty Thomas
Betty Thomas is an American actress and director in television and motion pictures.-Life and career:Born Betty Thomas Nienhauser in St. Louis, Missouri, Thomas graduated from Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree...
, who had previously directed The Brady Bunch Movie
The Brady Bunch Movie
The Brady Bunch Movie is a 1995 American comedy film based on the 1969–1974 television series The Brady Bunch.The film features all the original regular characters, all played by new actors...
and The Late Shift
The Late Shift (film)
The Late Shift is a 1996 American TV movie produced by HBO. It is directed by Betty Thomas and based on the book of the same name by The New York Times media reporter Bill Carter.-Plot synopsis:...
, was chosen to direct.
David Letterman
David Letterman
David Michael Letterman is an American television host and comedian. He hosts the late night television talk show, Late Show with David Letterman, broadcast on CBS. Letterman has been a fixture on late night television since the 1982 debut of Late Night with David Letterman on NBC...
agreed to play himself in a brief re-enactment of one of Stern's early appearances on Late Night
Late Night with David Letterman
Late Night with David Letterman is a nightly hour-long comedy talk show on NBC that was created and hosted by David Letterman. It premiered in 1982 as the first incarnation of the Late Night franchise and went off the air in 1993, after Letterman left NBC and moved to Late Show on CBS. Late Night...
.
Originally, producers considered Jeff Goldblum
Jeff Goldblum
Jeffrey Lynn "Jeff" Goldblum is an American actor. His career began in the mid-1970s and he has appeared in major box-office successes including The Fly, Jurassic Park and its sequel Jurassic Park: The Lost World, and Independence Day...
to play Stern, as well as Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Scarlett Elizabeth Louis-Dreyfus is an American actress and comedienne, widely known for her sitcom roles in Seinfeld and The New Adventures of Old Christine....
being Stern's wife, Alison. Stern decided he should play himself and Louis-Dreyfus later backed out because she wanted to spend time with her family.
Filming
Stern, Quivers, and the rest of the cast from The Howard Stern Show were still broadcasting five days a week during the production of the film. At the end of every show, they would immediately drive to the film's set. A few scenes during Stern's college years were filmed at CUNY Lehman College in The BronxThe Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. For the scenes that featured Stern in high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
, filming was done at Union High School
Union High School
Union High School may refer to:*Union High School , Modoc, Indiana*Union High School , La Porte City, Iowa*Union High School , Grand Rapids, Michigan*Union High School , Union, Missouri...
(from which comedian Artie Lange
Artie Lange
Arthur Steven "Artie" Lange, Jr. is an American actor, comedian and radio personality best known for his tenures with the The Howard Stern Show and the comedy sketch series MADtv....
, who would join the radio show in late 2001, graduated in 1985). The concert scene featuring AC/DC
AC/DC
AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
was filmed at Bryant Park
Bryant Park
Bryant Park is a 9.603 acre privately managed public park located in the New York City borough of Manhattan. It is located between Fifth and Sixth Avenues and between 40th and 42nd Streets in Midtown Manhattan...
in New York City in July 1996.
Theatrical run
The film premiered at the top of the box-office in its opening weekend with a gross of $14.6 million. It went on to gross $41,230,799 at the end of its domestic run.Critical reception
It received positive critical praise including Siskel and Ebert, Joel SilverJoel Silver
Joel Silver is an American Hollywood film producer, co-creator of the sport of Ultimate, co-founder of Dark Castle Entertainment and owner of Silver Pictures.-Life and career:...
and Gene Shalit
Gene Shalit
Gene Shalit is a film and book critic. He has filled these roles on NBC's The Today Show since January 15, 1973. He is known for his frequent use of puns, his oversized handlebar moustache, and for wearing colorful bowties.-Career:...
. Stern in particular received high praise for his acting, as did Robin Quivers and Fred Norris. Paul Giamatti
Paul Giamatti
Paul Edward Valentine Giamatti is an American actor. Giamatti began his career as a supporting actor in several films produced during the 1990s including Private Parts, The Truman Show, Saving Private Ryan, The Negotiator, and Man on the Moon, before earning lead roles in several projects in the...
was also praised, notably propelling him to stardom. Although some critics claimed that the film glossed over his use of sexist and racist humor and that it was relatively brief on recent events of Howard's career. It currently holds a 79% rating on Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
.
For his performance, Stern won the Blockbuster Entertainment Award for "Favorite Male Newcomer". The awards are given by the result of write-in votes from fans and Stern won by a wide margin. Stern was nominated for a Golden Satellite Award
Satellite Awards
The Satellite Awards are an annual award given by the International Press Academy. The awards were originally known as the Golden Satellite Awards.- Film :*Best Actor – Drama*Best Actor – Musical or Comedy*Best Actress – Drama...
for "Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy". He was also nominated for a Razzie Award for "Worst New Star".
Cable television
Rough cut
In filmmaking, the rough cut is the second of three stages of offline editing. The rough cut is the first stage in which the film begins to resemble its final product...
of the film with substantially different dialogue and music, several deleted scenes, and a very different ending. Some of the deleted scenes, such as Howard being fired and escorted out of WNBC
WFAN
WFAN , also known as "Sports Radio 66" or "The FAN", is a radio station in New York City. The station broadcasts on a clear channel and is owned by CBS Radio...
, appeared in the film's original trailer
Trailer (film)
A trailer or preview is an advertisement or a commercial for a feature film that will be exhibited in the future at a cinema. The term "trailer" comes from their having originally been shown at the end of a feature film screening. That practice did not last long, because patrons tended to leave the...
and publicity materials before being cut. The picture quality of the Internet version is very poor with compression artifacts, VHS artifacts, and visible dust on the print.
The USA Network
USA Network
USA Network is an American cable television channel launched in 1971. Once a minor player in basic cable, the network has steadily gained popularity because of breakout hits like Monk, Psych, Burn Notice, Royal Pains, Covert Affairs, White Collar, Monday Night RAW, Suits, and reruns of the various...
agreed to pay $7 million for the rights to air the film for nine years from 1999. The editing featured on-air explanations from Stern for the pixelization and bleep censors required to air the R-rated film. Stern appeared in new taped segments in which he occasionally pauses the film to comment on it. USA premiered the film even though no alternate scenes had been filmed to replace the nudity nor had any alternate dialogue been recorded to replace the profanity
Profanity
Profanity is a show of disrespect, or a desecration or debasement of someone or something. Profanity can take the form of words, expressions, gestures, or other social behaviors that are socially constructed or interpreted as insulting, rude, vulgar, obscene, desecrating, or other forms.The...
for television broadcasts. The nudity was simply pixelized
Pixelization
Pixelization is a video- and image-editing technique in which an image is blurred by displaying part or all of it at a markedly lower resolution. It is primarily used for censorship...
and the profanity bleeped. In 2007, VH-1 began airing this version.
The film premiered in 1080 High Definition on Universal HD
Universal HD
Universal HD is an HDTV cable television network owned by NBCUniversal. The channel was known as Bravo HD+ until December 1, 2004. The network exclusively broadcasts in high definition 1080i...
on March 11, 2008. It is the uncut feature-film version with minor commercial interruptions.