The Real Reason Why Howard Stern's Staffers Are Selling Their Homes
It's not unreasonable to be suspicious when you see multiple staffers from NYC-based Howard Stern Show list their New York/Connecticut properties. Any other show or business would get a similar consistency of raised eyebrows. If you saw a bunch of the cast members on Saturday Night Live get up and leave New York before the next season, chances are rumors would swirl about whether or not the show would continue.
Unfortunately for The King of All Media, the staffers on his show have become extremely famous, despite the sometimes medial jobs they perform. That has been part of the genius of Howard's 40-year career. Those who surround him all become caricatures of themselves for the sake of entertainment. Not only do Howard's staffers get handsomely rewarded for their work on the show, but they also build followings. And these followers are very vocal when they see something's amiss. And there's no doubt that with Shuli Egar's not-so-secret departure and both Ronnie 'The Limo Driver' Mund and Gary 'Ba Ba Booey' Dell'Abate selling their homes, fans are worried.
A Number Of Changes Have Fans Concerned That The House Sales Are A Sign Of Something Big To Come
Is The Howard Stern Show ending or is there a major format change afoot? That's what fans are really anxious about and Ronnie, Shuli, and Gary's life changes seem to have triggered it.
There's been a lot of changes to The Howard Stern Show in recent years. And we're not talking about the 20+ year evolution from shock jock to a renowned interviewer. Aside from losing some of his more stubborn/old-school listeners, Howard's creative and personal changes have been welcomed. His interviewing skills, which have been developed throughout this change, are undeniable. And the fact that he can still balance off-color humor and complaining with some really dynamic personal discussions is truly astounding. There's a reason why he remains one of the wealthiest and most successful entertainers of all time.
Other changes have not been so welcome.
First and foremost, Howard's politics have caused issues with the fanbase. Even though about half of Howard's fanbase loathes former President Donald Trump nearly as much as he does, they don't always want to hear about it. Howard, admittedly, spent too much time talking about Trump, albeit far more so than when he was first running for office.
Then there's the pandemic.
Covid-19 changed so much of the world, including The Howard Stern Show. While Howard's germaphobia was once a source of great comedy on the show, it's now become somewhat exhausting. Even though more than half of Howard's fanbase completely agree with him about the importance of vaccines, masks, and distancing when necessary, they don't always want to hear about it. Nor do they think his level of isolationism is all that healthy or, more importantly, entertaining. Of course, those who disagree with him have either abandoned the show or 'hate-listen' just to call in and argue. Point it, parts of his show have become overly consumed by virus-talk.
More importantly, Howard has not returned to his New York studio since the pandemic began. He was doing his show from his Hamptons mansion until May 2021, where he secretly flew to Florida to broadcast from his house down there.
While there have been some great moments since the show has gone virtual, the staff dynamics, musical performances, and even the interviews have suffered. This is undoubtedly the main reason fans are seeing staffers sell their homes.
Why Howard's Staffers Are Getting The Heck Out Of The New York Area
Writer/producer and Wack-Pack director Shuli Egar's departure from The Howard Stern Show was caused by increasing crime and poverty in New York. His money could also take him further in Alabama where he moved his family in early 2021. Addionally, according to his podcast, due to the virtual nature of The Howard Stern Show during the pandemic, a lot of his responsibilities were decreased. So, he flat-out quit.
Ronnie's departure to Las Vegas has been heavily discussed on the show and it's something that has deeply hurt Howard, according to him. While Howard's trusty bodyguard, limo driver, and sex-tip giver isn't officially leaving the show, he will no longer be in New York and therefore will rarely return in-person should the staff return to the studio. Instead, he'll focus on building a business in Vegas with his wife and living a lifestyle he's so often teased about.
Then there's Gary...
According to The New York Post, Howard's longtime producer Gary Dell'Abate has sold his Greenwich, Connecticut mansion for $3.2 million as of July 2021. Prior to the sale, Gary explained that he no longer needed a big house due to the fact that his kids have grown up and that he doesn't know how much he'll be in the studio moving forward. Instead, he claims to want to buy a place in Maine (which is close enough to New York for quick work trips) and in Florida, where Howard also owns a property.
This has deeply worried fans who miss the days where Howard, Gary, and the gang would pal around together in the studio. But with Howard finding it easier and safer to work from home during the pandemic, it definitely seems to signal that those studio days are over. Therefore, his staffers are packing up their New York-area homes and building a life where they can work remotely and get more bank for their buck.
Let's just hope this isn't the case forever.
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