How Howard Stern Caused A Stir With Anna Nicole Smith Fans
Howard Stern is known for his controversial behavior, but a few interviews with the late Anna Nicole Smith have resurfaced on social media that don't paint him in the greatest light. Initially broadcast in 2002, the clips involving the model are shocking to hear back. People on social media can't quite believe Stern was allowed to put women in this situation back then.
By the time Stern invited Smith to be on his show, the model had already been named Playboy's Playmate of the Year (via Biography). And by this point, she'd starred in dozens of films, a few television shows, and her own reality series on E! called "The Anna Nicole Show" (via IMDb). It was around the time that this series aired when Smith made a few appearances on the Howard Stern Show, where she experienced numerous scenarios that put her in an uncomfortable position.
But there was one moment, in particular, that is so shocking it's hard to believe it was even allowed to air.
Howard Stern made Anna Nicole Smith visibly uncomfortable
Appearing on the show in 2002, Smith appears to be visibly uncomfortable when Stern suggests that she allow behind-the-scenes staff member Benjy Bronk to give her oral sex (via YouTube). Everyone in the studio seems to think this is a great idea other than Smith, who is then taken by Bronk into a bathroom. When they return, Stern asks what happened, and Bronk replies that they "only made out" because Smith was on her period. "Anna was nervous, it's the first thing I saw so I didn't want to force her into it," Bronk says. "I think she really wants to do it, but not under these conditions."
During another visit to the show, Smith was visibly upset after hearing Stern and his crew making fun of her weight (via YouTube). "Why are you always calling me fat all the time?" she said as she sat down to do the interview. Stern said they weren't but told her that she wasn't aware of her weight. "The way you dress, I don't think you're aware that you're a heavy-set woman," Stern told her (via The Mirror). She replied, "I know I'm a big woman, so what?"
Social media is not happy with the way Howard Stern treated Anna Nicole Smith
The radio host proceeded to ask Smith to weigh herself live, to which Smith refused. Stern then offered her $3,000 and an Xbox for her son Daniel (via The Mirror). He also offered to show Smith his penis if she got on their weighing machine.
According to The Mirror, fans of Stern defended the host, saying it was a joke and part of his persona at the time. But nonetheless, fans of Smith and other users were astonished that Stern would force Smith to weigh herself live on air. "All of these people are disgusting, and what's even worse a woman sat there and let another woman be brought down and humiliated from her weight," one user wrote. "Women in the public eye back then were treated like dogs."
British presenter Jess Davies was equally as shocked, sharing a TikTok of the clips on Twitter. "White men get to avoid cancel culture whilst being given the largest platform. I'm so tired," she wrote. "I'm so sad for Anna watching this. The fatphobia, the degrading tone, trying to entice her with money to embarrass herself, the sexual harassment about flashing his penis. All in front of her son," Davies continued. "Why do I continue to be shocked at this behavior."
Anna Nicole Smith demanded an apology from Howard Stern
A couple of years after the last interview, Smith appeared on "The Sharon Osbourne Show" (via IMDb). She spoke about recently losing weight, which prompted co-host George Lopez to bring up the Howard Stern drama (via YouTube). "He's not worth talking about," Smith started out, "but if I must...." The model went on to say that Stern was "really rude" and explained how Stern had a scale in the studio which made her feel "booby-trapped." Sharon Osbourne was familiar with this and explained that "they have it on the floor and you don't know you're standing on it."
But Smith revealed that they actually had a visible scale for her to stand on. Visibly annoyed, Osbourne shook her head and expressed how "mean" that was. "They were all being mean, saying 'I know you weigh 300 pounds,'" Smith said, adding that the calls were mean and that the show wasn't scanning who was calling in.
"That's not right for other women, for him to say that to other women," Smith said. The model was planning to go back on the show to get an apology from Stern, but he wouldn't let her back in the studio as she was filming the encounter for her reality show. But Smith "busted him" as he brought out his own cameras and took the high ground in the situation.