Howard Stern got a lot of press when he called out Joe Rogan for making comments that fanned the flames of anti-vaxxers in America. Despite Howard mostly focusing on how "idiotic" it is for a portion of society to deny the science behind the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine, he also made sure to take a swipe at Joe for suggesting that a highly controversial drug was a good replacement for a vaccine. Given Joe's incredible influence over his massive audience, it makes sense why Howard and so many were angry with him. But the truth is, Howard's relationship with the outlandishly successful podcast host goes back further and is far more complicated.

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With the aforementioned rant aside, it's remarkable how silent the two media tycoons have been about one another in recent years. Anyone who understands a shred of their history together would know that they were very much on each other's radars prior to Joe becoming as successful as the legendary Howard Stern. So, what exactly happened between Howard and Joe?

Howard And Joe Rogan's History And How Their Paths Have Changed

While the media surely blew some of Joe's Ivermetcin comments out of proportion, it's easy to see why someone like Howard was furious about his stance. After all, Joe actively defies medical and scientific advice and has been fanning some rather controversial flames as of late. Even though Howard has never been one for conspiracy theories (unlike Joe), he built his entire career on being controversial. This is undeniably the thing that brought the comedic minds of Howard and Joe together in the first place.

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Over the last twenty-plus years, Howard has gone through a massive transformation. When he moved to the completely uncensored satellite radio, it no longer made sense for him to be controversial for ratings. Thanks to his relationship with his wife Beth and therapy, Howard has also grown as a person. His show is far tamer than it used to be, allowing for him to focus on excellent celebrity interviews. Although, Howard isn't afraid to shy away from hilarious staff antics or full-on rants like his recent one against Joe. But in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Joe was all over The Howard Stern show. He even credits Howard for giving his stand-up special national attention. On top of this, Joe credits Howard for opening up the door for his podcast.

Without a doubt, Howard's epic career is what had influenced podcasting giants like Joe, a medium that Howard, somewhat ironically, loathes. This is mostly because he thinks it's incredibly hard to make a living as a podcaster unless you're someone with a built-in fanbase, like Joe Rogan. Even with slags against his medium, Joe has praised Howard on his show.

"Whatever you want to say about Howard Stern, that motherf***** opened the door for all of us. All of us. For me, 100%," Joe said to another radio host on his podcast.

Of course, in the same conversation, Joe went on to explain that his show is vastly different than it once was. "People criticize [Howard] because [his show is different] but, look, he's a different person. He shouldn't have to do that old show. He should do whatever he wants. That's who he is now."

Still, it is strange that someone who has been so heavily featured on The Howard Stern Show hasn't returned in over a decade. Sure, Joe has his own show, but there does appear to be some distance between them.

Howard And Joe Had A Pretty Private Falling Out

Some of Joe's most ardent supporters seem to think that Joe dislikes how "politically correct" Howard has become and therefore stopped appearing on the show. But in 2012, Howard explained that the two actually had a falling out. At the time, both Howard and Joe worked for NBC (America's Got Talent and Fear Factor respectfully) and the self-proclaimed King Of All Media made a comment to them about Joe not being so nice to women. Even though Howard was only partially serious, he claims that they were out at a bar and witnessed Joe being somewhat mean-spirited to women and even called them derogatory names. Joe has categorically refuted the claims but took them very hard and seemingly refused to return to The Howard Stern Show.

Over the years, Joe has mostly remained silent about the man who arguably remains his biggest competitor. But, on a couple of occasions, he has slighted him. This includes having Howard's ex-colleague, Artie Lange, on the show numerous times and dissecting a leaked Howard Stern meeting on The Joe Rogan Experience.

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Still, the two appear to have some respect for what the other does creatively. But given Howard and Joe's conflicting stance on vaccines, and all the press surrounding that, it seems highly unlikely that the two will patch things up or ever be a guest on each other's shows. And that's a shame since the two could easily have a fascinating conversation whether it turns into a debate or not.

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