During an interview, Artie Lange talked with Sports Illustrated about an off-air moment when OJ Simpson was on the phone "yelling at" Howard Stern, saying "I'm coming for you next, Howard."

"That's what I heard, though Howard never told me what he said," said Lange. Adding that it "was the first time I had seen Howard flustered on or off the air."

The confrontation supposedly took place when Laurence Taylor was a guest on The Howard Stern Show, and received a call during the commercial break, explained Lange. L.T. handed the phone to Stern saying that a "friend" wanted to speak with him. "It took Howard a few moments to realize it was O.J. Simpson," said Lange.

"...I heard O.J. talking a mile a minute. He was yelling at Howard, saying 'I'm coming for you next, Howard. You're f---ing with me. I'm coming for you next.' Almost goofing on him," Artie told SI.

"L.T. saw Howard squirming and was laughing. Howard, obviously, is one of the highest profile guys who has messed with O.J. from the beginning."

[Sports Illustrated]

Bubba The Love Sponge's contract with Sirius Satellite Radio, Inc. is coming up for renewal in December/January, and it's long been known that the negotiations between the two parties have not been going too well.

A recent blog post by Bubba seems to indicate that the grumblings about being underpaid and underappreciated by Sirius are coming to a head, and that the contract might very well not be renewed:

"the amount of money they have given non-radio people is absolulty insane….we meanwhile have done radio, and good radio i might add, for over 20 years, we are radio people that know the business, but because we are not martha stewart, or lance armstrong, or jamie foxx, granted all of which are big time names, but none have ever done radio. sirius feels they can pay us pretty much anything they want….and give us take it or leave it type options……..if you only knew some of the stuff they have done to us,"

Howard Stern this morning even brought up the situation with Bubba, giving his full support on the air, but expressed a level of doubt that the negotiations can be resolved.

The real looming question is whether Bubba has another offer on the table. He was seen exiting Cox Radio offices with his agent, fueling speculation of his return to terrestrial radio.

This morning though, Bubba confirmed that two offers from terrestrial radio companies are currently on the table:

"its kind of sad that i have two regular radio offers on the table that are willing to pay me over double right now to come back. granted i wont have as much fun, but at least i will have a steady contract for a long time, with good money and they (regular radio) will treat me as a valueable asset, not talk down to me, and push me around like the way i am being treated now…"

Many would hate to see Sirius go, especially since many Howard listeners have become Bubba fans. But as it stands, it definitely doesn't sound hopeful...

[BTLS Blogs]

UPDATE: The blog posting in question has been removed.