Stern sued for $100 million by sponsor
An advertiser on The Howard Stern Show - JEC Nutrition - is filing suit for $100 million after they say their product was trashed on the show during a live-read, resulting in a 20% drop in sales (according to JEC).
The CEO of JEC Nutrition, Kelly Lockwood, told Page Six that he paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to promote the I57 Ignite fat-burner. Crazy Cabbie was on the show to talk about how he's shed 20 pounds with the product.
But according to Lockwood, "The first thing out of Howard's mouth was, 'Geez, Cabbie, you look fatter than ever.' "
"Then, [Stern sidekick] Ralph Circella says to Cabbie something like, 'What the hell are you doing in here promoting a weight-loss product, you fat piece of [bleep]! Why don't you lose 60 more pounds and then come back?' This was horrendous for us." Lockwood told the Post. "Our sales have dropped more than 20 percent. In seven minutes, he undid all the good work we did."
Lockwood says the suit will charge Stern, as well as Sirius, with defamation.
UPDATE: Many of the reports on this are misleading (causing this post to be misleading as well). It was not a live-read for I57 Ignite, and they are not a sponsor of The Howard Stern Show.


Comments
It's a bullshit lawsuit that those i57 scam artists will never win, but I'm sure they'll milk this for as much publicity as possible before it's thrown out.
Ahhh lawyers, is there anything they can't do?
Posted by: MikeHunt ? | June 25, 2007 10:11 AM
It may be a bullshit claim. But it seems reasonable that someone who spends thousands to have Stern do a live read should have some expectations about what is said.
Stern certainly could not guarantee the guy positive results. But it would seem that Stern, in accepting the advertising, should have a reasonable commitment to represent the product positively.
If Sirius wants to sell Stern as the Radio Advertising Guru, surely, a falloff in sales after he trashes a product could be due, at least in part, to the trashing.
$100M? Ha! But it would not be shocking if this settled for significantly more than advertising charge for the live read.
Posted by: StackPointer ? | June 25, 2007 10:28 AM
For those who know the show, would you ever hire Crazy Cabbie to pitch your product? The man has big credibility problems on that show.
And are you surprised when you hire an obese person to pitch your product on the Howard Stern Show that the crew says, "You're fat!"
If there was a loss of interest in the product, it's just as reasonable to think that people realized that eating less food is actually a free, Free, FREE way to lose weight!
I hope I don't get sued for saying that.
Posted by: Chris Cronin | June 25, 2007 10:36 AM
I happen to be listening that day and Howard did not do anything wrong. Ralph did and even still he was corrected by Howard when he said that Cabbie looked fat.
Posted by: another thought | June 25, 2007 10:41 AM
This is nothing but a publicity stunt.
Posted by: xmer@yahoo.com | June 25, 2007 11:03 AM
It's not my understanding that they paid hundreds of thousands to Stern or Sirius, but instead to Cabbie. I very well could be wrong, but that's certainly the impression I got when listening to the original broadcast.
Posted by: Tyler` | June 25, 2007 12:24 PM
Maybe Cabbie will be on next years Celebrity Fit Club, since they were really scraping the bottom of the barrel this past year.
Posted by: jcrean | June 25, 2007 12:25 PM
The full info wasn't given out. They are not a sponsor on Stern's show, and they did not pay Stern to do a live read. Crazy Cabbie was there and they paid him for the advertising, and he was hoping to push the product on the air. This case should be thrown out because there was not product bashing at all, just bashing of fat-ass Cabbie.
Posted by: Dave Osbun | June 25, 2007 12:32 PM
As both Hoo Hoo and O & A know, the Fat Fuck "demo" is a big one for both of them. Maybe Hoo Hoo should fork over 30 days of his 5 year contract to JEC Nutrition.
A 30 day suspension without pay might be in order.
Posted by: Captain Sludge | June 25, 2007 1:06 PM
"but I'm sure they'll milk this for as much publicity as possible before it's thrown out."
Same for Stern nowadays.
Posted by: XMScott ? | June 25, 2007 1:27 PM
Howard mentioned the Herb Kohl article today, and Fred said it was from Orbitcast.
Posted by: Toucan Sam | June 25, 2007 1:31 PM
they can't sue cabbie he has no money.
they sue stern. stern was right cabbie hasn't lost weight he's making money selling their product.
enjoy cabbie o\a fans!
he's your new best friend.
Posted by: d.goezinya ? | June 25, 2007 1:40 PM
Right you are, Captain Sludge. Screwing around with a minority endorsement is one thing, but screwing around with a sponsor is like bitch-slapping the white-haired shyster in his own house. How is the shyster going to pack all of the music channels with commercials after the merger if Hoo Hoo keeps screwing around with the sponsors.
Thirty days in the hole for Hoo Hoo.
Posted by: Mudhead | June 25, 2007 1:42 PM
How'd you get sued? ... why not?!
How'd you get sued? ... why not?!
Posted by: espnjason ? | June 25, 2007 2:07 PM
"Thirty days in the hole for Hoo Hoo."
Like he doesn't have enough days off.
How about 30 working days suspension, then he'll be off the air for several weeks.
So much for the zero-point-zero farce.
$0.00
Posted by: espnjason ? | June 25, 2007 2:16 PM
I bet they win.. loads of cash.. Well not loads, but something... They showed what he said, and again this is a case of Howard or whoever doing their show the way they do it and getting sued or susspended... What did they expect at the fat crap supplement co. .. The truth is none of this crap works without some nasty side effects... And Howard's no dummy, he won't lose that kind of money, NO WAY!!
Posted by: harry hardon | June 25, 2007 4:17 PM
I think Howard was giving his honest opinion, if he thought Cabbie looked fatter then he said so.
Cabbie is not the best person to be doing a campaign like this.
Having Cabbie do weight loss commercials is like hiring Beetlejuice to give a speach on the history of Opera.
Posted by: Sott Greczkowski | June 25, 2007 4:44 PM
Hoo Hoo, Robin, JEC Nutrition can't sue me over the 157 Ignite fat-burner. I invented the 157 Ingnite fat-burner. I invented everything!
Posted by: FlipFlop | June 25, 2007 4:52 PM
You tell'em, FlipFlop,
They're ripping you off, Hoo Hoo, they're ripping you off!
Posted by: Zooboy | June 25, 2007 4:55 PM
o.o
in sterns pocket
Posted by: STARTSOMETHING | June 25, 2007 8:25 PM
First of all, it was not during a live read. And anything with Cabbie is bad news. The NY Post has said that this post has a "fat" chance, no pun intended. The Stern power with advertising is very strong. Since those comments, the weight lost product customers dropped. Stern is the white Ophra. Stern's show is all about the truth. If Cabbie looked fat he is fat. This case will not see the light of day!
Posted by: Chris Povolny | June 25, 2007 9:03 PM
i'm sure espnjason is right and the other 1,999 greg and tony listeners are right also.
Posted by: d.goezinya ? | June 25, 2007 11:56 PM
fact check
wasn't a live read,
wasn't a paid spot,
a fat guy came on the show to shill weight loss and got called fat. truth is ultimate defense.
this is as dumb a lawsuit as that 57 million lawsuit over a pair of pants that was dismissed in DC.
BTW is there a dumber nickname then "Hoo Hoo"? Best XM listeners can do?
Posted by: stljohn | June 26, 2007 12:18 AM
Greg and Tony rule!
Posted by: Anonymous Coward | June 26, 2007 12:43 AM
Raise your right hand, Hoo Hoo.
Do you promise to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?
Yes, you Honor, like the time that I told David Letterman that I single-handedly brought six million subscriptions to Sirius, or the dozens of times that I denied running to Mel about Opie and Anthony, or the time that I admitted to Sean Hannity that I ran to Mel about Opie and Anthony but never tried to hide that from anyone.
My whole show is about the truth. Just ask Chris Povolny about his post on Orbitcast. He'll back me up. Yeah, that's the ticket, just ask Chris Povolny.
No wonder less than 10% of his audience was willing to pay $13.00/month to keep listening to him.
Watch that Sirius stock drop - from less than $3.00/share to $0.00
Zero point zero zero.
Posted by: Captain Sludge | June 26, 2007 9:23 AM
Just for clarification(as if you idiots could actually read anyway), the sponsor of the biggest blob contest was NOT i57. Howard has no financial ties to their product.
Sorry for spreading facts. Back to your regularly scheduled stupidity.
Posted by: Schimshamity ? | June 26, 2007 9:32 AM
Why do even the fat slobs who stopped ordering the 157 Ignite fat burner still listen to this sissified sack-of-shit?
Run to Mel, Hoo Hoo, run to Mel. Maybe he can get you out of this suit.
Posted by: Zooboy | June 26, 2007 9:46 AM
Hoo Hoo, Robin. I invented the law suit. They're ripping me off again, they're ripping me off!
Posted by: Mudhead | June 26, 2007 10:30 AM
O&A didn't say anything about raping Condi, Laura Bush or the Queen either. Facts don't always matter.
Posted by: PFreak ? | June 26, 2007 11:05 AM
And that has....what?...to do with this?
Posted by: Schimshamity ? | June 26, 2007 11:12 AM
We all know the real reason their sales dropped is because they no longer have Ron & Fez to advertise for them.
Cha de bugre.
Posted by: Thrawn ? | June 26, 2007 11:58 AM
ShimShady,
What does it have to do with this? Because it's a great example of the story already being twisted and reporters not checking their facts. Just like O&A had nothing to do with homeless Charlie's comments, that didn't stop them from taking the heat which is exactly what Howard is going to take here. Maybe they weren't a paying advertiser but how do you know that they weren't in negotiations to be one? Perhaps the little comment just lost a deal. And here's a fact for you, Howard doesn't need to be paid by them to be sued for slander. I do like how Hoo Hoo has turned on another one of his former "friends" though.
Posted by: PFreak ? | June 26, 2007 12:52 PM
Shamshimity,
I was wondering where you were in all of this. Good to have you back. I was beginning to think it was that time of month again.
Oops, I forgot, it's always that time of the month for you.
Hoo sends his hugs and kisses. A spineless, sissified slimeball like him needs a raging bitch like you. After all, he can't run to Mel about everything.
Posted by: Captain Sludge | June 26, 2007 12:53 PM
go find cabbie and give him a big hug he needs one PFreak
Posted by: d.goezinya ? | June 26, 2007 1:14 PM
PTard,
What amazes me is that you can string together so many words that mean absolutely nothing. However, your behavior makes sense. Typical of a paranoid schizo, your comments have become increasingly belligerent and nonsensical.
Its makes no difference explaining to you the fact that Charlie didn’t get o&a suspended, or the fact that you can’t sue someone because you want to promote your shit on a show you’re not actively paying to advertise on; OR the fact that the show has no legal obligation not to call a fat fuck who is supposedly on a diet, “fat”; OR the fact that your imaginary scenario is fucking retarded; OR the fact that cabbie is a cunt to everyone up to and including the bbbboys who you apparently allow to fuck your ass so often that you can’t think straight let alone for yourself.
The only people who thinks Howard is taking heat is a bunch of fanboy bitches who don’t allow reality to get in the way of their stupidity.
Posted by: Schimshamity ? | June 26, 2007 1:59 PM
Schimshamity is always right...L O L Clearly he is the only one that has a brain around here and everyone else is wrong.
Posted by: PNut | June 26, 2007 2:31 PM
i57 is/was a paid sponsor. However it doesn't mean that they are right. Cabbie and i57 are dead wrong in this law suit.
Posted by: another thought | June 26, 2007 4:33 PM
When you're right, you're right, Shamschimity. The O & A listeners could care less if Hoo Hoo offended a two-bit outfit like JEC Nutrition.
Your spineless slimeball's use of some slick corporate swine to screw with O & A's career is the only reason that we still piss and shit on Hoo Hoo.
If it weren't for all of those cowardly, cunt-like actions on his part, we would all have given him a big flush and just walked away - like 90% of his audience just walked away instead of paying $13.00/month to keep listening to him.
Posted by: Captain Sludge | June 26, 2007 5:09 PM
Cabbie just uses everyone and everything, you O&A drones who do not listen to the show just show sad ignorance, and if anyone heard the show that day, cabbie came in, Howard said he looked fat and cabbie said it is because he gained a lot of weight after he came out of jail but that he started to use the product and started loosing weight, when Ralph came in and to cabbie he was a fat piece of shit and come back when he looses 60 pounds, Howard said that cabbie was using the product and was starting to loose weight. look at all the fact before you comment.
Posted by: Eric the Actor | June 26, 2007 8:19 PM
>> The only people who thinks Howard is taking heat is a bunch of fanboy bitches who don’t allow reality to get in the way of their stupidity. >>
Are you calling the administrator of this site a 'fanboy bitch'...?
Posted by: Pete ? | June 26, 2007 10:14 PM
He submitted the post due to the NY Post article. He corrected the mistake once he realized it wasn't correct. Not only has he said nothing about the story, he also didn't invent any chicken little conspiracy theories afterwards just praying that the story would grow some legs. So, no. I'm not, dolt.
Why don't you try to stay on the side of the semi intelligent dick riders by not commenting on anything I write.
Posted by: Schimshamity ? | June 26, 2007 11:58 PM
Shimshitty,
Wow, quite the angry rant from a little pottymouth. Who's a fanboy? BTW, you can sue anyone for anything in this country. You wouldn't know semi-intelligent if it hit you in the face like a load of jizz.
Posted by: PFreak ? | June 27, 2007 10:05 AM
Just because anyone can sue anything, doesn't make you less of an idiot.
Posted by: Schimshamity ? | June 27, 2007 10:28 AM
Gosh!
I'm so proud of all of us for having come together in disagreement, but then learning a little about each other's point of view!
We stayed on point, we learned a lot, but still found room for the laughter. Didn't we?
Let's all have a group hug now.
Ready? One . . . two . . . . three . . . .
Mmmmmmmm!
Muuuuuch better!
Posted by: Chris Cronin | June 27, 2007 11:11 AM
>> Why don't you try to stay on the side of the semi intelligent dick riders by not commenting on anything I write. >>
And why don't you just DEAL with the fact that when Howard's in the news, people are going to share their opinion about the story?
What kills me about you is that you love to act like this holier-than-thou voice of impartiality concerning all things Howard/O&A, shaming us all for mindlessly following the beliefs & opinions of one or the other. It's quite obvious you're a Howard supporter, fwiw.
Which is fine, but don't you dare give sh*t to people when they happen to rag on Stern, calling them 'fanboy bitches'. There's an entire collection of those same 'bitches' ragging on O&A when THEY'RE in the news.
Where's your impartiality then? IMO you're a complete phony.
Posted by: Pete ? | June 27, 2007 12:56 PM
I think part, if not all, of your problem lies in the fact that you only read what you want to read when I type. I'm sure you've never seen me say that Stern fanboys(zero point zero dorks) are no better than their equally douchey counter-pests. I guess you've also never seen me say countless times that I was an O&A fan way before most of these dick beaters had ever heard of them. Just because I do have Sirius and do listen to stern doesn't mean I base my opinions on some shit fansite who tells me how to think; whether it be sternfannetwork or wackbag. Like a select few people here, I give credit where credit is due and I talk shit when shit talking is valid.
You on the other hand, like to defend these assholes because "hey, sternfans do it too". That's not a very supportive argument for your case or against mine. Since you obviously can't see that, I can't possibly call you a wholly intelligent person.
Posted by: Schimshamity ? | June 27, 2007 2:10 PM
I'm not defending any sort of behavior in EITHER camp, because ultimately it's all nonsense. People see a Stern or an O&A article, and ALL the same crap continues to spew forth from the keyboards of the same bunch of morons. I guess I have the ability to scroll past & filter out that stuff, however.
If you're so completely aghast at the stupidity on this site, then please do everyone else the favor and find an alternate web site for your satellite radio news. Accusing the other readers that they're all mindless fanboys in every other one of your posts is, needless to say, quite irritating.
Ryan runs a great news site, but it's really a shame that we have to deal with these comments sections. Please Ryan, I'm begging you - keep the news on one page, and create a separate message board for all this O&A vs. Stern crap. Then we won't have to read it if we choose not to, and Schimsham can quit being aggravated with everyone & go back to his apparent multitude of intellectual pursuits.
Posted by: Pete ? | June 27, 2007 2:38 PM
Is it me or is Schimshamity the only true poster who is truly disliked here? Even at most heated Stern fans and O&A fans are having fun ragging on each other. Schimshamity on the other hand is the walking wet-blanket -know-it-all who defines Pseudo Intellect. Am I the only one who thinks Schimshamity needs to learn that differing opinions are ok? And to the further extent that he/she isn't always right... a keyboard and thinking highly of your own opinion doesn't make you any greater then anyone else here.
Posted by: Party Rock | June 27, 2007 2:49 PM
You have the ability to scroll past their comments yet, somehow, you manage to always find mine. Interesting how that works.
I haven't accused ALL readers of being mindless fanboys. Its a shame you feel like I'm calling you one. Maybe its because you feel like you're a fanboy bitch. That really isn't my problem, is it?
As for where I choose to find my SatRad info, I like Ryan and his site. Thanks for the tip though.
Regarding the discussion board, it won't help because any entry be it a merger, a Xm channel, or a Sirius channel, usually boils down to:
Hoo Hoo
Opie and Andy
White haired shyster
0.0
I invented X
Tell'em Fred
5000 subs canceled
nuh uhh 50,000 subs canceled
etc
etc
etc...
What's funny is, I say NONE of those things, yet I'm the problem? Like I've said many times, get off my dick.
Posted by: Schimshamity ? | June 27, 2007 2:59 PM
partyrock,
I think its just you, pete and PFuck. I wasn't aware that fanboy trolling was okay but calling people out for it, wasn't. Thank you for that. I can't wait for this site to turn into a bigger "wackfag vs. sterndorknetwork" pissing contest; that's exactly what people come here for.
There IS a difference between a O&A/Stern listener and an O&A/Stern douchebag. Its really not my fault or problem if you think the person I'm calling a douchebag is you.
Posted by: Schimshamity ? | June 27, 2007 4:53 PM
Well, Shamschimity, at least we finally know that you have a dick. You always write like you're on the rag. I'm still not sure of your gender, though. This could be a case of some cleverly disguised penis envy.
By the way, you forgot one of the more important ones:
Watch that Sirius stock drop - from less than $3.00/share to $0.00.
Zero point zero zero.
Hoo Hoo, Shamschimity, tell Captain Sludge that he can't take credit for that one. I invented it. I invented everything!
Posted by: Captain Sludge | June 27, 2007 4:56 PM
>> You have the ability to scroll past their comments yet, somehow, you manage to always find mine. Interesting how that works. >>
Not always, but usually I end up responding in one of these types of threads after you've finished verbally trashing everyone else.
I don't seek you out, but your posts are usually the only ones that don't contain '0.0', so they're easy to spot.
>> I've said many times, get off my dick. >>
You left yourself wide open with that one, but I'll take a pass this time. ;-)
Posted by: Pete ? | June 27, 2007 9:09 PM
And didja also happen to notice that new little section on the front page that has all the latest comments?
Don't flatter yourself.
Posted by: Pete ? | June 27, 2007 9:13 PM
I stand by my point. Schimshamity is a pseudo-intellect, he/SHE only agrees with him/herself and nobody seems to like him/her around here. What a winner.
Posted by: Party Rock | June 28, 2007 9:51 AM
OH NOES! SCHIMSHAMITY DOESN'T LIKE PESTARDS AND STERNTARDS SPOUTING THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER AND NEVER STAYING ON TOPIC! HE WON'T PICK A SIDE! HE NEEDS TO BE BANNED! HURRRRRRRRRRR!
Posted by: MeatFarley ? | June 28, 2007 11:31 AM
Shimshady,
You're right, there is a difference between O&A/Stern listeners and O&A/Stern douchbags. Unfortunately, you fall squarely into the Stern douchbag catagory.
Posted by: PFreak ? | June 28, 2007 12:21 PM