Allow me to suck up my pride and take back everything I've ever said about Howard from back in his younger less mature years.
As noted this may have been his third merry go round in the pub department but this was a keeper and allow me to explain.
He's had two prior books he himself would rather forget existed but this one is his pride and joy and for good reason as he poured everything he had into making it just RIGHT!
If you're like me a single mom, mid 40's with teens, and have a faith based strict religious upbringing you know this was the guy your parents warned you to stay away from and for good reason.
However, he seems to have softened since marrying his sweetheart and allowing his 'Kitty' to come into his life around those hardened walls of protection.
I find these interviews and his experience truly shocking as he's interviewed so many celebrities and has revealed so much emotion and compassion that this can't be the same 'Howard Stern the shock jock' that we grew up knowing from our past.
What I've never liked about Howard is his vulgarities, his crude commentary especially against women, his lack of respect for women with harsh nasty dirty sexual innuendos.
I was always appalled Robin never just got up and walked out but then again I'm a feminist with a strong backbone raised with 3 brothers (only girl) who doesn't take the crappy shitty comments from any man with egotistical narc ways.
However, upon reading this new work I was floored in his authenticity, his ability to portray himself as more journalistic than shock jock, his newfound and gradually improving respect for the opposite sex.
The interviews often had things in common: childhood pain, heartbreak, jealousy (especially from parents) and the all inclusive need to prove them all wrong from years of bullying or tormenting ways well into adulthood.
I am truly shocked that the HOWARD STERN wrote so eloquently and spoke his mind in a way that I wasn't offended or revolted by every word.
Was there some crazy earlier days of sexually explicit comments? Yes, but they were far less than the norm and the take away in the interviews was far more valuable than I could've ever imagined.
So folks, I know you might be scared to come out of the shell but every now and then you find a diamond in the ruff and this is one such case.
I will say this upon giving this one a new home I mentioned to the librarian how I never really enjoyed Stern's work but everyone has a story to tell and after watching AGT I saw a new side of Howard that I really enjoyed.
So the old literary quote: Don't judge a book by its cover certainly applies here! It was a masterpiece Mr. Stern and I hope you continue making more just like this one as well as doing that lovely art work.
No comments:
Post a Comment