Radio DJ stirs up culture clash

New York radio personality Howard Stern -- the most popular morning host on Philadelphia radio -- made his second visit to the city Friday. But with listeners at the University, it seems that Stern can only go so far. Stern staged a rally on Independence Mall to celebrate his morning show's success, and also to poke vicious fun at his Philadelphia competition. Stern held a "Divorce Party" for WMMR 93.3 "Morning Zoo" DJ John Debella, currently ranked number two in the ratings. Debella -- whom Stern refers to as "Debaldy" because of his disappearing hairline -- recently announced that he and his wife were divorcing. Stern maintains that Debella's divorce has contributed to the New York DJ's success, and he was here to celebrate. "I knew deep in my heart that [Debella] would lose his ratings and his wife," Stern explained to an enthusiastic crowd. It's stunts like this that make Stern just a wee bit unpopular with several University students contacted this week. "I find him repulsive. I despise the man. He has no redeeming qualities," College senior Lisa Pfeifer said. "Listening to Howard Stern would make me vomit." Some students tune out Stern before ever tuning into his radio show. College senior Sue Yu said she find Stern "really crude and crass and [I have] no desire to try him out." When it comes to Howard Stern, some students' distaste is merely a matter of taste. College and Wharton senior Cris Craley said he prefers "classical music" in the mornings. "I turned [Stern] on once and he said something funny," he said. But Crawley was not hooked: "I got bored." Given his ratings, Stern obviously has a devoted following. The crowd at Friday's rally consisted primarily of male young adults, and was raucous and responsive to Stern's prompting. The weather, which alternated between drizzle and downpour, did little to mute fans' energy. Stern's brought his entire entourage to Philadelphia, plus his unique brand of special guests: the band "Pig Vomit", musician Leslie West of Mountain, and a gaggle of scantily clad women including Jessica Hahn, who first gained fame as television evangelist Jim Bakker's mistress. But even female DJ Robin Quivers, Stern's longtime and ebullient sidekick, has failed to turn on some University listeners. "He is really annoying," College senior Jeff Kaufman said. "The woman who works with him is even more annoying." Detractors do not appear to worry Stern. In his own words, he considers himself and his popularity "a fungus that will be spread over America." During Stern's first visit to Philadelphia two years ago, he staged a mock funeral for Debella in Center City. Friday's events included an on-air press conference, a Debella song parody contest and a rally. Craley views the affair as simply "ratings war" in which Stern and Debella are "just trying to piss each other off." Stern's campaign against Debella shows no signs of relenting. "I vow to not rest until he is passed out drunk in a puddle next to a curb and the other bums are playing tic-tac-toe on his bald head," Stern said. Stern's radio program airs weekday mornings from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. from New York's WXRK 92.3 FM and is simulcast in Philadelphia on 94.1 WYSP, as well as in Washington and Los Angeles. "The Howard Stern Show", his syndicated hour-long television show, currently appears nationaly and airs Saturday nights in Philadelphia on PHL-17.

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