Artie Lange And Howard Stern’s Feud Explained

Radio was never the same after Howard Stern became the most famous shock jock to hit the airwaves, with Artie Lange right there alongside him. While Stern was a born radio host, Lange was a stand-up comedian whose career led to a starring role on “Mad TV” and a turn in Norm Macdonald’s “Dirty Work.” Stern and Lange joined forces in 2001, and for eight years they appeared inseparable until Lange was suddenly removed from “The Howard Stern Show.” Lange had spent much of his career struggling with drug and alcohol addiction, and by 2009, it became too much for even Howard Stern to manage.

Lange had made a name for himself on the show by sharing darkly comedic stories from the bowels of his addiction, but by 2009, these problems had only gotten worse. In December, Lange arrived at the studio visibly intoxicated and was ushered out of the studio during a commercial break. Less than a month later, Lange attempted suicide and survived after being hospitalized, with his mother playing a key role in saving his life. While producers for “The Howard Stern Show” wanted Lange back once he was sober, Stern believed returning to the spotlight too soon would jeopardize his recovery.

At the time, Artie Lange did not take the decision well. While in and out of rehab, he used Twitter to publicly lash out at Howard Stern, at one point even threatening to post Stern’s phone number. After several outpourings of concern from the comedy community and a drug arrest in 2017, Lange put his career on hold. At the time, he had a recurring role in Pete Holmes’ HBO comedy series “Crashing,” and in the ensuing years, he retreated from show business. While he continued to have legal problems, by 2019 Lange’s sobriety seemed to stick, and in 2020 he announced he’d reached a landmark one year of sobriety.

Lange has expressed regret for how he handled his relationship with Stern, and while he briefly explored podcasting, he has largely remained out of the public eye. The most recent update comes from longtime friend Jimmy Palumbo, who said, “He’s doing OK. He’s sober. He’s just trying to put it all together right now. Get himself healthy and have a clear mind. And he’s just not really doing anything, any public appearances.” In this case, no news appears to be good news.

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