I'm glad he's back too. I don't always agree with him either, but dammit, I'm 43! I'll be the judge of what I watch and listen to thank-you-very-much!

I can't listen to the radio in the mornings when I take my little girl to school. There's never any music, and it is all sickening, Howard Stern style stuff. Television self-regulates to keep that crap relegated to hours that kids won't be watching. That has been the issue with Shock Jocks, not what they say, but that they pick morning radio time slots to do it. You can't check the ratings of what is on when you dial around on your radio.

So, in order for me to "self censor" I simply can't turn the radio on that time of day. I can't allow my little girls to touch the internet, God help us if she mistypes a URL. I practically have to hide the remote, because at the same time some of her cartoons are on there are penis enlargement infomercials running.

Nice and comfy for assholes like Howard Stern, though; a pig that degrades women and makes money off his patently fake persona. I don't hope that he drops dead or anything, but I don't think I would toss a life preserver to him or anyone like him.

Joe98 yeah It's good that his back he always made me laugh in the morning which is hard for anyone to do at 6:30 am. 

Bakerstreet, while I have sympathy for your dilemma I'm sure there are other radio stations that you can turn to I mean they are not all Stern-like, I'm sure you have the regular rock, hip-hop, variety, and classical stations that are all over the U.S.  As far as the internet if it's an issue there are plenty of programs like netnanny and cybersitter that can block what a child sees.  As far a scable television there is the v-chip and most cable companies also offer parental controls.  As a parent it is difficult to make sure are kids are not exposed to things that may be to obscene, violent, or sexual in nature.  Becoming a parent brings heightened responsibility and of course that is why most people that switch ideologies through life do so after having their first child.  It's just something that comes with the territory.  Although personally I think people like Britney Spears and Eminem who appeal directly to today's youths are much more damaging morally and conduct wise.  Watching Britney Spears dress the way she does and sing songs like "I'm a slave for you" has placed pressure on today's young women to dress skimpier and act more seductively at an increasingly younger age.  Songs from artists like 50 cent which many parents see as nothing but entertainment for young men and women alike speak of killing and stealing.  My point is influence is all around and is something that parents have to deal with I think the problem is WAY bigger than just radio shock jock idiots like Howard Stern.  I respect your view point though and wish we find a better way to control what our children watch while not having to give up liberty as adults in the process.

I'm not interested in changing a single word of what Stern says. He has every right to be a pig, and I would happily protest FOR that right. It has no business on at the time of day it is, though.

A good example. At the end of the last school year I was driving my daughter to work. I turn on the radio, I find some music. The song ends and the first words our of the announcers mouth was "It's (So and So) in the morning, the temperature is (whatever), lets go to traffic with (whoever) and then we'll continue our discussion about how gay guys like it in the butt. ( roars of laughter from people in the studio).

How could I have avoided that? Was there a rating, a warning? Nope. Now there I am sitting in my car cringing, waiting for my 7 year old to ask for a detailed explaination of gay anal sex...

These sh*t jocks intersperse their crap with music, and they don't offer warnings before they start spewing crap. V-CHips don't catch penis enlargement and Sluts Gone Wild infomercials ( at least my TV doesn't seem to). I have used internet filtering software and it is far, far from foolproof.

This isn't a situation where a 5% failure rate is acceptable. When my little girl gets a popup with a woman being double teamed by two guys, penetration in full view, what do I do? I got that exact popup about two weeks ago when I clicked a link on google, no warning, nothing in the link description about it. That isn't something you can un-see, and it isn't something you have to see 10 times for it to "take hold".

Rights are balanced by responsibilites. We have dwelt plenty on rights, and now it is time to hold people accountable for purposely trying to get this material out there to people who don't want it.

Let Howard have a late show, and he can say what he likes.

Yeah I see what you mean, it has become increasingly difficult to protect children from these kinds of media and exposure to adult oriented material.  I wouldn't be opposed to Howard Stern being on as a late-night show it would be appropriate as long as he gets to air where he wants and exercise his right to speak.  Compromising like that should be the way to solve all these problems.  I can't say your argument is without merit because most of what your saying is true liberty is directly correlated to responsibility.  The thing to me that is astounding is the culture in the U.S..  We are very prudent when it comes to morality and adamant about our beliefs at the same time which can prove to be taxing on our concept of what is right and wrong.  Baker I have to think some more on this I might even write another blog.  Good argument though.

From the few moments I watched Stern, I must agree he is a pig. Fortunately, I have never listened to his radio program and won't, not because he is offensive but his kind of invective is boring, just as Limbaugh and Hannity are boring and trite, serving no purpose but to be crass sophists bending truth out of shape. 

I'm sorry you feel that way Stevendedalus.  He did support republicans in the past before the FCC started cracking down on him, he even used to donate and speak good about the Republican New York mayor at the time so he may be one sided but it is recent.  I take him for what he is and find humor in the things he says (which are not always political).  Personally it's a show I enjoy and he was taken off the air for things that, according to the FCC, he didn't even say. I see what you mean though.