FARGO--A local TV morning show host's shocked reaction to Howard Stern's income resulted in a four-minute tirade against Fargo by the well-known radio personality on his show Monday.
The comments on Stern's income, made by Chris Berg on a recent installment of the "North Dakota Today" morning show, prompted the ire of Stern, who took to the airwaves Monday attacking both Berg and Fargo.
"The reason I worked so hard is so I wouldn't have to live in Fargo, North Dakota, honestly. No offense if you live there. I'm pretty sure if you're living there, you're trying to get out ... Gee whiz ... I didn't know Fargo still existed ... Good lord. Well, anyway," Stern said.
Berg, who also hosts the 6:30 p.m. "POV" program on KVLY-TV in Fargo-Moorhead, declined an interview Monday evening, but was incredulous on the original broadcast when it came to Stern's place on the Forbes Celebrity 100 ranking of the top-earning stars.
"How is Howard Stern making $95 million a year?" Berg asked of his co-host during a recent show.
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This month, Stern was ranked as fifth-highest paid, and Taylor Swift ranked as eighth, which was the source of some of Berg and his co-host's questioning of Stern's relevance.
"Douche, you can do the same thing. Leave Fargo, get a show and work on your comedy chops and work on being interesting," Stern said.
Stern and longtime co-host Robin Quivers were defensive of Stern's continued prominence, noting that his gig hosting "America's Got Talent," an NBC talent search show, airs on the same network of which KVLY is an affiliate.
"I'm on NBC at night on 'America's Got Talent,' on the same channel that she's on, except I'm on nationally and she's on locally, and 'Howard Stern is still around,' " Stern continued.
Stern widened the aim of his anger to not only Berg but the Fargo-Moorhead area.
"Sirius satellite radio is the best thing to happen to Fargo, North Dakota, because they can now get national programming on their radio and not have to be stuck listening to two nitwits who don't understand the business," Stern said.
