Howard Stern Leaning On Former Air Force Member To Find Staff Mole Who Leaked Contract Details

Howard Stern is determined to shut down any leaks about his private affairs and is going to great lengths to achieve this.

Amid speculations about the media personality’s contract with SiriusXM not being renewed, he is now tracking down the insider exposing details from his team.

In December 2020, Stern signed a five-year extension with the media company, securing his show through the end of 2025. While no renewal has been announced, Stern has cleared the air that he is not leaving radio anytime soon. 

In a bid to discover the mole in his radio empire, which he has been running for over two decades, Stern has deployed the skills of his producer, Memet Walker, a former U.S Air Force Airman trained in interrogation tactics, per the Daily Mail.

Executive producer Gary Dell'Abate raised concerns that a staff member was spilling exclusive information, including talk from a team-building gathering at a Spin ping-pong bar in Manhattan.

Walker, who joined the show in 2015 after serving in the Force from 2006 to 2010, has now begun leading the inquisition. At the same time, he has denied accusations from colleagues suggesting he might be the leaker.

The investigation comes on the heels of the on-air personality teasing fans by playing into the cancellation rumors during the September 8 episode.

As The Blast reported, when listeners tuned in, they were met with a different voice, suggesting that Stern's run on the show had actually come to an end.

"This is not the voice that you probably wanted to hear, but it is I, Andy Cohen, and this is our first day broadcasting on Andy 100," the “Bravo” host teased. Cohen continued pretending that he was taking over, and there was meant to be a proper handover, but things didn’t work as expected.

Even when an upset listener aired his grievance over Cohen’s sudden appearance, he didn’t break character. However, Stern soon stepped in and announced it was all a joke. 

Regarding the rumors about Stern’s departure from radio, he finally addressed it, hinting that he and his team are still in talks with SiriusXM on the best way forward. 

Stern admitted that he chose to see the light amidst the chaos and used it to prepare for an exciting return. He further reassured fans that his time was far from over, as he declared he had no issues with the broadcasting company. 

As for his absence on September 2, the author attributed it to his ill health. The former “America’s Got Talent” judge had been slated to return that Tuesday but was forced to pull out at the last minute due to his condition.

Cohen has since spoken about his role in the stunt, saying that he was only the wingman following Stern’s instructions. 

As The Blast reported earlier, the “Watch What Happens Live With Cohen” presenter confessed to enjoying seeing major outlets like Variety and the Associated Press run with reports of Stern's supposed exit from the network.

He added that fans' reactions made the situation even more intriguing, pointing out that while some found the news amusing, others were simply furious.

Meanwhile, sources have alleged that the buzz about Stern quitting SiriusXM was nothing more than a stunt by showrunners to generate hype around his comeback, with some even branding it a "desperate hoax."

"They're desperately trying to make this thing to go viral to try to boost his numbers for his return on September 2," the source disclosed, according to The Blast.

The informant added, "His numbers are down so low that they're desperately trying to make him relevant and get people to tune in to see what he's going to say about getting 'fired' from Sirius."

Previous reports state that Stern's listenership had dropped drastically, from about 20 million daily listeners to just 125,000. The source claimed the ratings were "so pathetic” that the producers have been left scrambling to decide how to handle the situation.