John Corn
01-06-03, 12:01 PM
King Stern's legacy: He launched the raunch
Given the excitement that customarily surrounds year-end awards like Time's annual person of the year, "On TV" begins its own tradition by naming a media person who best represented the state and tone of television in 2002.
So after careful consideration, and only partially influenced by a sugar rush from holiday cookies ... congratulations, Howard Stern.
Yes, we salute the self-proclaimed King of All Media, who is really more a prince of radio and lesser lord in other arenas, from TV (who can forget "Son of the Beach"? Everyone, it turned out) to publishing, to his lone film, "Private Parts," in 1997.
Stern has nevertheless been on the cutting edge in helping define our media culture, leading through his wholehearted embrace of so-called "reality television" and flair for shameless self-promotion. In addition, many staples of his radio show -- doling out plastic surgery, humiliating contestants in the name of entertainment and mainstreaming pornography -- have gradually been embraced across the TV dial.
Rest of the story (http://www.latimes.com/la-et-lowry01jan01001440,0,5314861.story)
Given the excitement that customarily surrounds year-end awards like Time's annual person of the year, "On TV" begins its own tradition by naming a media person who best represented the state and tone of television in 2002.
So after careful consideration, and only partially influenced by a sugar rush from holiday cookies ... congratulations, Howard Stern.
Yes, we salute the self-proclaimed King of All Media, who is really more a prince of radio and lesser lord in other arenas, from TV (who can forget "Son of the Beach"? Everyone, it turned out) to publishing, to his lone film, "Private Parts," in 1997.
Stern has nevertheless been on the cutting edge in helping define our media culture, leading through his wholehearted embrace of so-called "reality television" and flair for shameless self-promotion. In addition, many staples of his radio show -- doling out plastic surgery, humiliating contestants in the name of entertainment and mainstreaming pornography -- have gradually been embraced across the TV dial.
Rest of the story (http://www.latimes.com/la-et-lowry01jan01001440,0,5314861.story)