MovieChat Forums > Talk Radio (1989) Discussion > wait... so its NOT about Howard Stern?

wait... so its NOT about Howard Stern?

posted 7 years ago by tyrexden
2 replies | jump to latest

1. Speaks from a place of anger (early Stern)
2. Constantly at odds with his producer behind the scenes
3. Constantly adderssing being at odds with management while on air
4. Making fun of himself that he is ugly
5. Making a note that he has a small penis
6. Big hair in early days... cuts it down later on
7. Outshines his co-host in his early days, and finally takes over.
8. Constant mentions of FCC fines
9. Marital problems and eventual divorce once hitting it big
10. Transitions to a national audience
11. Brings joe schmoe callers onto the air with him
12. Jewish

Strangely, some of these things didn't come to pass with Stern until AFTER the movie came out... so maybe these are just stereotypes in the talk radio industry, or maybe Stern saw the movie and actually tried to emulate it.

[–] Washingtonnative (2613) 5 years ago

Despite that Barry is mostly similar like him, it isn't about Howard Stern. It's based on Alan Berg who was murdered in Denver, 1984 by white supremacists.

[–] ccr1633 (1411) 5 years ago

I don't think this character is similar to Stern at all, except for the willingness to tackle subjects that were at that time considered taboo on the radio. Stern traffics in mostly infantile garbage like strippers and his penis size. Lately he has embarked on a feeble attempt to seem respectable.