Howard Stern once slammed ‘AGT’ for replacing female judges while keeping 'talentless' men
Popular for his unfiltered opinions, Howard Stern surprised everyone when he joined the judging panel of 'America’s Got Talent' Season 10 in 2012. Throughout his tenure, it was seemingly apparent that Stern was not fully adapting to the show’s family-friendly format. However, the host bid farewell to the talent show following Season 10, marking an end to his unpredictable journey as the judge. However, staying true to his character, Stern did not shy away from slamming 'AGT' when Gabrielle Union and Julianne Hough were fired from the show in November 2019.
It all started when Union and Hough were confirmed to be leaving the show after just one season. Reports from Variety and Vulture revealed that Union was allegedly dismissed after voicing concerns over 'problematic' behavior on set, as per Oprah Daily. In June 2020, Union filed an official harassment complaint against the show’s producers, accusing NBC Entertainment Chairman Paul Telegdy of threatening her for "speaking out against racism on set," per Variety. Her vocal stance led to her being labeled "difficult" by Simon Cowell and other producers, according to Vulture. Additionally, Variety reported that both Union and Hough were subjected to constant and sometimes "excessive" feedback about their appearance.
Talking in favor of Union and Hough, Stern criticized Cowell for orchestrating the departures of the duo, as per Page Six. "How is it that Simon Cowell has orchestrated this?” Stern asked. "He sets it up that the men stay, no matter how ugly they are, no matter how old they are, no matter how fat they are, no matter how talentless they are," he continued. Stern suggested that female judges were regularly swapped out based on looks, while male judges remained, regardless of appearance or performance, saying, "It's obvious," Stern added, "that AGT continuously switches out female judges for hotter chicks and younger chicks."
Reportedly, WikiLeaks published a 2014 email from Michael Lynton (Sony) to Steve Burke (NBCUniversal) that revealed behind-the-scenes details regarding Stern’s 'America’s Got Talent' contract ending, as per The Things. The email indicated that Cowell, after meeting with Lynton, believed it was best for him to star in the show instead of Stern and to move the production to Los Angeles, where it would be cheaper.
The email further showcased Cowell's significant influence, stating, "We have a big overall deal with Simon and own his music company and half of all the television shows he produces." It was clear from the email that Cowell was the force behind NBC’s decision to let Stern go. To add more, Lynton also noted that the UK version of the show was "hugely successful and a better show," making Cowell's involvement highly attractive to both Sony and NBC. Stern never publicly commented on the leak about Cowell's role in his exit from 'America's Got Talent.' However, Stern has made it clear that he isn't a fan of Cowell, as seen when he criticized 'The X Factor' judge for firing Union and Hough from the show.