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Given the speedy arrival of the New Year, fans are still reeling from the tragic passing of Barbara Walters on December 30th, 2022. The iconic journalist, TV personality, and creator of The View was nothing short of an entertainment legend. Despite a notable public absence since being on The View, there's no doubt she maintained her star power.
Since her passing, numerous celebrities have weighed in on her impact and what she meant to them. This includes radio superstar, Howard Stern. But aside from praising his former friend, Stern also revealed that he flat-out rejected a request from Walters. Here's what and the hilarious reason why...
Were Howard Stern And Barbara Walters Friends?
Howard Stern has had a great number of celebrity friends over the years, despite his former reputation of bashing them on air. But these A-listers realize that his edgy on-air persona is simply not who he really is. This includes Barbara Walters, who was indeed one of Howard Stern's friends. At least, they were close enough for her to get the invite to his wedding to his second wife, Beth Ostrosky.
Barbara Walters was seated at a table at a rather star-studded table at Stern's wedding. Among her table-mates were Stern's longtime radio co-host Robin Quivers, the late Joan Rivers, former First lady Melania Trump, and former President Donald Trump. This was obviously prior to Trump and Stern's notable falling out.
On his January 3rd, 2023 show, Howard Stern addressed his relationship with Barbara Walters during an on-air eulogy.
"Did you remember Barbara Walters was at my wedding?" Stern asked Quivers.
"Yes! She was at my table," Quivers responded.
"I always loved Barbara Walters. I used to watch her on the Today Show when I was a kid," Stern said to Quivers and his audience during his eulogy. "I don't even know how I even knew Barbara Walters. I know she did the radio show. She came on as a guest and we had a good time. And I think she was willing to loosen up with her image when she decided to start the show The View. In other words, I don't think she would have come on our radio show when she was like an anchorwoman or when she was on the Today Show."
Stern went on to say that The View freed Walters up to be who she really was. This meant that she could come on The Howard Stern Show and actually have a lighthearted, and even comedic, conversation with the self-proclaimed King Of All Media.
"I started to develop somewhat of a friendship with her."
But despite their friendship, Howard Stern flat-out refused Barbara Walters when she asked him to be on her show.
Why Howard Stern Wouldn't Be Interviewed By Barbara Walters
Aside from The View, Barbara Walters was one of the queens of the interviewing format. Not only did she have a prestigious pre-Academy Awards interview show, but she was the creator of Barbara Walters' 10 Most Fascinating People. The latter was the series in which she wanted her friend Howard Stern to be on. But when she called to ask him if he would be part of it, he flat-out refused.
"[Barbara Walters] called me -- I was such a d*** -- she called and wanted me to be one a Barbara Walters' special," Howard Stern said on January 3rd, 2023, referring to Barbara Walters' 10 Most Fascinating People. "It was a big deal. If you were on [the show] it meant you were someone."
Stern went on to say, "She called up my agent and she said, 'I named Howard one of the 10 most fascinating people of the [year]'. I said to my agent, 'You know, that's kinda weird. Who are the other 9 people?' Because sometimes it's like Charo. Sometimes it's like Honey Boo Boo."
"So, I had the nerve to tell my agent to 'please call Barbara Walters and say, 'No, I don't want to be on it. If you want to just interview me [then, yes]. But I don't want to be on it with 9 other people'. I think I'm all 10 most fascinating people," Stern half-joked. "Of course, she told me to go f*** myself, more or less. But in the nicest of ways."
Stern also noted that he wasn't a fan of being part of this particular series because Walters would often pick a couple of people who had committed serious crimes. He simply didn't want to be put in the same category as them or "Octomom".
According to Stern, he, Princess Diana, and Jackie Onassis are the only people who refused to be on Barbara Walters's special.
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