Howard Stern and Stephen Colbert followed a similar path.  First came humor and creativity, followed by bitterness, left-wing advocacy, and ultimately cancellation.  Reports suggest that SiriusXM, which has been paying Stern a king’s ransom, will not renew his contract later this year.  He’ll be departing about the same time as Colbert and for nearly identical reasons.

 

No one should overlook the genius that made Howard Stern the ‘King of all Media,’ as he immodestly dubbed himself.  He changed talk radio from strictly local to national as he dominated the ratings in one city after another.  In addition to his cast of misfits and highly sexualized humor, a major part of the Stern formula was mocking the powerful, be they politicians or movie stars or tycoons.  Liberals and conservatives were equal opportunity targets.

 

But Stern took a hard left turn and became a Democratic cheerleader.  Last April, when everyone knew Joe Biden had mentally left the building, Stern sat with the president for an interview that was more tee-ball than softball.  He listened to Biden’s tall tales and sat in rapt admiration as Biden claimed to have saved ‘half a dozen’ lives as a lifeguard.  The former ‘shock jock’ was shockingly sycophantic. Then, when Kamala Harris was anointed as Biden’s successor, one of her few one-on-one interviews was with Stern, who gushed over her intelligence and experience.

 

As for Colbert, here are a few of his recent guests:  Gov. J.B. Pritzker, former Labor Secretary Robert Reich, Sen. Adam Schiff, MSNBC’s Nicole Wallace, and, of course, cackling Kamala.  They are neither funny nor interesting, but they share a pathological hatred of Donald Trump.  If Colbert is trying to sabotage his show as it winds down to cancellation, he is picking the perfect guests to do just that.

 

Howard Stern and Stephen Colbert both decided that being popular with their lefty pals was more important than being funny, and both lost their cushy and ultra-lucrative jobs.  Next in line could be ‘CBS Mornings’ host Gayle King, whose show is shedding viewers.  President Trump himself pronounced her a goner:  ‘Gayle King’s career is over,’ he wrote.  ‘No talent, no ratings, no strength.’  Other virulent Trump-haters have also paid a price.

 

But will other entertainers ever get the hint that alienating half your audience is not a great business model?  Or is it just too tempting to bash Donald Trump and earn plaudits from your peers?  They should probably decide soon because they are rapidly running out of time … and viewers.