The germ-fearing ‘king of all media’ has finally emerged from his ‘apocalypse bunker’.
Notoriously germaphobe and COVID-fearing Howard Stern — who has been broadcasting from home since March 2020 — went out to dinner in public for the first time since the start of the pandemic.
Stern, 68, dined Saturday night at the Israeli restaurant Laser Wolf in Williamsburg with a host of stars, including Jennifer Aniston, close friend Jimmy Kimmel, Jon Hamm, Justin Theroux and Jason Bateman.
A fellow diner posted a photo online showing a maskless Stern chatting with Hamm, while Kimmel sat nearby.
Another diner told us: “Howard was there without even a mask. They were all seated at a large table, Howard sat next to Jimmy and at one point also seemed to be in a deep conversation with Jon Hamm. Stern told the restaurant staff that this was his first night out since the start of the pandemic.
Stern has previously described himself as “super paranoid about disease and germs”.
He retired to his sprawling Southampton estate at the start of the pandemic, calling it his “bunker” for “apocalypse broadcasts,” and continued his morning show from the basement.
He even joked that anyone who had to enter his house would first have to be tested for COVID-19 and wear hazmat suits.
Kimmel, 54, even claimed that he and his wife, Molly McNearney, had to be tested twice in order to stay at Stern’s house for a few days over the summer.
In addition, they were not allowed to leave the compound, and if they did, they would not be allowed back in due to possible exposure to COVID.
Stern admitted to the talk show host in November 2022: “For me, [COVID] is still going on and I haven’t left my house. I don’t know how to integrate myself.”
He continued: “I’ve been locked up for so long and haven’t gotten COVID. I’m afraid I’ll be the one who gets COVID and I’m going to die. Even though people don’t seem to die that often [anymore].”
The iconic shock jock confused some fans when he didn’t return to his SiriusXM studio in New York City when it was declared safe and instead chose to continue broadcasting remotely.
Though he’s taken walks in the Hamptons on occasion since COVID rules eased, Stern and his wife, Beth Ostrosky, have otherwise rarely gone outside, preferring to stay home with their cats.
“This is my dream,” the radio host told Kimmel, adding that he is “happiest” when he is at home with his wife.
Meanwhile, Kimmel tries to lure the famous hermit out of the house. He said: ‘We are afraid that we will lose you from society because the longer this goes on, the more comfortable you will feel in that small world. And then it gets harder and harder to get out… it’s unhealthy.”
“F–k it, I’m ay, I know,” Stern admitted, claiming he would eventually go out to dinner with friends.