Shock-jock Howard Stern has surprised fans of the America's Got Talent show with his behaviour so far. In his own word, Stern has been "downright compassionate. It was unsettling." It's not what viewers expected from the man that has made a name for himself with his infamous prank-calling japes and no-nonsense social commentary.
Speaking at the Los Angeles last Friday, February 17, 2012, Howard Stern was interviewed by Knbc-TV outside the Orpheum Theatre, where auditions were being held. He told reporters that he was trying to avoid playing into the hands of viewers' expectations: ""You don't want to be a stereotype as a judge. You don't want to be, 'Oh, you're replacing Piers; you've got to be the mean guy, or you've got to be the guy that always hits the buzzer.' I have no preconceived notion, and I've got news for you: If you go in there and watch this taping, it is insane." The controversial radio DJ hasn't gone entirely soft on us though, recalling how he had no shame in bussing a nine year old boy off of the show: "It's a little weird, the first day out, I buzzed a 9-year-old kid. The kid was adorable, but I did it, man, you've got to do it. I said, 'Look, you're cute, you're adorable, but, goodness gracious, you don't belong on "America's Got Talent," ' and you just feel like the devil himself."
LA Times have confirmed that the later stages of the show will be filmed in New York, in order to accommodate Howard Stern's radio schedule. Stern records his Sirius XM satellite show in New York City.