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A decade ago after he wrote his book "Private Parts", Howard Stern was on Donahue. It was very interesting. I used to listen to him at the time. I never thought that he was vulgar, irreverent, but not vulgar. I guess that vulgar is subjective.
Anyway, Howard was being outrageous, but funny. The audience was filled primarily with his fans who were young men under 30. They hooted and cheered. Then Howard got serious about the issue of the First Amendment. Apparently, a librarian named Pam Antonelli had seen that his book was on the New York Times bestsellers list so she bought it for her library in Westlaco, TX. She was fired for purchasing material harmful to minors. It was pretty shocking. She cried because she loved her job and felt that she hadn't done anything wrong. I found it pretty shocking that this could happen in America in the 1990s.
What is indecent? What is obscene? What is harmful to minors? I'll know it when I see it or hear it isn't a good enough answer. I am beginning to believe that this has nothing to do with decency and has everything to do with silencing a man who speaks out against President George W. Bush. But who will be next? David Letterman, Jay Leno, or Conan O'Brien because they makes fun of the President. These men will be fine. They are talented multi millionaires who can walk away from their jobs right now and never have to work again. Or maybe it will be someone like that librarian, a regular person who needs her job to eat and have a home. That frightens me. BTW Pam Antonelli sued and settled out of court, but never got her job back.
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