Seinfeld's comments were made during his appearance on the "Fly on the Wall" podcast, hosted by Dana Carvey and David Spade.
Seinfeld, 70, initially criticized Stern's comedic abilities during the podcast. "Howard is interesting. Howard is a great interviewer, but comedy chops, I mean, can we speak candidly?" he questioned. The creator of the hit sitcom "Seinfeld" further suggested that Stern had been surpassed by other podcasters, including Carvey, 68, and Spade, 59.
However, Seinfeld later expressed regret for his comments in a statement to Page Six. "I really feel bad for what I said about my friend Howard Stern in a conversation with David Spade and Dana Carvey, talking about the glut of comedy podcasts," he admitted.
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Seinfeld clarified his earlier statement, saying, "I meant to say he must feel surrounded but I said 'outflanked' which sounded terrible and insulting." He continued, "And of course, none of these little shows are any threat to his giant show. Anyway, it was bad and I’m sorry, Howie. I still love you. Please forgive me."
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As of now, Stern has not publicly responded to Seinfeld's apology.
During the "Fly on the Wall" podcast, Seinfeld acknowledged Stern's pioneering role in comedy interview podcasts but suggested that the King of All Media had lost his edge. "We’re better than him now," Seinfeld claimed, praising the "Fly on the Wall" as the "best" comedy podcast currently on-air.
Seinfeld also criticized podcast hosts who divulge too much about their personal lives, although it remains unclear if this comment was directed at Stern. "Jesus Christ, make us laugh, how interesting do you think you are?" Seinfeld challenged. "You’re not that interesting, okay? You’re not. When you’re funny, you’re worth it."
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Interestingly, Stern had previously praised Seinfeld during a 2019 appearance on "The View." While discussing his book, "Howard Stern Comes Again," which includes stories from his interviews with celebrities including Seinfeld, Stern referred to the comedian as "accomplished."
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"With some of these people who are so accomplished, like Jerry Seinfeld, or Amy Poehler, they’re so accomplished, but you forget how hard they work to get where they got," Stern said at the time. This past praise adds another layer of complexity to Seinfeld's recent critique and subsequent apology.