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Howard Stern Ads 'Disrespectful,' Priest Says
A Chicago priest took on radio megastar Howard Stern, bringing down a pair of billboards that promoted the shock jock's widely publicized switch to satellite radio. The priest claimed the ads were insensitive to African-Americans. According to The Chicago Defender, the billboards featured a confrontational black fist raised in the air against a white background along with the caption, "Let freedom ring. And let it be rung by a stripper."
The billboards infuriated the Rev. Michael Pfleger, pastor of Chicago's St. Sabina's Church. Father Pflegler protested the ads, claiming they were an improper attempt to connect Stern to the late Rev. Martin Luther King.
"As we prepare to celebrate Dr. King's birthday, we will not tolerate this kind of disrespect ... we should not have to tolerate it in our communities, " Rev. Pfleger told NBC News.
After Pfleger criticized one billboard, its owner Viacom Outdoor removed the ad. Several days later, the Defender reports the priest learned that a similar Stern advertisement was posted on a billboard owned by Clear Channel Outdoor, so he emailed Scott Elliott, president of the Chicago division of the company on Dec. 28. The company pulled down that advertisement the next day, Pfleger told the Defender. Fr. Pfleger's actions were not appreciated by some, the Defender reported. "I've been contacted by Sirius Radio company, and I have gotten a whole bunch of hate-mail from Howard Stern's group of listeners," Fr. Pfleger told the newspaper. "They have questioned how I can be for civil rights, yet try to stifle free speech. I have no problem with free speech. I am a proponent of free speech. "My problem is that Stern tried to connect himself to Dr. King with the 'let freedom ring ...' part of the billboard. He has no connection to the '60s, '70s or '90s civil rights movement. And he is not connected to any movement for civil rights now. I will not let Dr. King's honor be disrespected in that manner."
Story Continues Below The Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr., a Pfleger ally in the campaign against the billboards, told the Defender he was surprised at the reaction Pfleger provoked for wanting the "racially degrading" billboards removed.
"There are two freedoms at issue here," Jackson told the Defender. "They have the right to advertise, and we have the right to resist it in our community. Sometimes freedom is challenged by a community's tolerance level. I think Father Pfleger is a man of great dignity and has an acute social conscious. And he deserves our support."
Added Fr. Pfleger, "My understanding is that the majority of Stern's listeners are young white Americans," Pfleger said. "So was this an effort to get more Black listeners, or connect to them?"
Editor's note:
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