HOT GALLERY: Happy Birthday, Howard Stern! Snakkle Looks Back on the Reign of the King of All Media

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Howard Stern, Senior Year at South Side High School, Rockville Centre, New York, in 1972

Howard Stern's hilarious stories about growing up in the '60s and '70s have been a staple of his radio show for as long as he's been on the air. Although his years in Rockville Centre weren't quite as bad as the ones he spent in Roosevelt, Stern fans know that, for him, high school wasn't exactly The Wonder Years.

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Howard Stern, Senior Year at Boston University in 1976

Howard Stern got his start in radio at Boston University with the King Schmaltz Bagel Hour. The rest, of course, is history. He graduated in 1976 and began his legendary career, eventually becoming the King of All Media.

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Howard Stern and Don Imus on WNBC in the 1980s

This is Howard Stern and his former colleague Don Imus. Both were featured in a Channel 9 news report by Lloyd Lindsay Young, who is quite a character himself. Stern and Imus sort of got along in those days, back when leg warmers were fashionable. Watch the whole clip to see Stern declare that he will be leaving radio (he didn't) and croon a little tune for subway vigilante Bernard Goetz with longtime Howard Stern Show personality Fred Norris.

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Howard Stern on Late Night with David Letterman in 1984

Watch this clip of Howard Stern on Late Night with David Letterman in 1984, when both funnymen were employed by NBC. Before you say, "OMG, what's up with the mustache, cowboy boots, and leather pants?" remember—it was 1984. The appearance is one of many that Stern has made on Letterman's show; this time he manages to complain about his four-page feature in People magazine, saying, "It seems like everyone wants to take Jews and put them in devil costumes." He was happy for the exposure, though.

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Howard Stern's Negligee and Underpants Party, a Pay-Per-View Special

CNN wouldn't show this back in 1988, so here is a not-at-all-safe-for-work clip of Howard Stern's Negligee and Underpants Party, which you can buy on VHS from Amazon. It was pay-per-view, which meant that Howard could do anything. And he did. Wow. He really... what the... those girls are... excuse us. Watch the rest of the clip to see a younger Geraldo Rivera say some kind and hilariously crass words about Mr. Stern.

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Howard Stern and Robin Quivers, K-Rock Rally, 1987

Although they spend most of their time behind microphones making people laugh, Howard Stern and Robin Quivers were always comfortable getting outside and rallying their fans. Here they are in 1987, during the dynamic duo's early days at 92.3 K-Rock in New York City.

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Howard Stern and Robin Quivers at the Emmy Awards in 1987

Before he became an award winner himself, Howard Stern was still willing to work the red carpet and interview celebrities. Here he is at the Emmy Awards in 1987 with his lovely and talented on-air partner Robin Quivers. ("Sidekick" doesn't seem like a good-enough title for Robin.) Check out this other gallery of newsmakers: Morning TV Personalities, Before They Were Stars!

Howard Stern on Larry King Live in 1988

Howard Stern appeared on Larry King Live in 1988 to discuss his subtly titled pay-per-view special Howard Stern's Negligee and Underpants Party. Stern told Mr. King that he wasn't on television because "maybe television isn't ready for me." Now that Stern will be taking over for Piers Morgan on America's Got Talent, we hope they're ready now. (Irony time: Morgan took over for Larry King on CNN. It's the circle of life.)

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Howard Stern Dressed as Fartman with Jessica Hahn at the MTV Music Video Awards in 1992

"It's a bird... it's a plane... it's a really bad smell! Ladies and gentlemen... Fartman!" Yes, dear reader, that is 90210's Luke Perry introducing Howard Stern, who is indeed dressed as Fartman on MTV in 1992. Wow. The photo is of Stern and Jessica Hahn, whose disclosure of her affair with televangelist Jim Bakker brought scandal to Bakker's PTL religious organization. Hahn was a regular on Stern's radio show for many years.

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Howard Stern's Second Book, Miss America, 1995

Howard Stern's second book, Miss America, the sequel to his first literary effort, Private Parts, took the country by storm in 1995. Subsequent editions featured covers of Stern in drag with different hairstyles. Collect them all!

Howard Stern on E!

Howard Stern had a long run on the E! Network with a show titled simply Howard Stern. The format was deceptively simple as well, featuring segments from Stern's daily radio show on 92.3 K-Rock. In this clip, Wack Packer Crackhead Bob becomes the new lead singer for Van Halen. Just watch it. You know you want to. Here's a photo gallery of New Year's Eve hosts, Before They Were Stars!

Howard Stern in Private Parts, 1997

The 1997 film Private Parts is based on Howard Stern's book of the same title. It follows Stern's rise to stardom, how he started out doing radio in small markets and was eventually hired by WNBC in New York, where he did battle with Pig Virus (renamed Pig Vomit for the movie). Speaking of stardom, Private Parts features a brilliant performance by Mr. Paul Giamatti as Stern's crazy boss; Giamatti went on to numerous roles after playing Stern's nemesis, including Johnson J. Johnson in the explosive Thunderpants, starring Rupert Grint.

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Howard Stern and Robin Quivers at the 4th Annual Blockbuster Awards in Los Angeles, 1998

Howard Stern and Robin Quivers walked the red carpet at the Blockbuster Entertainment Awards in 1998; Stern was nominated for Favorite Actor: Newcomer. He won, beating out Casper Van Dien (Starship Troopers) and Michael Jai White (Spawn). Stern may be the King of All Media, but he still talks about his Blockbuster Award. Here is Stern's acceptance speech, in which he makes out with Heather Locklear and declares that he is the father of Jodie Foster's baby.

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Beth Ostrosky and Radio Personality Howard Stern at Whiskey Park in New York City, July 1, 2004

Here is Howard Stern with his lovely wife, Beth Ostrosky, way back in 2004, before they were married. According to Howard, Ostrosky's mom gave her the silent treatment when her daughter informed her that she was dating Stern. As far as we know, everyone gets along famously now.

Howard Stern Dances with Jon Stewart On The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, December 13, 2005

The photo caption for this pic of Howard Stern and Jon Stewart in 2005 indicates that Stern is on the left, and the Daily Show host is on the right. We appreciate the knowledge, but we were clued in by the height difference—Stewart's nose barely reaches Stern's nipple. His hands, however, are firmly planted on Howard's heinie.

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Howard Stern Debuts His Show on Sirius Satellite Radio on January 9, 2006

On January 9, 2006, Howard Stern made radio history by taking his act to Sirius Satellite Radio. Millions of loyal listeners followed, proving that people will pay for content if they think it is worth paying for. Stern became the anchor of the entire satellite radio industry, eventually bringing about the Sirius-XM merger.