The departures hit familiar on-air personalities and arrive as Stern’s long-running SiriusXM show appears to be moving into a leaner phase. The reactions so far have mixed comedy, gratitude and uncertainty.
Howard Stern’s former staffers were let go from The Howard Stern Show, and Stern’s former staffers are now speaking publicly about the layoffs at his SiriusXM program. The cuts, reported around July 14 and said to affect around a dozen employees, matter because they point to a smaller, reshaped version of one of radio’s longest-running shows.
The first reactions have not arrived as scorched-earth takedowns. They have been jokes, thank-yous and quiet signals from people whose voices helped build the show’s oddball ecosystem, including Jon Blitt and Mike Trainor.
The cuts hit familiar voices
The Daily Beast reported that several former employees of The Howard Stern Show have broken their silence after being axed earlier this month. Page Six previously reported that around a dozen employees from Stern’s SiriusXM show were laid off on July 14, with sources saying staffers were told over Zoom the day before.
The names cited in the reports are not background office workers to longtime listeners. The layoffs affected on-air personalities including Benjy Bronk, Jon Blitt, Memet Walker and Mike Trainor.
That distinction matters. Stern’s show has long relied on an extended universe of staffers, writers, producers, callers and recurring personalities. The main attraction is still Stern, but the supporting cast often supplies the tension, absurdity and behind-the-scenes messiness that listeners recognize as part of the product.
For fans, a staff cut is not just a payroll line. It can change the rhythm of a show built on chemistry, interruptions and long-running inside jokes.
Jon Blitt answered with a bit
Jon Blitt, a writer and comedian, responded in the most Stern-show way possible: by turning his job loss into a gag. In an Instagram video filmed inside an Old Navy store, Blitt pretended to be starting a new retail career.
“So today is my first day working at Old Navy,” Blitt said in the clip, according to The Daily Beast. “It’s different from my last job, but it’s a job, and the first thing I learned is ABF, ‘Always Be Folding.’”
He captioned the post “#newbeginning” and ended the bit by asking a customer, “Hey, can I help you?” Blitt later confirmed in the comments that the Old Navy job was a joke.
The response from fans was warm rather than mocking. Some praised his humor and said they already missed him on the show. That reaction captures the complicated bond between Stern’s audience and the staff: listeners may tune in for Howard, but they often attach to the strange orbit around him.
Mike Trainor kept it wry
Mike Trainor, a stand-up comedian and writer, also chose humor first. He posted “Things are looking up!” on X alongside a photo of a Pringles container, a small absurdist joke that fit the tone of someone trying not to make the moment too heavy.
Trainor had already addressed the news in a longer post, writing that his run on The Howard Stern Show had ended after “12 amazing years.” He described that stretch as “an eternity” and said he was “incredibly grateful to Howard and the whole gang for the ride.”
He also made clear he is looking for what comes next, telling people working on something cool to reach out if they know him, like him, or are “even vaguely aware” of him and do not hate him.
That blend of gratitude, self-deprecation and open-for-work practicality is telling. For entertainment staffers, especially comedy writers and on-air contributors, a public farewell is also a professional signal.
Why this feels bigger than layoffs
The timing is what gives the cuts more weight. Reports have suggested Stern is preparing to reduce his airtime, with sources saying he may move to a single new episode per week as the summer ends.
Stern, 72, has been on radio for five decades and has been with SiriusXM since 2006. His show is not just another celebrity program; it was one of the defining reasons satellite radio became a destination for subscribers willing to pay for uncensored, personality-driven broadcasting.
But the current version of Stern’s show exists in a different media world. Podcasts, YouTube clips, paid newsletters and social video have fragmented the attention economy that Stern once dominated from behind a microphone.
A leaner staff and lighter schedule do not necessarily mean a collapse. They may mean Stern and SiriusXM are adjusting an expensive legacy franchise for a phase where the host wants more flexibility and the company wants a more efficient operation.
Stern has signaled a new phase
In December 2025, Stern announced that he had extended his contract with SiriusXM for another three years, after speculation about whether his deal would continue. He framed the new agreement as a way to stay on the air while reclaiming more of his own time.
“I’m happy to announce that I’ve figured out a way to have it all. More free time and continuing to be on the radio,” Stern said at the time, according to the reporting cited by The Daily Beast.
He also said he still loves radio and believes the show is “better than ever.” That is the optimistic version of the transition: Stern remains in place, the show continues, and the production adapts around a host who no longer needs or wants the same weekly grind.
The less sentimental version is that staff reductions can make a beloved show feel thinner. When longtime contributors disappear, listeners notice, even if the host remains the brand.
What remains unclear
There are still important gaps. The full list of affected employees has not been publicly detailed in one official accounting. It is also not clear how many departures will be visible to casual listeners once the show settles into its next schedule.
SiriusXM and Stern’s camp have not, in the available reports, laid out a detailed public explanation of the staffing changes or the exact format ahead. That leaves fans to read the tea leaves from social posts, media reports and the show’s eventual on-air shape.
The former staffers who have spoken publicly have mostly avoided bitterness. Blitt made a joke. Trainor thanked Howard and the crew. That restraint may reflect affection, professionalism, future ambitions or all of the above.
The practical takeaway is simple: The Howard Stern Show is still alive, but the version listeners hear next may have fewer familiar side characters and less weekly volume. For a program built on personalities beyond the name on the marquee, that is not a minor adjustment. It is the story.
Leave a Reply