Howard Stern says he waited ‘like a spurned lover’ for Springsteen to come on his radio show

The cover of Howard Stern’s book, “Howard Stern Comes Again.”

In a new cover-story interview with Rolling Stone, Howard Stern responds to the question, “Who are your dream guests you still haven’t been able to book (on your radio show)” with a discussion of Bruce Springsteen, who has never done it.

“I suspect some of the things I said about him on the air in my earlier years turned him off to me in terms of doing the show,” said Stern, though he also said he heard that Springsteen was considering coming on his show to promote his recent Netflix special.

“I don’t go out and solicit, I just sat patiently waiting for Bruce like a spurned lover,” said Stern. “I sat there waiting night after night.”

He said he was “really disappointed” when it didn’t happen, though he later received a note from Springsteen expressing appreciation for Stern’s enthusiastic on-air comments about “Springsteen on Broadway.” After seeing it for the first time, Stern called it “one of the most moving nights of his life.”

“So I thought it might happen,” said Stern. “It didn’t. I would love to get him on the air.”

Springsteen’s name also came up in the Rolling Stone interview when Stern was discussing the fact that some fans feel “betrayed” by the ways in which the radio show has changed, over the years.

“There are people who want to hear your greatest hits,” said Stern. “Some people are really pissed if they see Bruce and he doesn’t play ‘Thunder Road.’ They gotta hear that. I’m not interested in doing my greatest hits. As far as I’m concerned, this is a whole new radio show.”

Stern’s third book, “Howard Stern Comes Again” (focusing on the interviews he has done over the years), came out last week. His contract with SiriusXM satellite radio ends at the end of 2020, and he has been talking seriously about retiring after that, so the time for him to interview Springsteen may be running out. He is now 65.