Female staffers at “The Howard Stern Show” allegedly hide sneakers under desks to evade a women-only footwear ban.
The US Sun reported Wednesday that female employees at the SiriusXM office in New York City stash non-sneaker shoes in case executives make surprise appearances. “There is this rule that it doesn’t matter what kind of footwear men wore [sic], but the women are not allowed to wear sneakers at work,” an insider told the outlet.
The source added that some women still keep dress shoes at the ready for unexpected visits from higher-ups.
“I know of people that still like keep like non-sneakers in case certain execs are expected in the offices,” the insider alleged.
The insider expressed surprise that the policy survived the pandemic-era shift to remote work.
The source claimed employees were even told to dress up for Zoom calls.
“Times have changed but also maybe don’t have different rules for men and women,” the insider claimed. “That’s insane.”
The report also cited a 2013 video of Stern, 72, calling out staff appearance during a PowerPoint presentation in front of clients and talent.
“Some people around here look like zombies from ‘Walking Dead,'” Stern said during the presentation. “We look like a college radio station. We look like we have homeless people working here.”
“It’s off-putting and scary,” he continued.
Stern urged employees to “work on their appearance” and dress up during interview days, Monday through Wednesday, to impress clients.
“I’m not saying we’re a suit-and-tie organization,” Stern added.
He insisted they just “upgrade their appearance” and avoid “shlubby” dresses and “homeless looks.”
“If a celebrity comes in, you MUST look nice,” the PowerPoint reads. “I will send you home!… No one is an exception.”
The US Sun also reported that employees are forbidden from speaking to Stern at work events and can be fired for breaking that rule.
A rep for “The Howard Stern Show” wasn’t immediately available to Page Six for comment.
In the viral moment that established Stern’s reputation for strict workplace standards, the 2013 presentation surfaced as a defining example of his hands-on management style. Stern delivered the slideshow personally to staff gathered in the office, using pop culture references to drive home his point about professional presentation. The “Walking Dead” comparison became one of the most quoted moments from the presentation, illustrating the shock-jock-turned-celebrity-interviewer’s blunt approach to employee expectations.
The presentation’s warning that he would “send you home” reinforced a zero-tolerance stance that appears to have persisted more than a decade later.
Stern’s current SiriusXM contract runs through 2025.