Pete Townshend Is Gone and Not Coming Back

Photo: Paul Froggatt / PR Photos

When the show returned from a break, Gary came into the studio to announce that Pete Townshend had walked out of the studio where he was in London because he didn’t like the fact that the crew had been talking about his child porn charges. Although Gary added Roger Daltry, who was going to be a surprise guest, and Pete’s girlfriend, Rachel, were still willing to talk to Howard, Robin pointed out she brought up the child porn subject, but that it was part of the discussion they were having at the time and not something she was planning on confronting Pete about.

As Gary continued to explain the situation, Howard interrupted him and got Roger on the line. Roger then criticized Howard for even mentioning the child porn situation, and explained how Pete is tired of having to defend himself even though he was found not guilty of all charges. Howard responded that, if the topic had come up, they would’ve only spent a moment on it because he was, in fact, found not guilty in court.

Robin brought up she had heard that Roger recently yelled at some audience members at a concert. While he admitted this was true, Roger explained he did so because the man was smoking marijuana, which is something he has “unfortunately” become allergic to. Howard then wondered what it would take to get Pete back in the studio, but Roger didn’t think there was much of a chance of that happening and Artie joked they probably had a better chance to get Keith Moon in studio, which got a laughing agreement from Roger.

Rachel noted she would call Pete on Howard’s behalf, and excused herself to do so. When she didn’t return, Howard asked if there was anyone else with a British accent in the studio who could pretend to be Pete. Howard added he was upset because Pete had planned on performing two songs during the interview, and Roger mentioned he couldn’t sing them without Pete’s accompaniment, especially because Pete took the only guitar in the studio with him when he left.