Greg Fitzsimmons Will Wash Your Mouth Out

September 17, 2009
Photo: The Howard Stern Show

Greg Fitzsimmons stopped by to sit in on Robin’s news and said he recently had to wash his son’s mouth out with soap. Greg reported that his son learned the phrase “you suck balls” – but only got in trouble for passing it on to his little sister. Howard told Greg the action was despicable: “You’re joking. Was he crying during this?” Greg said his son was screaming “Anything but that!” Howard said, “That’s as bad as belting your kid…you’re teaching him how he’s gonna be with his kids.” Greg thought Howard was going soft: “You’ve been in too much therapy.” Howard insisted the act was abuse, but Greg disagreed: “It’s not abuse! It’s not poisonous.”

Howard and Robin thought the act only served to humiliate Greg’s son, and Fred agreed: “That’s a no-no in the parent’s handbook.” Greg claimed: “It’s not a violent thing. I wasn’t angry when I did it. I was very calm…what if you have a child who’s consistently testing the boundaries?” Howard told Greg to speak plainly and simply find another way to punish his children. Later Greg described the event, saying he barely used any soap and immediately washed it out, and then had a 45 minute talk with his son.