From Billie Eilish to Joe Namath, Stern Show Staff Reveals Their Favorite 2019 Interviews and Performances

Howard and his staff looked back at 2019 this week and celebrated their favorite guest interviews and musical performances from last year’s Stern Show.

Staffer Jason Kaplan went first and praised the performances delivered by rock icons Def Leppard and country music superstar Maren Morris. “She’s awesome,” he said, saying he particularly enjoyed her a cappella rendition of “Girl.” “It’s freaking beautiful.”

“That was a special moment, you’re right,” Howard agreed.

Jason’s colleague JD Harmeyer went next. “I like Billie Eilish. She’s a great performer,” he said of the first-time guest who stopped by in September. As much as JD enjoyed Billie’s in-studio concert, he said the most memorable moment was when Billie’s parents came into the studio and broke shocking news to the young superstar: she’d been conceived with the assistance of a fertility clinic.

“It’s pretty rare for the guests to learn something about themselves,” JD said.

His co-worker Sal Governale was partial to the return of a certain “Saturday Night Live” legend. “Hands down your interview with the great Dana Carvey, always a great guest,” Sal said, specifically praising Dana’s impressions of the Church Lady singing Neil Young and Beatles greats Sir Paul McCartney and John Lennon conversing with each other.

Ronnie “the Limo Driver” Mund’s favorite 2019 guest moment came by way of Howard’s June interview with N.F.L. legend Joe Namath. Ronnie said he especially appreciated how the Hall of Famer opened up about his struggles with sobriety and the fact that he had named one of the voices in his head. “You pull shit out of people’s heads, man,” he told Howard. “It’s just unreal.”

Memet Walker, meanwhile, fondly recalled the March return of frequent guest Alec Baldwin. “Last year he had a story about being in anger management that’s pretty funny,” he said.

Gary Dell’Abate’s favorite guest moment happened just in December. “I thought the interview of the year, maybe the decade, was Hillary Clinton,” he said, crediting Howard for his decision to pick the former Secretary of State’s brain about the origins of her and Bill Clinton’s love story.

“We had some great guests in 2019—we really, truly did—and I thank them all. They were all fascinating,” Howard concluded.