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Richard Botto, Editor in Chief / CEO of RAZOR Magazine, has created the definitive men's magazine which features the best in men's fashion, travel, sports, autos, celebrities, technology, humor, fiction, fitness and more.
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 WRITINGS:
RICHARD BOTTO
Back to Writings Main Menu
July/August 2004
My 7 Day "Exclusive" with Howard Stern
This is how it started...
(Excerpt from the New York Daily News, June 1st, 2004)
Did He or Didn't He?
The folks at Razor magazine have been making a big deal about their
"exclusive" Howard Stern interview purportedly conducted by
former Daily News gossip A.J. Benza.
But Stern insists the alleged interview never happened.
It's part of Razor's June cover story on the blue-tongued radio jock's
troubles with the Federal Communications Commission.
"I have a hard time believing that A.J. Benza would make up quotes
about somebody as prolific and newsworthy as Howard Stern," Razor
publisher Richard Botto told me. "I think it would be career suicide,
and I think A.J. knows that."
But while Benza told me he didn't make up any quotes for the article,
"I never interviewed Howard. I made some calls to him personally
as a friend," he explained. "We spent about 30 seconds talking
about the FCC, but it wasn't under the guise of an interview. But then
the magazine put out a press release about an 'exclusive interview.'
It's just stupid. It's ridiculous."
When I relayed Benza's comments to Botto, the publisher wasn't happy.
"He's clearly flip-flopping his position," Botto said. "That
wasn't the way he presented it to our editors. It's a shame. I hate
to see him take what I think is a terrific piece and turn it into something
negative."
Benza, for his part, told me: "They still owe me a check."
It wasn't a four-letter word that catapulted this whirlwind forward,
it was a nine letter one: exclusive. A word used innocently enough within
the body of a press release sent for the purposes of promoting A.J.'s
excellent piece (which was exclusive) regarding Howard and his FCC battle.
The article hit while I was in Vegas after a full night at the craps
table, but before my head touched down on the pillow. Fortunately, my
cell phone was off. When I rose from my coma, my voice mail was maxed
out. Stern was calling for Benza, calling for me, looking to clear the
air.
That evening I flew to New York for business and to prepare for a party
which was poised to support two causes: the promotion of our June issue
and the fight by our cover model to defend his First Amendment Rights.
A mechanical delay here, some misplaced luggage there and I hit Manhattan
in the middle of the night. Needless to say, I slept through the Stern
show.
Again, I woke to a full slate of messages. Benza had called in. Stern
was pleased with the piece, thought it was executed well. Things had
been settled. We had détente.
Later in the day and into the early hours of the next, the party went
according to plan and without a hitch. We teamed up with Rock the Vote
in an effort to register potential Stern supporters come November. They
left with over one hundred new names. The Heritage Collection supplied
attire for special guests with the tagline Preserving The Heritage (of
our country). Our models wore Everlast boxing gloves, keeping with the
theme. For the people who came, it was about fighting the good fight,
showing their support for those of us in the media battling to maintain
our right to free speech. When I finally dove between the sheets in
the shadows of daylight cracking through the shades, sleep came with
a measure of extreme satisfaction.
Then morning came. You have twelve new messages. Howard wasn't happy...
again.
This time it had something to do with complaints about gift bags and
people allegedly collecting money at the door. How someone can confuse
people signing people up for the privilege of executing their right
to select an elected official and taking cash is beyond me, but regardless,
Howard was calling for me again.
And that's how I found myself being summoned to the court of the King
of All Media at 4:20 in the morning (on a Monday, no less) left coast
time. I had to convince him that I was who I said I was ("Seriously,
Howard, why the hell else would I be up at this hour?") and then
it was serve/volley. After a short time, I came to realize that Howard
loved the story, was pleased with A.J.'s take and didn't care about
the word "exclusive" any longer. We ended up discussing the
Great Gift Bag Conflict for the pleasure of a legion of listeners. Once
that was behind us, he wished me and the magazine luck. He couldn't
have been more receptive, gracious or classy. Yeah, you read that right.
In the end, Stern was happy with the article, A.J. got paid and I went
back to sleep, blunted by the machinations of the medium in which I
work and with a new appreciation for the "off" button on my
cell phone.
Enjoy the issue.
Richard
Botto,
Editor in Chief / CEO of RAZOR Magazine - The Definitive Men's Lifestyle Magazine
www.razormagazine.com
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