When Tom Bergeron appeared on “The Howard Stern Show” recently he mentioned that he had old tapes at home of his interviews of Moe Howard and Larry Fine of the Three Stooges. That’s led to Sirius XM producing a Bergeron-hosted special to air next Friday.
“The Three Stooges: Lost and Found Interviews” will air July 31 at 2:00 pm ET on Howard 101, one of Howard Stern’s two Sirius XM channels.
Since their cinematic debut in 1934, The Three Stooges have attracted millions of fans worldwide including “The King of All Media” himself, Howard Stern. The Stooges have been a constant influence throughout Stern’s legendary radio career, inspiring conversations, comedy bits and constant references to their genius.
In May 2009, ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” host Tom Bergeron revealed to Howard Stern that as a teenager in the 70s, Bergeron had the chance to interview two of the original Three Stooges, Moe Howard and Larry Fine. Bergeron noted that he even recorded the conversations but didn’t know the exact location of these precious tapes. Howard responded to Tom that if he could find these sacred recordings, he would create a special to showcase the interviews on his channels at Sirius XM Radio.
Bergeron went home and found the tapes.
The Three Stooges: Lost and Found Interviews features Bergeron’s extremely rare interviews he conducted as a teenager with Moe Howard and Larry Fine as well as the unique stories behind them. On the tapes, Moe and Larry discuss the history of the Stooges plus the Curly/Shemp/Curly-Joe/Joe “third Stooge” evolution. Larry reminisces about working with Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton, in one memorable moment, Moe takes a swipe at legendary comedians Jerry Lewis and Bob Hope. The interview with Larry Fine was done just months before his death in 1975.
In addition to these priceless interviews, Bergeron highlights some of The Howard Stern Show’s greatest Stooge-themed moments from Howard’s personal radio archive including a “Beaver Break” from 1982, the Stern Show gang playing “Three Stooges” trivia, Howard reflecting on watching the Stooges with his father Ben Stern as well as several legendary bits from the mid-90’s featuring the Stern Show’s master Larry Fine impressionist, Billy West.
RBR/TVBR observation: RBR/TVBR Executive Editor Jack Messmer heard the Moe Howard tape years ago while working with Bergeron at WHEB AM & FM Portsmouth, NH. Moe is always on, always interesting and always funny. “It’s almost enough to make me want to buy satellite radio,” said Messmer.
