"All broads, please call" - Howard Stern's Divorce @ 20

Ah, I remember this well.

Twenty-years ago today, a Monday morning, Howard hit the air. But it wasn't a typical Monday morning, and Howard was not at his usual wild rise'n'shine best. Instead, he was announcing something many of his fans thought previously unthinkable -- he had separated from, and was headed towards divorce with, his wife of 20+ years, Allison.

Only two years earlier he'd made a whole movie that was about his love her. She seemed to be his constant companion, his North Star, the person who grounded him, the better woman behind the flawed man. Howard's wife was a big part of his image -- yes, he was wild and crazy and raunchy on the air, but his fans took comfort that, at the end of the day, he went home to his wife and kids and lived a typical suburban life.

No more. Now Howard was single and living in the city and ready for action -- or, as he announced at the start of this show, "All broads, please call."

For some, this was unforgivable. Howard couldn't split with Allison! Who was he without her? Shortly after this, perhaps not surprisingly, his ratings dropped. For others, though, his separation promised wild times ahead that would be turned into great radio -- and, for a while, this was true. Until it wasn't (about a year later Howard met his current wife, Beth, and went back to being a boring married guy).

So this show, this moment, was an inflection point in the long history of Howard Stern in NYC radio.