Private PartsPeople accuse something of being in "poor taste" sometimes as an excuse to keep others from expressing what they really want. Private Parts is an adaptation of the autobiographical novel of the same name by the infamous "shock jock", Howard Stern, who pointedly portrays himself in the film. Private Parts tells the story of the "antichrist" of the airwaves growing up in an average family, becoming enamored with being a disc jockey, and his marriage to his wife, Alison (Mary McCormack). But the real fireworks start when Howard discovers his true calling as a provocateur and enemy number one of the FCC. Radio will never be the same after Howard Stern.
|
|
Who is "Howard Stern"? Ask that question and you're unlikely to get a definitive answer, even from this autobiography. Howard narrates the film and it's supposed to be from his point of view, but there are scenes where his recollection of events is a little bit different than what the camera sees--enough to plant the seed of doubt as to whether Private Parts is the pure, unadulterated truth. But when has the "truth" ever been that exciting, anyway? Truth is a dirty word that goes down as smooth as vinegar and is just as unpleasant. Instead, the "Howard Stern" of Private Parts is an interpretation of the shock jock--embellished where needed and "enhanced" for appeal. Most people who have heard of Howard Stern know him by reputation, with his brand of unorthodox talk radio--designed to elicit yuks with coarse humor and titillate with erotic content--that has captured the attention of the media, which ironically further catapulted him into super-stardom. His iconic long, curly black hair and round hippie sunglasses, combined with his natural radio voice has made him a pop culture symbol of rebelliousness. So when Howard Stern describes himself as an awkward kid who had anxiety issues about the size of his genitalia, or as someone who was lured into a bathtub with a sexy, B-movie starlet for a "massage", the question becomes: "is Howard Stern serious?" (Pun intended, given his endorsement and eventual broadcasting home of Sirius XM Radio.) Is the portrayal of Howard Stern as a modern day "Robin Hood" beating back the tyranny of petulant bureaucrats how it really happened, or is it another indulgent performance? Like any good myth, there is the grain of truth in Private Parts, with scenes that illuminate the radio personality's predilections and obsessions, from a formative scene where he watches a disc jockey at his father's place of business go berserk to his fascination with large breasts. Through his narration and performance, Howard Stern depicts "Howard Stern" as balancing the tightrope of self-deprecating and self-aggrandizing in rare form...with himself at the center. Irreverence is Howard Stern's metier; it's felt not just in his antics, but in the way he defies convention for a biopic--playing himself, breaking the fourth wall, and even in the narrative structure. (At some point, his moment of self-recollection became a story he has been telling to an attractive woman seated next to him on an airplane.) There are even title cards interjected between scenes involving one of his inner circle of media brigands, Gary Dell'Abate a.k.a. "Baba Booey", who is trying to convince attractive women to take their top off and introduce the next stage in Howard's odd odyssey.
The young Howard Stern struggles to find his footing early on as a DJ, but sticks with it thanks to the support of Alison, and later with his comrade-in-arms against the stuffed shirt establishment, Robin Quivers (as herself). Howard fumbles on the air with his words until a defining moment where he tries to fudge a sponsored message, and it backfires on him. Caught with his proverbial pants down, he confesses to his lie, and it is in this moment that his voice is at its most compelling and he is at his most comfortable, forced to discard the mask of deception and fear that had been holding him back. This crucial lesson teaches him what it is he needs to become if he is to embrace his calling--honest about what he wants and what he believes that the public is missing in the medium. It is when Howard is at his lowest--after he and Alison separate after the "bathtub" incident, and as the Seventies give way to the Eighties--when Howard breaks out his devil-may-care attitude and delivers shocking but hysterical sketches over his broadcasts, laying the foundation for his catalog of comedy. Howard cuts his teeth as a disc jockey for a small radio station before getting promoted briefly to "program director", a management position that brings in a little more pay; but he hates it because he is expected to push around hard-working guys like himself. Howard learns from this interlude how the mind of middle-management works in its petty, self-serving way. They try to keep people like Howard perpetually beneath them, because they are threatened by something they cannot control. This turns out to be pretty valuable knowledge for Howard, since he remains an uncontrollable factor for program directors and executives. The more that he riles up the executives, the more he is encouraged to push the envelope, leading to daring scenes including inviting a fully naked woman (Jenna Jameson) to give him a full body massage, and even a scene where Howard brings an enthusiastic radio listener to climax through her stereo speaker. Howard uses the airwaves like a confessional, sharing deeply personal details with his audience, causing friction between him and Alison as he metamorphoses into a media titan built on a platform where nothing is sacred. When WNBC (say it right) hires Howard Stern for a multi-year contract, then gets cold feet due to his outlandish behavior, their program director, Kenny Rushton (Paul Giamatti)--who Howard unflatteringly dubs "Pig Vomit"--makes it his life's mission to make Howard quit so they can back out of the contract. Yet Howard ends up with more incentive to come up with even more wild material, which ironically leads to astronomical ratings for the company. As paradoxical as it may sound to say it, the "moral" of Private Parts is that despite the protestations of those in power who tell you not to do something for arbitrary reasons, when you find who you truly are and express yourself--be it shouting from the rooftops, or into a microphone--you will find the right audience.
Recommended for: Fans of a raunchy underdog story of a self-made man of the media, who continues to remain a force to be reckoned with on the radio. Private Parts is likely to offend audiences not accustomed to Stern's brand of comedy--a combination of lowbrow humor, satire, and slap-in-the-face shock value--but they were never his audience in the first place.
The young Howard Stern struggles to find his footing early on as a DJ, but sticks with it thanks to the support of Alison, and later with his comrade-in-arms against the stuffed shirt establishment, Robin Quivers (as herself). Howard fumbles on the air with his words until a defining moment where he tries to fudge a sponsored message, and it backfires on him. Caught with his proverbial pants down, he confesses to his lie, and it is in this moment that his voice is at its most compelling and he is at his most comfortable, forced to discard the mask of deception and fear that had been holding him back. This crucial lesson teaches him what it is he needs to become if he is to embrace his calling--honest about what he wants and what he believes that the public is missing in the medium. It is when Howard is at his lowest--after he and Alison separate after the "bathtub" incident, and as the Seventies give way to the Eighties--when Howard breaks out his devil-may-care attitude and delivers shocking but hysterical sketches over his broadcasts, laying the foundation for his catalog of comedy. Howard cuts his teeth as a disc jockey for a small radio station before getting promoted briefly to "program director", a management position that brings in a little more pay; but he hates it because he is expected to push around hard-working guys like himself. Howard learns from this interlude how the mind of middle-management works in its petty, self-serving way. They try to keep people like Howard perpetually beneath them, because they are threatened by something they cannot control. This turns out to be pretty valuable knowledge for Howard, since he remains an uncontrollable factor for program directors and executives. The more that he riles up the executives, the more he is encouraged to push the envelope, leading to daring scenes including inviting a fully naked woman (Jenna Jameson) to give him a full body massage, and even a scene where Howard brings an enthusiastic radio listener to climax through her stereo speaker. Howard uses the airwaves like a confessional, sharing deeply personal details with his audience, causing friction between him and Alison as he metamorphoses into a media titan built on a platform where nothing is sacred. When WNBC (say it right) hires Howard Stern for a multi-year contract, then gets cold feet due to his outlandish behavior, their program director, Kenny Rushton (Paul Giamatti)--who Howard unflatteringly dubs "Pig Vomit"--makes it his life's mission to make Howard quit so they can back out of the contract. Yet Howard ends up with more incentive to come up with even more wild material, which ironically leads to astronomical ratings for the company. As paradoxical as it may sound to say it, the "moral" of Private Parts is that despite the protestations of those in power who tell you not to do something for arbitrary reasons, when you find who you truly are and express yourself--be it shouting from the rooftops, or into a microphone--you will find the right audience.
Recommended for: Fans of a raunchy underdog story of a self-made man of the media, who continues to remain a force to be reckoned with on the radio. Private Parts is likely to offend audiences not accustomed to Stern's brand of comedy--a combination of lowbrow humor, satire, and slap-in-the-face shock value--but they were never his audience in the first place.