Following his appearance at the MTV Video Music Awards as his superhero character Fartman, Howard Stern boards his flight home and finds himself seated next to Gloria, a stranger who is visibly repelled by him.
Howard’s life story is framed as a journey from a difficult childhood to a dream of radio. He recalls the verbal abuse he endured from his father Ben and explains how the idea of radio took root after visiting his father’s recording studio. A quiet, socially awkward kid grows up with a single-minded aim: to make it on the air. He studies communications at Boston University, becomes a DJ at the college station WTBU, and meets his girlfriend Alison, Mary McCormack.
After graduation, he lands at WRNW in Briarcliff Manor and climbs to program director, a position that enables him to marry Alison. Yet the road is rocky; he is asked to fire a fellow DJ and decides to leave for WCCC in Hartford, Connecticut, where he befriends DJ Fred Norris. Howard adopts a more candid on-air persona, wading through the boundaries of decency with his outgoing partner. The trio attends the premiere of Brittany Fairchild’s new film, and Brittany’s increasingly bold behavior draws them into her hotel room, where she strips for a bath and persuades Howard and Fred to join her. The moment becomes awkward and embarrassing, and when Alison finds Howard’s wet underwear in their car, she believes he has been unfaithful and leaves him.
Howard moves on to WWWW in Detroit, where misery follows him, though Alison eventually travels to Detroit to forgive him. The station later switches formats to country music, prompting Howard to quit. His next stop is WWDC in Washington, D.C., in 1981, where he meets news anchor Robin Quivers and sparks a rebellious dynamic on the air. They push against the strict format, and their unruly antics—such as helping a female caller reach orgasm—nearly get him fired, but a ratings surge forces the station to tolerate their style. During this time, Alison experiences pregnancy, which ends in miscarriage. The couple tries to stay positive, but Howard’s offhand humor about the tragedy strains their relationship.
With Alison pregnant again, Howard receives a dream offer to work in New York City at WNBC, giving him a chance at nationwide fame. However, upper management at NBC initially hires him without fully grasping what his show will be like. Program director Kenny Rushton, who Howard dismissively nicknames “Pig Vomit,” threatens to rein him in or force him to quit. Howard, Fred, and Robin ignore the restrictions until a risqué Match Game appearance with comedian Jackie Martling triggers Robin’s firing. The show falters in her absence, and her replacement quits after Howard’s controversial interview with an actress who swallows a kielbasa sausage. Robin is eventually brought back, but Howard’s antics continue, including a naked woman in the studio, prompting Kenny to cut the broadcast. Howard fights back, restores the show, and even ends up in a physical confrontation with Kenny in his office.
The year 1985 marks Howard’s ascent to the top, as he becomes number one at WNBC and Kenny attempts to win his friendship but is decisively refused. To celebrate with his fans, Howard stages an outdoor AC/DC concert. Alison goes into labor, and later gives birth to a daughter, while Howard’s career hits new heights. Back on the flight, Howard reveals that he has shared his life story with Gloria and reflects on whether he could win her over, but he remains faithful to Alison. He is reunited with Alison at the airport, and their daughters run to greet him, underscoring a sense of family and victory.
As the end credits roll, Stuttering John rants about his absence from the film, and Mia Farrow presents an Academy Award for Best Actor to Howard, who reprising his Fartman persona appears again but takes a dramatic fall. Kenny’s career has collapsed into managing a shopping mall in Alabama, and his outbursts are humorously drowned out by jackhammer noises, closing the film on a note of chaos and resilience within the world Howard Stern built.
