Radio shock jock Howard Stern will be the new judge on
America's Got Talent, he announced on his Sirius-XM radio show Thursday
morning.
Stern said on-air that the offer came from NBC Entertainment
Chairman Bob Greenblatt, alternative chief Paul Telegdy and the AGT producers.
With Stern joining the cast, AGT will move its live shows to
New York to accommodate his radio show schedule.
He replaces Piers Morgan, who stepped down from his role as
judge earlier this fall to focus on his nightly CNN show Piers Morgan Tonight.
Stern is known for his brash demeanor, which had some
questioning when rumors initially surfaced of how he would fit in with the
family-friendly talent show.
"I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings, but feelings
are going to be hurt," he said of his judging style.
"Howard Stern's larger-than-life personality will bring a thrilling new
dynamic to America's Got Talent starting this summer," Telegdy said in a
statement. "He's a proven innovator and his track record in broadcasting is
truly remarkable. Howard is very passionate about this show and is fully
committed to its future success."
Stern said he will start taping AGT in February as the show travels to cities like St. Louis, Las Vegas, Austin, Los Angeles and others.
