‘Neurotic, paranoid’ Howard Stern says his fear of COVID is leading to arguments with his wife, Beth Ostrosky
Radio host Howard Stern recently admitted that his paranoia over a new strain of COVID-19 got him into an argument with his wife.
During a Wednesday segment on his Sirius radio show
As he explained, this has caused tension and arguments with her as media warns of a new strain of coronavirus and his wife wants to go out and socialize.
The topic came up when a guest caller asked the radio host whether he thought it was risky to return to the studio for his show given new warnings of another COVID-19 outbreak.
Stern admitted that the fear of getting sick took a toll on him and his relationship.
He said, “I’m going crazy with this. My wife yelled at me last night. We got into an argument.”
He added: “You know how paranoid I am about contracting COVID. I didn’t get it, and I’m pretty sure, and I really don’t want to get it.”
The radio host opened up about people telling him to take it easy with the illness, explaining that he was the one who was severely affected by it because he was older and so “lucky.”
Stern said, “Everyone says, ‘Don’t worry, it’s just a cold for me.’ It will probably be much worse. You know what I mean? I mean, I’m the lucky one who’s going to completely collapse.”
He mentioned that his wife has less to worry about than him and added: “You know, my wife is considerably younger than me, as you may have heard. And, you know, she’s not as worried about contracting COVID as I am because, you know, I’m an older guy.”
Howard is 69 years old; Beth is 51.
“Beth has a lot of plans. She feels like a wedding shower, lunch with a friend, dinner, and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. You know, we really try hard. We go to restaurants. We went to the Ed Sheeran concert. We were really out there. I didn’t get COVID. And I think, you know what? When I get it, I understand it,” he said.
Stern said, “Then all of a sudden they announce there’s a new strain of COVID, and it’s on the rise.” And, you know, people are getting hospitalized. “It’s time to go back into lockdown.” And I think you mean I’m just coming out of it and now I’m going into lockdown again!”
He also explained how the argument with his wife affected his COVID concerns: “She says, ‘That’s what you do. Every time I say I’m going to do something, you bring up COVID.'” As he gave her his answer, he said, “I’m just telling you, I’m scared. Am I wrong?”
The host said he apologized to his wife after the argument.
He concluded by saying, “I am just expressing my fear to you, and I am afraid.”
After the guest caller agreed with his point of view, Stern added: “It makes me nervous. I’m neurotic. Listen, I have a lot of problems. I’m a neurotic. Do you know what a neurotic is?”
Co-host Robin Quivers responded to his question: “Yes, a person who has no real problems, but who invented them.”
“Yes. I cause a lot of problems,” he replied.
