Review of Private Parts (1997) by Jonathan P — 21 Apr 2010

(from The Watermark, 04/17/97).

Stern plays himself in this pseudo-documentary about his rise to popularity as New York's notorious bad boy of radio. The film visits his childhood in which his overly critical father and hyper-nervous mother destroy most of his self-esteem, and then we watch his professional career start out, albeit shakily, and finally see him metamorphose into the #1 morning radio personality that he is today. The film also follows the courtship and romance between Howard and his wife Alison (McCormack). The film in and of itself is actually very good. It's funny, and makes sure to include Howard's more clever escapades. It isn't perfect: When he comes upon the notion that his show should be based on "honesty" and "just being himself," the catharsis isn't as big as it should be. And his on-the-air stories about his private life end up being the source of conflict between him and his wife, and it is never resolved. There's also a part of me that doesn't trust Howard, and wonders if he's playing some kind of joke on us by passing himself off as some misunderstood nice guy. But, regardless of how faithful the film is to Howard's true character, it is a well-executed story about good old-fashioned triumph in the face of adversity. Howard is the mythological hero/artist who cannot conform to the boundaries imposed on him by the establishment, but he perseveres in achieving his dream, and proves that his vision is correct. QUEER QUOTIENT: Howard's feelings toward the gay community are mostly absent in the film (though they're probably best described as misguidedly supportive). The film does touch upon Howard's infamous lesbian fixation, but keep in mind that his type of lesbian needs to look like a Playboy playmate or better. One gay moment which had me howling was a segment where Howard challenges the FCC by playing a version of "Match Game" on the air. The question is "BLANK-willow" and sidekick / anchorwoman Quivers, imitating a gravel-voiced Brett Somers replies, "The only thing on my mind, Gene, is pussy!".