Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Google Podcasts
Anchor
Google PlayHoward Stern has compared Kanye West to genocidal dictator Adolf Hitler.
The radio host explained his position during Wednesday’s episode of the Howard Stern Show, where he criticized Ye over a string of remarks containing antisemitic sentiments. Stern began by saying he didn’t want to give Kanye “any energy” but felt it was necessary to condemn his behavior.
“I’m really tired of people excusing his behavior by saying, ‘Well, he’s just mentally ill,’” said Stern, who is Jewish.
“So was Hitler,” co-host Robin Quivers interjected. “But somebody elected him to run a country.”
“Yeah, exactly,” Stern responded. “The shit that he’s spewing—I’m talking about his latest wacky, antisemitic rant that he seems to feel really free to spout, and a lot of media organizations are giving him attention with it. And, rightly so. I mean, they’re exposing him. I don’t have any problem with that, but, boy, what this guy’s into, it’s the same old stuff with the Jews, you know.”
The host went on to reference West’s interview with NewsNation’s Chris Cuomo, where Kanye pushed back on the allegations of antisemitism and claimed he was being targeted by the “Jewish underground media mafia.”
Stern elaborated, “Kanye was on the Chris Cuomo show, and good lord, you gotta hear the shit this guy’s into, and fuck this mental illness, self defense thing that he’s into, you know, like, ‘Oh yeah, he’s just mentally ill. Don’t worry about it.’ … If he’s so mentally ill, why don’t they appoint a conservator over his money like they did with the poor Britney Spears?”
During his interview with Cuomo, Ye accused Jewish media figures of canceling his business deals, and vented about people refusing to refer to him as a billionaire or a “tycoon.” Stern addressed those remarks during Wednesday’s episode.
“Guess what, douchebag? When they write about me, they call me the shock jock. You don’t have control over [it]—you are a rapper. That is what you are. That’s how you became famous,” Stern said. “If a newspaper article doesn’t point out the fact that you’re some sort of designer or genius, maybe that’s not because he’s Jewish, but maybe because he just doesn’t put that much thought into who the fuck you are and what your business is.”
He continued, “This is so depressing. I mean, Kanye used to be fun crazy. Now he’s like Hitler.”
The Ringer podcaster/author Van Lathan alleged last week that after Ye’s 2018 appearance at TMZ—which spawned West’s comments about slavery being “a choice”—the outlet edited out “Kanye saying he loved Hitler and the Nazis.”
You can hear some of Stern’s comments below.
Kanye sparked backlash this month when he unveiled a “white lives matter” T-shirt during the YZY SZN 9 show at Paris Fashion Week. The 45-year-old would go on to make a number of comments widely considered antisemitic and violent, including a tweet in which he pledged to go “death con 3” on Jewish people. He fueled the controversy during his third sit-down with Drink Champs, where he also parroted a falsehood that George Floyd’s death was caused by fentanyl, rather than the police. Since then, the Floyd family has announced plans to file a $250 million defamation lawsuit against Ye.
Diddy, Trevor Noah, Jack Antonoff, Boosie Badazz, and Michael Rapaport were among the celebrities who’ve publicly slammed Kanye over his comments relating to Floyd as well as the Jewish community. However, Dame Dash has asked the world to show “some compassion” to Ye.
The hip-hop mogul explained his position during a recent appearance on Shopping for Sneakers with host Craig Mitch. During the episode, Dash shared his thoughts on Ye’s latest string of controversies.
“He’s my brother,” Dash said, before being asked how frequently he speaks to Kanye at 6:18 mark below. “Not constantly—when he needs me and when I’m worried about him.”
Dash went on to ask the host whether Ye was bipolar—a disorder he was reportedly diagnosed with several years ago. Mitch said Ye “told the world” about the diagnosis, prompting Dash to question why people were so quick to a judge a man who’s apparently struggling with mental health issues.
“Worry about his health if you care about him at all,” Dame said. “I don’t care what he’s saying. I want him to live. Y’all worried about the wrong shit.”
Dash continued, “If you know a man has a problem and you know he might be checking the boxes off for the symptoms of that problem, why do you judge him as if he doesn’t have a problem. It’s not logical. … Why you put the camera on him instead of sending him a prescription or a doctor or some therapist? Let’s have some compassion for a man that may be not so well at that moment. If he told you, transparently, that he has a problem, respect it. If you don’t help, you don’t care.”
You can check out Dash’s full comments in the video below.
Kanye most recently spoke about the controversies during an interview with Piers Morgan. Though Ye said he didn’t regret his remarks, he apologized to those who were “hurt.”
“I really want to give you guys a big hug,” he said. “I want to word it, in not like a political way but a presidential way. Which means what I knew a president to be when I was growing up.”
