I was making my rounds this morning, looking for good Stern content like I do most mornings, when I spotted a photo posted by a young lady named Christina. She was the 20 year old art student who was invited to the show last week to talk to Howard about her controversial piece of art depicting Howard on a cross. WOW!!! Forget those paintbrushes honey, this chick could be a model I thought. "WHAT A PIECE OF ART." I noticed she had branded the photo with a name at the top. Hmm…I wonder. I added the name to my instant message buddy list and BAM!! Up she popped. And up HE popped. Hey Now!!! Very cool. After saying hello I asked her if she would like to tell her story about her day at the studio. I sent her the links to the planet and to the shrine. "Yes, I would love to. It would be an honor." Outstanding. I only had a few requests for her: A recount of her day, an autograph for the shrine (via email and through the mail) and some pics for the article--as many body shots as possible. I just had to see this body Howard thought was a little too plumb. A few hours later we have a nice peek behind the scenes of the Stern show with a print of her artwork autographed coming in the mail, and most importantly a look at that bod… and from this angle I have to say I don’t think it looks too darn bad. Hopefully Christina will be on the E! show so we can get a better look.

Here is her story:

Hello, my name is Christina and I am a 20 year old illustration student, born and raised in Philadelphia. I have been an avid Stern fan for many years now. My older brother Greg got me hooked when we would spend many nights hiding from my parents in our basement to watch his show on E!. My mother is VERY Catholic and is very opposed to the idea of Howard. My love of Howard had crossed over into my college years where it was so easy to listen to him everyday. My classes involve sitting quietly in a room and either drawing or painting, so headphones were allowed. Every now and then I would let out a laugh in the middle of the classroom...quite embarrassing! My work in school was always different from my other classmates. While people were illustrating animals or children's book art, I would be working on more 'tongue in cheek' subjects. I found it easier to work if it was a subject I cared for, or simply if I found it humorous.

In my Editorial Illustration class last semester (my junior year), we were given the assignment to pick a type of publication and make an illustration for it. I chose to take on the subject of Howard and the FCC, as if it were apart of Rolling Stone magazine. I was upset to find during a critique that some fellow classmates had spoken up against the subject matter depicting Howard being crucified. For this reason my picture was not hung in the hall for all to see. This upset me. I also found it ironic because it was in direct correlation with Howard's own struggle. It was when I saw a similar illustration on the cover of Philadelphia Weekly weeks later that I decided I should try to take my story to Howard. This summer I will be having an internship with an art director I am very fond of. Part of my internship happened to involve a visit to New York City on June 11, 2004. Since I was already going to be in NY, I found it to be a perfect opportunity to attempt my dream of meeting Howard. The morning of the 11th, I woke up at 4:45, got a shower and dressed to leave. At 6 a.m. the show had started and I decided to call in right away. I called and on the second ring an intern picked up and I told him my story. He told me he would take a message and if the producer liked it he would call me back. Well, no more then two minutes after hanging up the phone, it rang with a voice saying, "We're going to put you through. Howard won't pick up right away, but stay on the line." At this point, my heart was pumping and my voice was shaking. I pressed record on my tape player and ran to my basement so that my mom would not know what I was up to. (much like when I was younger) I was on the phone at 6 am for about 10 minutes, talking about my story of the painting, then Howard asked what I looked like....and then they started to tease me for the fact that I weighed 150 pounds (which I was expecting). Then I got up the courage to ask if I could come in and when I said I would be in New York he told me to come in! I ran into my parents room and woke them up, told them the situation, and forced them to take me to the train station. My mom was upset and my dad told me I better not lose my scholarship, and that if I show any sort of skin I wouldn't have a house to come home to.

I hopped on the $88 Amtrak train and got there in two hours. I took a cab from Penn Station where I was left off at the building. When I went to ask the guard at the desk if I was at the right address I saw Yucko the Clown walk from the elevator: I knew I was at the right place. As I stood nervously on the 14th floor, there were two female interns (who I never got their names) who told me I would be fine, that everyone was really laid back, and that if I was really sweet, they wouldn't say anything mean. Then Gary and Ronnie walked out and handed me papers to sign. I was then escorted to the Green Room. I sat in the room next to these two Italian mafioso looking guys with gold jewelry. When I asked who the voice was who Howard was interviewing, they answered, Jewel De Nyle. I nodded as if I knew who that was and sat and listened as Howard asked her parents to guess what clips were of their daughter having sex. I felt awkward sitting next to these men I did not know. Moments later, the porn star came out and came in the Green Room.

The E! camera man came out and did the standard post show interview, then came back to ask her what one of her pornos would have the best clips to put on the E! show. She replied that there were no clips that were clean enough for the show, because there is no kissing, "Because she is not romantic", and it was all just filthy. She also added that the one tape was like American Idol. I found this hilarious, the American Idol of porn, now that's something! Then I was called in and the E! camera man walked ahead of me. I was on the air for again, probably 10 minutes, I don't really know because I was in such a daze. It was so weird to be standing in this huge dark room with a spotlight on him in front of you, Artie standing and looking at me, and Robin to my right, at arms length. Every now and then you would see Fred stick his head around the corner and look over. I was SO nervous and felt like I was erratic. I didn't know where to look, so for some reason I kept looking over and smiling at Robin, who always had a smile and laugh and looked so pretty behind that booth to my right. I couldn't get over the fact she was only an arms length away from me. I was uneasy and didn't know where to put my hands. At one point Gary came in and pushed me to the microphone and kind of scared me since I couldn't hear him come up behind me. I began to feel comfortable because (I know it doesn't make sense) but you don't realize that you are on the radio, that millions of people are listening, and you are being videotaped for E! (the cameras are in the walls or something, so you don't see them).

They busted my balls BIG TIME about my weight.... but were also positive, saying I was really pretty. Howard said I should just work out, lose some weight and I'd be 'smokin hot', and come back and see him. He then asked me what I ate yesterday, and he didn't believe me because it wasn't much. I forgot to say that I just got my wisdom teeth out 6 days before and couldn't open my jaw. haha. But then at the end, he asked what I wanted. And I said that I was happy to be able to come in and see everyone. So he said that he was going to give me FIVE FUCKING HUNDRED DOLLARS for coming in. When I said I was a starving artist, he said, "Oh you’re not starving." I was mad at myself for walking into that comment. I regret not teasing Artie back for teasing me about weight.....the man sweats JD and mayo for Christ's sake. I said my thank yous and good byes, and was escorted back out. I asked Gary if I could get a picture during the commercial, and he told me to hang out and he'd try. I hung around till the next commercial in the Green Room while the E! camera guy swung around one of Artie's Louisville Sluggers and asked me about what I was going to do with the rest of my day in New York.

I then had to do the spots for the E! channel as I stammered and slowly got the words out. I was able to go in and get a picture with Howard. As I walked in, he said , "Oh, aren't you sweet." and then put his arm around me for the picture. As we stood there he asked me what else I was doing in NY for the day, what was my internship about and so on. He then signed the print-out that I made to look like Rolling Stone magazine, at which he pointed out to Gary, "Hey look, doesn't that really look like Rolling Stone?" I was so happy. I don't even think I looked at him though because I was so intimated and nervous by his 6 foot five frame, and to hear that voice was unreal. All in all, it was a humiliating, nerve-wracking, and amazing once-in-a-lifetime thing. It kind of has me motivated to work out and get back in shape so I can take Howard up on his offer to come back so I can be like, "BAM LOOK AT HOW HOT I LOOK!" People have asked me how I feel about the whole situation and if I was upset by what they had said about me and my weight. All I can say is that I know how they are. I knew what I was getting myself into when I walked through those silver doors. I know that there was good in the things they said. I plan to use them as motivation to only make myself better. This was the most spontaneous and happy day I've had in a long, LONG time, and I know it will stay with me forever.

Thanks so much Christina for everything. Good luck with your art career and I hope to see an even hotter, slimmer you on the show real soon. If you would like to contact Christina you can reach her at CHaberkern@yahoo.com.