Private Parts (book) - Upbringing and Rise To Stardom

Upbringing and Rise To Stardom

In the book's opening acknowledgements Stern thanks his co-author Larry "Ratso" Sloman as well as his staff and family. The first chapter is a story of a male listener of Stern's show masturbating while driving on his way to work to an interview of a woman about her first lesbian sexual encounter. Chapters two through six focus on Stern's upbringing and family. Initially Stern focuses on his birth, parents, sister and family through marriage. He then moves out to focus on his upbringing in Roosevelt, Long Island where he was one of few white boys in a predominantly black neighbourhood. Stern also uses this chapter to relay his thoughts on the topics from the time the book was published such as Spike Lee and his film Malcolm X, and Rodney King and the 1992 Los Angeles riots. The fourth chapter deals with Stern's adolescent sexual development including his earliest sexual experiences. He also details his sex life in college and the courtship of his eventual marriage to his wife Alison.

The fifth and sixth chapters deal with Stern's career in radio from childhood interest through his rise to prominence. Stern cites an early interest in radio from the age of five, and his father's assistance and encouragement in growing his early career. His days in college radio are detailed followed by his earliest jobs at radio stations along the East Coast of the United States. He then details his career at radio stations WWWW in Detroit, Michigan, WWDC in Washington, D.C. and finally WNBC in New York City. Stern's conflict with management at various radio stations are relayed, including a rather detailed conflict with WNBC Program Director Kevin Metheny (whom he refers to as Pig Virus).