‘He Was Family’: Howard Stern Opens Up About 23 Wild, Tender and Unforgettable Visits from Ozzy Osbourne

Howard Stern paused his summer break this week—and fans could tell it wasn’t for his usual antics. Instead, the King of All Media was grief-stricken as he saluted his old friend Ozzy Osbourne, the Prince of Darkness, who passed away on July 22 aged 76. Ozzy had appeared on The Howard Stern Show a staggering 23 times—and each visit left the show’s host and listeners both dazzled and deeply moved.

“I am profoundly sad,” Stern admitted on air. “Ozzy is gone and he was one of the most fabulous guests on this show—ever.”

Those words echoed heartbreak—in their tone and weight—as he reflected on the life of a man who was, more than anything, unapologetically himself.

Among the fondest recollections was Howard recalling the once-in-a-lifetime moment when Ozzy met Paul McCartney backstage at the Stern studio. Stern had Ozzy on early in the show, followed by Sir Paul—and they finally met in the Green Room.

“It blew Ozzy’s mind,” Stern laughed through melancholy.

Other flashes of candor and humor from Ozzy’s visits brought both tears and laughter—the kind that hits deep when someone you love is gone. Once, he confessed that it took him 19 tries to pass his driving test, often showing up drunk.

“One tester refused to get in the car with me,” Ozzy deadpanned, a wry grin in his voice.

On a more tender yet bittersweet note, Stern once declared Ozzy “a family man,” marveling at the contrast of the wicked stage persona versus the gentle doting father he witnessed behind studio mics.

“That juxtaposition,” Howard said, “was what I always loved about him.”

Then there were the raw, off-the-cuff stories that could only come from Ozzy. In one unforgettable visit, he described gazing with wide-eyed amazement at Tommy Lee’s “baby’s arm with a boxing glove” backstage comment—a line that became instant Stern Show legend.

These moments added up to more than TV gold—they were slices of humanity, wild and real and endearing. Now that Ozzy is gone, they feel sacred.

And yet even in death, Ozzy’s presence echoes on Howard’s airwaves. Lars Ulrich from Metallica joined Stern in tribute, describing their shared memories and the intensity of Ozzy’s final show at Birmingham’s Back to the Beginning. Ulrich revealed how Ozzy’s voice remained formidable, holding every note with clarity during soundcheck—confirming, he said:

“This is gonna be fine… they’re gonna f—king kill it.”

As Stern played “Mama, I’m Coming Home” in the background—a mournful lullaby to the man himself—it was impossible not to feel the collective ache. The host’s voice cracked sometimes as he spoke, but his reverence rang clear.

“He was one of the most fabulous guests on this show—ever.”

Ozzy leaves behind six children, including Kelly, Jack, and Aimee, and a legacy few can match. His final concert—just weeks before his death—was both a triumphant farewell and a poignant curtain call to a career that soared across generations.

For those who remember Ozzy as more than the snarling “Prince of Darkness,” Stern’s reflections offer a rare glimpse into the man beneath—the husband, father, and friend who could be funny, vulnerable, and unexpectedly warm.

Howard closed his tribute not with a joke, but with a promise: “The mics will never be the same without you, Ozzy. But your voice, your laugh, your madness—they’ll be echoing here forever.”