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Jackie “The Joke Man” Martling Interview w/ Vince Russo
- Thread starter TTalkradio1
- Start date
It was going into the ground anyway.
922-WINE
I like the Jackie years better than the Artie years, and I don't listen to the show anymore.
Back in the day you'd tune in to Stern and (if his show was your cup of tea) you'd laugh and be entertained and in some cases if I was listening in my vehicle, I didn't want to turn it off and risk missing the end of a bit or something that was coming up. The last few times I've listened pre-Covid, it was when Sirius/XM offered their service for free to try and entice people to subscribe. While there were some funny bits here and there, with Stern on his own in the studio and really no one full-time like Jackie or Artie there to play off of - aside from the occasional comment from Robin or well-timed sound effect from Fred, it was usually either 1) A long-form celebrity interview, some of which were really good and others that I didn't care to listen to, or 2) Stern simply making fun of, belittling or dressing down his staff, or making fun of the members of his "whack pack", apparently in an effort to build himself up. Where his show used to be "funny", some of the bits I heard more recently were more mean-spirited. After a few days, even though it was complimentary, I ended up switching him off.
Maybe I've matured or maybe his show just isn't as funny and entertaining as it used to be - or it's just become more apparent with him being on his own how he really treats his staff and those around him. Reports in the media and from people like Artie also haven't shown him in the best light.
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I don't remember when I listened last. I think it around the time the Joke Man couldn't get a new deal? Howard said it was a great contract but Jackie wanted something around what a morning anchor would get at some of the other NYC market stations (not Imus obviously).
Jackie said unless he got the deal he wanted he was leaving. He was tired of getting up that early. They didn't pay him. They may have thought he was bluffing: he wasn't.
The show would have gone downhill with or without Jackie. But he was missed: no question.
Jackie said unless he got the deal he wanted he was leaving. He was tired of getting up that early. They didn't pay him. They may have thought he was bluffing: he wasn't.
The show would have gone downhill with or without Jackie. But he was missed: no question.
There's an interesting video on YouTube where Jackie, Stuttering John and Billy West speak about their time on the Stern show, and how/why they ultimately left. The video is very long (a few hours) but the key parts are toward the beginning. All 3 of them basically said they weren't paid a lot, they weren't treated very well - when they started airing video of the Stern show on E! TV, for instance, they only wanted to give these guys $10k per year for it. When Jackie objected, Stern's people basically told Jackie they'd tell HIM what he was worth.
All 3 left because they weren't making as much $$ as they should've been or had the potential to make elsewhere, they were working hard, getting up early and if they tried to branch out and do things on their own, appear on late night talk shows, etc. they got shut down immediately. If their bits or characters got a lot of buzz from listeners, Stern would reduce or stop them, as he felt it was taking away from the attention that should be focused on him. From all accounts, while fun to listen to, it wasn't the best place to work, even back in what many consider its "heyday".
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So here they are, 20 years later, and they're still identified for their time with Howard. They got their time in the spotlight. That's the gift they got from Howard. When you're part of a show like that, you always have to remember who's show it is, and you have to be comfortable with that. The star gives you time on his stage, and you have to make the most of it while you can. One guy I always think about is Bert Weiss. Perhaps not as big as any of these guys. But Bert was second banana to Jack Diamond at Q107 in DC when Howard Stern was across town at DC 101. Jack & Bert did their own thing in a very competitive radio town, but it was Jack's show. Then one day, Bert leaves for Atlanta. He's still on the air there today. So sometimes talent can find their place and succeed after being part of a successful team. But you usually have to leave town to do it. How many people who've worked in NYC would be willing to go someplace else for a shot at something bigger?
Jackie was wrong to leave the show. He was making over $600,000, and he didn't get any Hollywood script writers offering him writing gigs or any radio gigs after he left.
...It appears he also second guessed himself, at least immediately after his departure. He attempted a few times to go back and accept Stern's final contract offer, but it was too late. That said, he's done plenty professionally since his departure from the Stern show, he got sober and claims to be happier. As far as radio gigs, he did host "Jackie's Joke Hunt" on Sirius/XM for about 8 years.
I'm not sure how much $$ Martling made from his standup, his books and CD/DVD sales after his departure, but as of 2009, for instance, Artie Lange was making $700k/year for his appearances on the Stern show, but his standup gigs were pulling in $3M. While Martling wasn't at the same level as Artie in the standup world at that point, I'm sure he's done OK and is living comfortably. According to one site, he has properties in both Manhattan and Long Island Sound.
I'm right there with ya.
Jackie in one of his YouTube videos specifically broke down the new contract he was offered, detailing salary for each of its five years. He was making around $575k a year when he quit. The new deal would've started around $650k in year 1, if I remember correctly, and would've climbed to about $925k by year 5. I think there may have also been a signing bonus, but I cannot recall the details.
No #3 or #4 player on radio on any other radio show in the country was likely making anywhere near that type of money.
Bear in mind he was also receiving two free "plugs" every day on the Stern radio show (easily the equivalent of six figures' worth of free advertising over the course of a year) plus free advertising for his joke CDs on the E! show.
Jackie overplayed his hand big time, especially considering he likely had little idea what folks with similar jobs were making. Recall, too, that he was too cheap to retain professional representation in his contract negotiations.
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From what I've read/heard, it was Jackie's attorney that encouraged him to turn down Stern's offer. I'm not sure if the guy was a proper "agent" or "manager" or just a lawyer or what the guy may have known about the radio business, but he's the one who supposedly told Martling to decline the contract and to not show up for work that morning, most likely in an attempt to make them realize how much they'd miss him on the show in hopes they'd up their offer. It didn't work that way.
Martling also claims there were other reasons he declined the offer, but would have stayed if they'd have upped the $$. He was about to go through a divorce and he was told he'd be expected to announce that and openly discuss it (and possibly be ridiculed by Stern & Co.) on the air which he wasn't happy about. He also said he was drinking a lot back then and knew if he didn't leave the show, he'd continue down that path. Whether that's all BS or just reflection years later looking in hindsight is anyone's guess.
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They also got Benjy to write jokes the last few years he was there.
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