Howard Stern’s Defense Of Sydney Sweeney’s Nude Ad Backfires

Howard Stern has stepped into the controversy surrounding Sydney Sweeney‘s sports-betting ad, dismissing the backlash from female athletes who accused the campaign of sexualizing women in sports.

The actress has faced widespread criticism over the Novig commercial, but the shock jock is defending her nude display and questioning why anyone would be offended by it.

The controversy comes as Sydney Sweeney continues to attract intense attention for her advertising choices, while Howard Stern himself faces criticism over major changes to his long-running radio show.

Howard Stern Dismisses Sydney Sweeney’s Ads Backlash

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Stern addressed the controversy during a recent episode of “The Howard Stern Show,” making clear that he did not understand why the commercial had generated such outrage.

He praised Sweeney’s appearance and argued that she was simply promoting a gambling platform. “I watched that TV commercial. Who the f-ck is bothered by that?” Stern said in a video clip shared online.

The Novig campaign featured Sweeney appearing with little clothing while various props were used to cover her body as she referenced different sports.

The campaign has since become the subject of criticism from athletes who believe it reduces women’s participation in sport to their physical appearance.

Stern, however, saw little reason for the reaction, saying: “I mean, she’s representing a gambling website, and I’m like, ‘This is great.’” He added, “I think she’s attractive.”

Stern’s co-host, Robin Quivers, pointed out that the backlash was coming particularly from female athletes who objected to the way Sweeney’s campaign portrayed women and sports.

“‘Her going around half-naked will ruin sports.’ No, maybe you betting on sports will ruin sports,” Howard said, hitting back at the critics.

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Stern’s comments have since divided his listeners, with some agreeing with his defense of Sweeney, while others argued he was “missing the point” of the backlash.

One Instagram user wrote, “Howard, I’ve loved you for a long time, but you’re dropping the ball on this one, baby.”

Another said, “Howard, missing the point: Ask a professional female athlete, have one on your show, she’ll break it down for you.”

“I think the point is…. women are tired of seeing women sell their sexuality for money,” a third stated in response to Stern.

“Marketing women’s bodies to men, like this, makes all women less safe,” another person noted, while a fifth said, “If they gave me Sirius for Free, I would not listen! I’m DONE!!!

One more critic said,”‘Who’s actually bothered by that?’ I don’t know, maybe women who are sick of being seen as sexual objects and would like to be taken seriously for once?”

However, an individual who agreed with the comedian’s comments noted, “I’m 100% with Howard on this. The gambling is the problem, not the advertising.”

Female Athletes Pushed Back Against Sydney Sweeney’s Ad

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The advertisement has prompted criticism from several prominent female athletes, who argued that women in sport should be recognized for their athletic ability, dedication and achievements rather than being presented primarily through their appearance.

Four-time Olympic swimming gold medalist Ariarne Titmus was among the most outspoken critics, describing the campaign as deeply frustrating and questioning why the sexualization of women’s bodies remains part of sports marketing.

“How do we live in a world where monetizing a woman’s body and sexualizing women’s sport is still a thing?” she wrote on Instagram.

British sprinter Amy Hunt also used a post-race interview to highlight the physical demands and sacrifices involved in being a female athlete.

Gymnast Gracie Kramer helped inspire a wider response from athletes by sharing footage of women competing and training alongside the message, “this is what a woman in sport looks like.”

Other athletes subsequently joined the conversation, turning the backlash into a broader discussion about how female athletes are portrayed publicly.

Sydney Sweeney Has Received Some Support Amid The Backlash

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While a number of athletes condemned the campaign, Sweeney has also received support from people who viewed the advertisement as an expression of confidence and femininity rather than an attack on women’s sports.

Former professional golfer Paige Spiranac appeared to weigh in through social media, posting a series of images from her own life involving golf, fitness and leisure.

When a fan suggested that Spiranac had effectively responded to critics accusing Sweeney of “killing women’s sports,” the 33-year-old golfer responded with a playful remark defending women’s confidence and sexuality.

She later followed up with “just golf,” jokingly echoing the “just sports” slogan used in Sweeney’s controversial Novig campaign.

Her response was widely interpreted as a playful defense of women being comfortable with their appearance while participating in sports.

Howard Stern’s Defense Of Sydney Sweeney Comes As His Own Show Faces a Major Shake-Up

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Stern’s backing of Sweeney comes at a time when his own media operation is undergoing significant changes.

His long-running SiriusXM program has been reduced to one live show each Monday, with an adapted 90-minute version released on HBO Max every Thursday, after layoffs that impacted at least 50 staffers.

SiriusXM officially confirmed the new format ahead of the September 14 return.

The revamped format has also sparked criticism among some longtime listeners, with complaints appearing online about the condensed HBO Max version and the decision to reduce Stern’s live output.

One Reddit user bluntly described the new program as “unwatchable!” while others questioned the appeal of watching an edited version of a show they already hear on SiriusXM.

The changes have also affected SiriusXM’s channel lineup. Howard 101, the channel that carried Stern-related archival programming, was handed over to Andy Cohen’s Radio Andy after the shock jock reduced his responsibilities.

The transition was confirmed publicly, with Stern saying he wanted to scale back to a single weekly radio show.

Despite the criticism surrounding the changes, Stern appeared unfazed when he returned from his summer break on September 14.

Addressing the negative attention surrounding him, he said, “If you think I’m a scumbag, you’re probably right.”