Back in its heyday, before it softened up and started featuring interviews with the likes of Hillary Clinton, The Howard Stern Show was the most popular and most raunchy show on the radio. There were a ton of memorable characters both loved and hated, and one fit gleefully into the latter category. We’re talking about Ralph Cirella, Stern’s friend and stylist, who passed away suddenly after a fight with a rare lymphoma. He was a spry 58 years old.
Cirella has been a part of the Stern universe since he first called in when Stern was on WNBC way back in 1985. From there, he went on to do special effects on Stern’s “Channel 9 Show.” Eventually, after ribbing Stern for how he dressed, he became the shock jock’s full-time stylist.
“Some of the most fun I’ve had with Ralph is when … we’d be going through my closet, he’d be picking out my clothing … and then he’d go, ‘Alright, take your pants off now,’” Howard said with a laugh. “It’s just so stupid and it’s killing me I’ll never hear that again.”
Cirella’s irreverent attitude and love of anything sci fi and gadget-related endeared him to Stern, even if the audience loved to hate him and constantly questioned whether he was honest about his sexuality. Stern shared the news on his show on Wednesday:
“I think this is the toughest part of loving someone — when you lose them. Lord knows I loved Ralph. My wife said to me last night, ‘You and Ralph have a secret language’ and it’s true … we had a great chemistry, and we had a great friendship, and Ralph was one of my bros. In fact, I came to think of Ralph as family.”
Stern also lamented about how Cirella dragged his feet when it came to get treatment.
“Ralph developed an illness, but I really feel he got involved a little too late because the illness he got was curable and was treatable, but he had some complications of waiting too long, and I got very upset with him.”
Cirella would call in during pivotal moments of the show to either agree with Stern or give a completely off the wall take on the day’s proceedings. Perhaps Cirella’s greatest contribution to Stern was introducing him to his wife Beth.
Another frequent Stern show guest and friend, John Stamos, also chimed in about Cirella’s death on Instagram.
“At the painfully young age of 58, my dear friend, Ralph Cirella, was suddenly taken from us, leaving us all in a state of profound shock. He was, without a doubt, a one-of-a-kind soul. Ralph wasn’t just a friend; he was family.”