The shock jock says to Piers Morgan, whom he'll replace on the NBC series, that organizations like the PTC make complaints that he'll "convert Americans into some kind of zombie sex fiends."
After Piers Morgan announced that he was not returning to America's Got Talent as one of the judges, NBC officially tapped shock jock Howard Stern to take his place on the panel.
Shortly after, the Parents Television Council blasted NBC for even considering Stern in the first place, calling it "an act of desperation for a failing network."
Stern responded to the PTC's concerns on Morgan's CNN talk show Piers Morgan Tonight and didn't hold back.
"Networks shudder for people like this," he told Morgan on the phone. "I guess they get their printer out and they make a letterhead and they start to complain that I'm some sort of weird pervert who is going to convert Americans into some kind of zombie sex fiends."
Stern reassured Morgan and viewers that he would take his new post seriously. "What I can assure you and the rest of America is what I'm looking at here is to be a very good judge," Stern said. "I take it seriously. You know I watch the show," to which Morgan nodded in the affirmative.
Stern added: "I think [NBC] became enamored with me because they knew I was honest. Whatever you think of me, I will give you an honest opinion. My goal is to find real talent, to actually find someone who can become a major superstar."
PTC president Tim Winter said in the organization's statement that NBC's move will mean "in just over three weeks the network will be standing before the United States Supreme Court arguing for the right to use the F-word any time of the day, even in front of children."
NBC's president of alternative and late night programming Paul Telegdy said on Thursday of Stern's hire a more positive message: "Howard Stern's larger-than-life personality will bring a thrilling new dynamic to America's Got Talent starting this summer."
