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Hollywood is full of weird pairings. Sometimes they make sense, but mostly they don't. Think back to 1999. Howard Stern was the untouchable king of morning radio, still riding the high of Private Parts, and arguably at his most "shock jock" peak. Robin Givens was the elegant, Yale-educated actress who the media had basically spent a decade trying to villainize after her explosive divorce from Mike Tyson.
On paper? It’s a mess. In reality? They actually dated.
Honestly, it's one of those pop culture footnotes that people tend to forget until it pops up in a late-night YouTube rabbit hole. When Robin Givens on Howard Stern comes up today, it’s usually because of how she defended him years later, or because of the bizarre way the relationship ended right when Howard met his future wife, Beth Ostrosky.
The "Magnificent Lover" Revelation
If you know anything about Howard Stern, you know he’s spent about forty years on the air complaining about his own anatomy. He’s built an entire brand around being a self-deprecating "dork" who isn't exactly gifted in the bedroom department.
Then came 2019. Robin Givens went on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen. A caller asked the question everyone wanted to know: Was Howard telling the truth about being, well, small?
Givens didn't hesitate. She called him a "magnificent lover."
She went even further, saying it was "unbelievable." It was a rare moment where someone from Howard’s past actually pushed back against his own self-shaming narrative. She looked genuinely nostalgic about it. It makes you realize that the persona Howard projects on the 6-to-11 AM slot isn't always the guy who shows up for dinner.
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Why their timing was so chaotic
The late 90s were a transitional period for both of them. Howard was privately dealing with the end of his long marriage to Alison Berns. Robin was trying to rebuild a career that had been dragged through the mud by the tabloid press.
- They went on dates to the movies (they famously saw Gladiator together).
- Howard would call her constantly.
- She actually spent time at his apartment, sometimes even bringing her kids along.
That last part is actually where things got awkward. Howard has always been open about the fact that he wasn't exactly a "kid guy" back then. He wanted her attention, not a playdate.
The Brutal Way it Ended
Relationships in the Stern-verse rarely end with a quiet handshake. But this one was particularly blunt.
Givens has told the story of showing up at Howard’s place for a scheduled lunch. She walked in, and Howard basically told her it was over. Why? Because he had met "the one." That "one" was Beth Ostrosky.
Howard told her he’d never be able to live with himself if he didn't tell her immediately that he’d met someone else. It was honest, sure, but it was also incredibly abrupt. Robin joked later that Howard "woke up and realized I wasn't blonde."
The Mike Tyson Shadow
You can't talk about Robin Givens without the shadow of Mike Tyson looming over the conversation. When she appeared on the Stern show in 2007, the tension was thick. Howard, being Howard, wanted the gritty details.
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They talked about the infamous Brad Pitt story. You know the one—where Tyson claimed in his memoir Undisputed Truth that he caught Robin and a young Brad Pitt in bed together.
On Howard’s couch, Givens set the record straight:
- The Driveway: True. They were pulling up in a car together after a screening.
- The Bed: Absolutely false. She maintains Tyson never caught them in a room, let alone under the covers.
- The Plea: Tyson claimed Brad Pitt begged him not to hit him. Givens laughed this off on air, saying Brad "had swag" and wouldn't have reacted that way.
Howard's Evolution as an Interviewer
When you listen to the old clips of Robin Givens on Howard Stern, you see the evolution of the show itself. In the early 2000s, the interviews were more about the "gotcha" moments. Howard wanted to know about the sex, the money, and the drama with Tyson.
By the time of her later appearances, the tone shifted. Howard started to respect her more as a survivor of a very public, very abusive relationship.
Givens has often said it’s hard to be friends with Howard because he's so public with everything. She’s mentioned "sweating" during his interviews because you never know which direction he’s going to pivot. One minute you're talking about your new book, the next he’s asking about your ex-husband’s power punch.
What Most People Get Wrong
People assume Robin was just another "guest" or a passing fling. But if you listen to the way they talk about each other now, there’s a weirdly deep mutual respect.
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Howard has credited her for being a "class act" during a time when he was pretty much a "madman." For Robin, Howard represented a safe landing spot—someone who was also an outsider in many ways, despite his massive fame.
"Howard was a very important part of my life for a minute. He's a much kinder person than he lets on to his listeners." — Paraphrased from Givens' various reflections on the era.
The "Other" Robin
It’s also worth noting the dynamic between Robin Givens and Howard’s co-host, Robin Quivers. There was never any real beef there, though Howard would occasionally try to stir the pot by comparing the "two Robins" in his life. Quivers, ever the professional, usually just laughed it off, even when Givens would show up at the studio unannounced.
Practical Takeaways for Fans of the Show:
If you’re looking to dive deeper into this specific era of Stern history, here’s what you should actually look for:
- The 2007 Interview: This is the most comprehensive one. It’s where she discusses her book Grace Will Lead Me Home and gets into the nitty-gritty of the Beth Ostrosky breakup.
- The WWHL 2019 Clip: Essential for the "magnificent lover" quote that trended for weeks.
- The Brad Pitt Debunking: Look for the segments where she specifically addresses the "Undisputed Truth" memoir claims. It changes the context of the Tyson/Givens/Pitt love triangle significantly.
Ultimately, the story of Robin Givens and Howard Stern is a reminder that the 90s were a wild time for celebrity culture. It wasn't just about the shock value; it was about two people who were deeply misunderstood by the public finding a brief, albeit strange, connection.
Next Step: You might want to look up the 2013 Howard Stern interview with Mike Tyson. It’s fascinating to compare his version of the Robin Givens stories with the ones she told on the same couch years earlier.