In a posting yesterday on the Stern Fan Network, Greenwich’s Gary “Baba Booey” Dell’Abate (I’m sure my RSS feed is a mess having to sort through that last name), says that he did not refuse an autograph to a U.S. soldier serving in Afghanistan.
For non-Howard Stern geeks out there, Gary is the longtime producer of the Howard Stern Show. This is Gary:
Here’s Gary’s somewhat snotty response to the soldier who insinuated he was a bit snotty (either Gary’s thumbs got in the way on his Blackberry or he was in an imaginary country called Afghanistand):
Thisis Gary Dell’Abate from the Howard Stern Show.
Mutt helped me get a password and get on here.
I feel I have to respond to the e-mails that have beem posted by the soldier I met in Afghanistand.
In short order, here are the facts:
*I met him that night and was very gracious
*He asked me to sign a Jim Norton book and I made am observaton. I said, “Oh isn’t that the guy from O& A. It was an observation, a comment…anything more he took from that is in his head
*I signed the book
*He asked me when Artie was goind to re sign and I told him we were all on board for 5 years. I was not snotty or arrogant. Anything else he took from this was in his own head.
*The gang was all inside in a little library area.I was outside, on the phone with my wife explaining the article that I heard might be in the news about us coming under mortar fire. I did not want her and my kids to read this without talking to me first. I assured her we were ok and calmed everyone down.While I was on the phone, someone came over to say hi and I shook their hand and said hi,
I then went inside and hung out for another 10 minutes. I signed about 25 pictures.
We then left.
Artie, Jimmy, Nick, Dave & I spent every moment we had hanging with the troops when we were not performing. We had breakfast , lunch & dinner with the troops. We drank with the troops.
We spent the entire day touring various facilities and just hanging around.
I thought we did a great job.
It appalls me that someone could take a great thing and try and turn it into his own little personal crusade.
We gave up our vacation, and I left my wife and kids for a week to volunteer our time.
I get it….the soldiers are putting there life on the line for us.
We saw that every day. I am in no way comparing myself to what they do.They are amazing.
But we did volunteer to go.
I can’t imagine what kind of person would opt to piss all over that.
I also can’t imagine the charachter of someone who would post personal e-mails without asking.
Thanks for the time,
Gary
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