Sal Governale Strikes Out on Howard’s Birthday Present … Again

Photo: The Howard Stern Show

It’s the thought that counts, right?

Despite a questionable track record in gift giving, Stern Show staffer Sal Governale tried again recently when he got Howard a birthday present. Once again, he came up short — and late. “Why is this guy constantly burdening me with his problems?” Howard said Wednesday morning as he recalled getting messages for the last month about delivery challenges. “I never asked him for a gift. I don’t want a birthday gift … the gift is leaving me alone.”

When Howard finally got the gift, he was underwhelmed to find out it was a book on fountain pens. “I don’t want to seem ungrateful, but I was like annoyed … I don’t want to read about fountain pens,” he said before referencing the lesson on organization he recently gave executive producer Gary Dell’Abate. “I want to take this book and throw it right in the garbage — this is the clutter of Gary.”

Still, Howard wound up thanking his staffer for the effort. “It’s the least I could do,” Sal responded.

“It was the least you could do,” co-host Robin Quivers added with a laugh.