Howard Stern Remembers the ‘Brilliant’ Garry Shandling

Photo: The Howard Stern Show

The world lost one of its finest comedic minds on Thursday when Garry Shandling passed away at the age of 66. Shandling’s publicist told CNN that he died of an apparent heart attack.

“The guy was brilliant,” Howard said of Shandling on Monday.

From “It’s Garry Shandling’s Show,” which aired on Showtime and gave an early vision of the groundbreaking work to come, and on to the Emmy Award-winning “Larry Sanders Show” on HBO, which paved the way for countless shows, Shandling pioneered his own format on television.

And while many comedians have been woven into the fabric of the Stern Show over the past few decades, Shandling holds an undeniably special place amongst them all. Appearing twice on the Stern Show by phone, Shandling also served as Howard’s first guest on his E! interview show (prior to the full radio show simulcast) on November 27, 1992. This at a time when many celebrities were afraid to appear with him, Howard explained.

During his final appearance in 2010, the “Larry Sanders Show” creator shed light on what has become a daily phrase on the Stern Show – the creation of “Hey now!” Hear Garry and Howard discuss it below:

Howard also recounted on Monday how he played himself in a 1993 episode of the “The Larry Sanders Show” entitled “L.A. or N.Y.” — something he rarely agrees to do. “He’s one of my heroes,” Howard told listeners.

In recent years, audiences saw Shandling as the Marvel Universe’s Senator Stern in films like “Iron Man” and “Captain America: The Winter Soldier.”

Our deepest condolences go out to Garry Shandling’s family and friends.