Howard Stern, a radio personality and world famous “shock jock”, used the Sybian sex machine on his show as part of his popular segment “Dial-a-Date” in the 1990s. The Sybian is a motorized sex toy designed for women that can be used for clitoral and vaginal stimulation. It has a saddle-like seat that vibrates and rotates to provide intense pleasure to the user.
During the segment, a female contestant, who was usually a celebrity or famous porn star, would ride the Sybian while Stern and his co-hosts made jokes and provided commentary. The woman’s sexual experience would be broadcast live on air, with sound effects (boi-oi-oi-ng!) and music added for comedic effect. Stern’s The segment was controversial and received criticism for its explicit content, but it also gained a large following becoming one of the show’s most popular features and helping to launch many Sybian competitors such as Motorbunny. Stern has since retired from terrestrial radio and moved to satellite radio, where he continued to use the Sybian in some of his broadcasts.
The list of celebrities and guests who rode the Sybian on the Howard Stern Show is extensive and includes porn stars, models, actresses, and other public figures. Some of the most notable guests who rode the Sybian on the show include:
Howard Stern’s use of the Sybian machine on his radio show garnered a significant amount of attention from various media outlets over the years. Some media outlets criticized Stern’s use of the machine, claiming that it was degrading and exploitative of the women who rode it. Others defended Stern’s use of the machine as being part of his brand of edgy, boundary-pushing humor.
For example, in 2012, the website Jezebel published an article titled “Remembering Howard Stern’s Greatest Hits of Sexism,” which included a section on the Sybian machine. The article described the machine as a “tool of degradation” and accused Stern of using it to “make women perform sexually for his pleasure.” Jezebel joins a long list of feminist media outlets to criticize Howard Stern’s Sybian segments.
But it wasn’t all bad. Some media outlets praised Stern for his use of the Sybian, arguing that it was a form of sexual liberation for women. In a 2013 article, The Daily Beast defended Stern’s use of the machine, stating that it “gives women a chance to explore their own sexual desires without shame or judgment.” Other radio shows like Opie and Anthony praised and mocked the segments as well.
Stern’s use of the Sybian on his show garnered both criticism and praise from various media outlets. While some saw it as degrading and exploitative, others praised it as a form of sexual liberation for women. Regardless, the segment became one of the show’s most popular features, with a long list of notable guests riding the Sybian, including Jenna Jameson, Carmen Electra, and Bai Ling. Though Stern has since retired from terrestrial radio, he continued to use the Sybian on his satellite radio broadcasts, cementing its place in pop culture history.