The Time Howard Stern Wore “Fartman” to the VMAs — And Broke the Internet Before the Internet Existed

Long before viral moments were measured in likes and shares, Howard Stern was out here creating chaos the old-fashioned way — by showing up to the 1992 MTV Video Music Awards dressed as “Fartman.”

If you don’t remember the character, buckle up: we’re talking a skintight bodysuit, cutouts exposing his backside, a midriff-baring top, and a flowing red cape — all topped off with an expression that said he knew exactly how ridiculous the whole thing was, and loved every second of it. Decades later, it’s still routinely ranked among the most “questionable” outfits in VMA history, and honestly? That feels like an understatement.

Here’s what makes this moment so quintessentially Howard, though. This wasn’t a wardrobe malfunction or a bad stylist call — this was intentional, over-the-top, shock-jock theater at its finest. Long before “going viral” was even a phrase, Howard understood something most celebrities still don’t: the outfit doesn’t have to be flattering, it has to be unforgettable.

And unforgettable it remains. More than 30 years later, people are still writing about it, still ranking it on “worst VMA outfits” lists, still pulling up the photo to show friends who weren’t around to see it live. That’s not an accident — that’s the Howard Stern brand working exactly as designed.

Fartman never became a movie (despite Howard’s efforts to make one happen), but the costume itself became something bigger: a permanent piece of pop culture folklore, proof that Howard Stern was willing to look completely absurd in service of a laugh decades before “main character energy” was even a concept.

Say what you want about the man — nobody’s ever accused him of playing it safe.