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Howard Stern’s former executive assistant is threatening to publicize her experiences working with the SiriusXM host and his wife.
The assistant, Leslie Kuhn, filed a lawsuit in New York state court on Sunday to void her nondisclosure agreement. It accuses the SiriusXM host of fostering a hostile work environment, which was allegedly created by an “irresponsible and unacceptable” animal rescue organization run by Stern’s wife.
Kuhn was hired by SiriusXM in 2022 as bureau chief The Howard Stern Show. Her host production company, One Twelve, later added her to its payroll as Stern’s executive assistant. Earlier this year, she was terminated for cause shortly after receiving a $265,000 raise.
In the lawsuit, Conn claims she was wrongly accused of misconduct that damaged her reputation. She says her firing was actually the result of tremendous pressure caused by the animal welfare group run by Stern’s wife.
While negotiating her exit, Cohn claims she was shown an allegedly confidential confidentiality agreement, which she was told she signed last year. The comprehensive document covers the personal affairs of anyone involved in the One Twelve, including Stern’s family and friends, as well as the host’s daily activities, personal habits, and political affiliations, among other things. According to the complaint, Cohn has lived with Stern and his wife in their Southampton mansion since 2024, when she began taking on duties that include managing the household staff and completing payroll.
Cohen is not seeking damages in her lawsuit, only a court order declaring the nondisclosure agreement at the center of the dispute invalid. The case is somewhat reminiscent of the lawsuit filed by Robert De Niro’s former assistant, who was awarded $1.3 million after a gender discrimination and retaliation trial. In that case, she charged that De Niro subjected her to lewd comments and assigned her household duties, such as buttoning his shirt and washing his sheets, despite her lofty executive title as vice president of production and finance.
