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Howard Stern is challenging a lawsuit against him from his former executive assistant, who is suing for $2.5 million and a court order voiding her nondisclosure agreement.
In an attempt to dismiss the lawsuit filed on Wednesday, Stern claims that his assistant, Leslie Kuhn, tried to extract money from him and his production company before filing a lawsuit. He denies allegations that he fostered a hostile work environment, calling the lawsuit blackmail.
“We will not be presenting this matter publicly,” Eileen Farkas, an attorney for the SiriusXM host, said in a statement. “The Stearns family has the right to enforce nondisclosure agreements signed by employees entering their home and private lives, and they have filed a motion to address the lawsuit and the conduct of Ms. Cohn and her attorneys.”
The legal battle began last month when Cohn filed a lawsuit against Stern, his wife, and his production company, One Twelve. She was hired by SiriusXM in 2022 as office manager for The Howard Stern Show He later became the host’s executive assistant. Earlier this year, her employment was terminated for undisclosed reasons that she claimed were actually stress caused by an animal welfare group run by Stern’s wife, according to the complaint.
At the heart of the dispute: two separate confidentiality and nondisclosure agreements that Cohen claims she never signed. The documents cover the personal affairs of anyone involved with One Twelve, including Stern’s family and friends, as well as the host’s daily activities, personal habits, and political affiliations, among other things. Cohen is asking for a court order declaring the agreements unenforceable so she can respond to “the accusations against her” and “protect her reputation and future employment prospects,” the lawsuit claims.
In Wednesday’s filing, Stern says he never intended to discuss Cohen’s termination and intends to provide a neutral reference if asked. He cites evidence suggesting she knowingly signed the documents, pointing to an exchange in 2022 in which they were sent The Howard Stern Show Production manager confidentiality agreement with her signature. When she was asked to review the NDA in 2025, she wrote in an email, “A signed NDA is attached,” according to the complaint.
The filing alleges that Stern notified Conn and her attorney, John Leonard, of evidence showing she signed the documents before filing a lawsuit. He is seeking a court order punishing them for allegedly using the legal process as a weapon and lying to the court.
“The reason Cohn filed this lawsuit was to pressure Stern’s party to pay an outlandish sum to make her disappear,” the filing said. “The only reason Cohn’s termination is a matter of public knowledge is because Cohn and her attorneys chose to publicize the matter by filing this lawsuit and seeking to capitalize on the press.”
If Stern’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit is granted, the confidentiality and nondisclosure agreements will remain valid and enforceable. Under these documents, Conn will be prohibited from disclosing, among other things, personal information about the SiriusXM host.
