Howard Stern Noam Galai/Getty Images Logo text Howard Stern‘s former executive assistant is threatening to publicize her experiences working for the SiriusXM host and his wife.
The assistant, Leslie Kuhn, filed a lawsuit in New York state court on Sunday looking to void her nondisclosure agreement. She accuses the SiriusXM host of fostering a hostile work environment, which was allegedly created by an “irresponsible and untenable” animal rescue organization run by Stern’s wife.
Kuhn was hired by SiriusXM in 2022 as an office manager for The Howard Stern Show. The host’s 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 she was given a raise to $265,000.
In the lawsuit, Kuhn claims she was wrongly accused of misconduct detrimental to her reputation. She says her firing was actually a result of immense pressure caused by an animal foster group operated by Stern’s wife.
While negotiating her exit, Kuhn claims she was presented with an allegedly fraudulent confidentiality agreement she was told she signed last year. The sweeping document covers the personal affairs of anyone involved with One Twelve, including Stern’s family and friends, plus the host’s daily activities, personal habits and political affiliations, among other things. According to the complaint, Kuhn lived with Stern and his wife in their Southampton mansion since 2024, when she started to take on duties that included managing house staff and completing payroll.
Kuhn doesn’t seek 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 a 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 aired accusations that De Niro subjected her to vulgar comments and assigned her domestic duties, like buttoning his shirt and washing his sheets, despite her lofty executive title as vp of production and finance.
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