HOWARD STERN IS NO OPRAH WINFREY

Piers Morgan Tuesday night lost more than a third of his premiere audience as 1.3 million watched his interview with shock jock Howard Stern versus 2.1 million who watched Monday’s interview with Oprah Winfrey. Fox News’s Hannity, which edged out Morgan on Monday with an interview with Sarah Palin that attracted 2.2 million, retained those viewers on Tuesday with Dr. Laura Schlessinger. However, in the news demographic that counts — viewers 25-54 — Morgan’s numbers actually rose thanks to Stern, totaling 551,000 and wound up beating Hannity‘s 506,000. In an interview with CNN blogger Steve Krakauer following his appearance on Morgan’s show, Stern expressed amazement that Morgan was even able to talk. “I only thought he knew how to hit a buzzer and tell people they suck” (a reference to his role as a judge on America’s Got Talent).