Jennifer Lopez confronts Howard Stern after years of him trashing her on-air

Jennifer Lopez made her first-ever appearance on The Howard Stern Show this week — a long time coming after the shock jock spent years taking aim at her looks, talent and relationships.

Stern has a long history of mocking Lopez on-air. Back in 2001, he tore into her Academy Award dress, saying it ‘looks like a potato sack’.

Around the same time, he slammed her vocals, claiming her singing sounded like karaoke and proved she ‘wasn’t a great singer,’ per Alternative Nation.

By 2012, he was still at it, dismissing her as ‘the worst judge out there’ during her stint on American Idol. 

He even ridiculed her romance with Ben Affleck in 2003, calling it ‘ridiculous but real,’ per the outlet.

Despite years of public jabs, the 56-year-old Kiss of the Spider Woman star put on a brave face to finally join Stern on his SiriusXM show Wednesday.

Stern has a long history of mocking Lopez on air. Back in 2000, he tore into her MTV Awards outfit, saying it ‘looks like a potato sack’

Lopez opened the interview by admitting, ‘I was always scared to come on the show.’

But fans were surprised when she revealed it wasn’t because of his past comments — it was because she worried she might ‘say something’ she regrets.

As it turned out, the two didn’t dwell on past digs and hit it off immediately. 

Lopez candidly discussed everything from her dating life and fame to getting older — and even revealed the one movie role she regrets turning down. 

Howard opened the interview by asking Lopez whether fame made it harder to date other celebrities, and she appeared to hint at her recent split from Ben Affleck.

Lopez filed for divorce from Affleck in August 2024 — roughly two years after their reunion and July 2022 wedding.

The couple had originally dated and been engaged nearly 20 years earlier. 

‘It’s difficult to be under that microscope,’ she agreed.

Despite years of public jabs, the 56-year-old Kiss of the Spider Woman star put on a brave face to finally join Stern on his SiriusXM show Wednesday

Back in 2001, Stern tore into her Academy Award dress, saying it ‘looks like a potato sack’

By 2012, Stern was still at it, dismissing Lopez as ‘the worst judge out there’ during her stint on American Idol 

Howard pressed, ‘Does it seem like everything is doomed from the beginning?’

‘No, I don’t feel that,’ she quickly replied. 

‘I feel that the right person who can handle that and… I think I made mistakes… in the sense that I live my life very out loud… even though I’m in the public eye.

‘And I wanted to share my life with someone. I want someone to be there to share my big important moments on the red carpet. 

‘So I didn’t hide from it. And I spoke about it. And I think now, after what’s happened in the past few years to me and to my children, I feel like… I just want to keep that part so much more quiet in my life.’

She continued, ‘When you have this level of fame, there is a compromise… cause its a very blessed life… that one of the trade offs… you have to learn to navigate your personal life and my personal life has suffered at times because of that.’

‘And now I realize that you have to change, you have to change your behavior’… if you want to have a successful relationship in your life.’

Stern then pivoted, asking, ‘Was there ever a time you wanted that guy and didn’t get him?’

Lopez opened the interview by admitting, ‘I was always scared to come on the show’ (pictured in October) 

Howard opened the interview by asking Lopez whether fame made it harder to date other celebrities, and she appeared to hint at her recent split from Ben Affleck

Lopez laughed as she replied, ‘There was one guy that I had my eye on… and I kind of threw it out there and he didn’t pick it up. I won’t say his name… but this was… 10 years ago…’

She continued, ‘Yeah, he didn’t respond back and I was just like “ok”. I just kind of moved on. I regret saying this already. I was very subtle so maybe they didn’t pick up the signal.’

As for the one movie she regrets turning down?

‘Adrian Lyne’s Unfaithful,’ she answered, referring to the 2002 thriller role that eventually went to Diane Lane opposite Richard Gere.

Lopez admitted she passed on it ‘because the script wasn’t good… and then Lyne made it great’.

The cordiality between Stern and Lopez came as quite a shock, given that the shock jock has repeatedly targeted her with scathing remarks over the last two decades. 

He slammed her red carpet outfits, saying her MTV Awards look made her ‘look like a hippo’.

Stern mocked her singing, claiming her rendition of ‘You Belong to Me’ sounded like karaoke and proved she ‘isn’t a great singer’.

He also dismissed her acting and cop show projects as unconvincing. 

Stern once publicly admitted he ‘can’t stand her’ because she ‘just rubs him the wrong way’.

Despite all of this, Lopez was a good sport during her first appearance on the show, proving she could handle Stern’s tough love with grace and humor. 

She even closed the interview with a simple, ‘You’re a gentleman, you’re kind,’ directed at Stern.