Howard Stern made his mark in entertainment with his work in radio and hosting, but one of his lesser-remembered projects was an executive-produced parody of what was once the most watched TV show in the world: “Baywatch.”
Created by David Morgasen, Timothy Stack, and “The Carol Burnett Show” writer James R. Stein, the 2000 series was titled “Son of the Beach.” The show starred Stack as Notchibald “Notch” Johnson, the older and out-of-shape leader of a band of lifeguards called the Shore Patrol Force 30 (yes, a play on the sun protection factor of sunscreen, SPF 30).
Notch was a clear-cut parody of beloved “Baywatch” character Mitch Buchannon, originally played by David Hasselhoff. Mitch is everything Notch isn’t, despite Notch’s peers thinking he’s something of a hunk, while the rest of Notch’s team embodies a host of comedy-driven stereotypes.
The series aired for three seasons, from 2000 to 2002, on FX.
Son of the Beach had Howard Stern’s signature all over it
The “Baywatch” parody “Son of the Beach” saw several celebrity guest stars over the course of its three seasons on the water. Celebrity guests were hardly foreign territory for Howard Stern, whose radio shows regularly welcomed famous faces. The series’ roster included Mark Hamill, Jason Alexander, George Takei, Maureen McCormick, and Neil Patrick Harris.
No matter who was guesting on the series, “Son of the Beach” was a spoof in every sense of the word, even down to its title. The show’s outlandish sense of humor and tone heavily relied on sex jokes, existing clichés, and parodies of other properties within its plotlines, giving the series plenty of Stern’s signature brand of raunchy comedy.
But since airing in the early aughts, “Son of the Beach” has fallen out of cultural memory for many. As of this writing, the series isn’t available to stream on any major streaming services.