Howard Stern Regrets How He Treated Robin Williams

Over the last few years Howard Stern has become a kinder and gentler "King of all Media."

The shock jock repaired feuds with Chevy Chase, Rosie O'Donnell (who is now a legitimate friend of the show), and even Kathie Lee Gifford. One star he never mended fences with was the recently-deceased Robin Williams.

Stern opened his show Tuesday expressing regret for how he treated the comedian back in his terrestrial radio days.

"Back in those days I really felt [that] I wasn't being malicious, but I felt a lot of pressure when a guest would come in," I never could give the microphone fully over to a guest and even allow my curiosity about a person [to] come through ... Anyone who was in my studio was just a prop for me ... I was a bit of an asshole in a lot of ways with guests," he said on the air. "I wasn't rude with Robin Williams, but I asked some questions that perhaps went into areas that he had enough of ...I think my whole demeanor and attitude was just shi****.

I wasn't trying to be mean to Robin Williams. I was just trying to be provocative and interesting for the audience, and doing what it is that I thought had to be done.

And I was an immature asshole. And so that always haunted me."

Stern also said that he had been planning to reach out to Williams to apologize, not on the air, just to clear the air man to man.