BELOVED Howard Stern-sidekick Artie Lange says he's leaving the radio broadcast next January after more than six years with the radio program.

Lange made the announcement yesterday, live on the air, stunning his colleagues and even catching Stern off guard.

"I just feel burned out," Lange told The Post. He has been juggling the pre-dawn hours of "Stern," a brutal stand-up comedy touring schedule, a recurring role on "Rescue Me" and a guest spot on "Entourage."

All the work comes just as Lange tries to battle a long-term drug and alcohol addiction, depression and poor eating habits that have pushed his weight to over 300 lbs.

"Nothing is set in stone, but it's something I'm seriously thinking about. The schedule is destroying me. I love the show, and I love the people. I'm just really concerned about my health," he says.

During a recent physical, a doctor told Lange that he needed to make some sort of a change in lifestyle or risk death. "I have to find a happy balance . . . none of this is going to be worth it if I drop dead at a Best Western in Milwaukee," he says.

I was going to post something about this yeasterday, since I heard it live as it happened. In fact, I listened to the rebraodcast later that afternoon.

I really hope Artie changes his mind. He's a funny guy and has contributed so much since he joined the show.

Unfortunalty, he has a lot of personal demons he needs to get out of his system. The only way he can do that (and Howard and Robin told him this yesterday) was to get some therapy. He has a lot of unresolved issues in his life that he needs to address before he does kill himself.

Don't go Artie!

I was going to post something about this yeasterday, since I heard it live as it happened. In fact, I listened to the rebraodcast later that afternoon.

I really hope Artie changes his mind. He's a funny guy and has contributed so much since he joined the show.

Unfortunalty, he has a lot of personal demons he needs to get out of his system. The only way he can do that (and Howard and Robin told him this yesterday) was to get some therapy. He has a lot of unresolved issues in his life that he needs to address before he does kill himself.

Don't go Artie!
I listened to the broadcast myself. I really like Artie. He is funny as hell on that show. His personal well-being must come first and that is the first step he is trying to address. Good Luck Artie!

I know Howard will miss his side kick and friend

Artie is staying put...that whole rant is just artie being artie

As a Yankee fan, the story Artie told on Letterman last week about him and his father rushing onto the field when the Yanks won the World Series in '77 was one of the best "Yankee fan" stories I've ever heard.

He said when people started rushing onto the field, he expected his father to cover him up and start heading for the exit - instead his father turned to him and went "Meet you at short!" and ran onto the field lol Artie said it is one of the highlights of his life.

Howard Stern lost most of his listeners when he went to pay radio and I heard he's nowhere near as good as he used to be.

On the contrary, I think Howard's show has gotten better since he jumped to Sirius.

I love Artie. I hope that he can get the help he needs. If that means taking a lengthly sabbatical, so be it.

On the contrary, I think Howard's show has gotten better since he jumped to Sirius.

I love Artie. I hope that he can get the help he needs. If that means taking a lengthly sabbatical, so be it.


:yeahthat