Advertisement
Advertisement

R.I.P. Eric the Actor: Stern show’s small man with big personality

Share

Today we gather on Twitter to say goodbye to a very well-known person you’ve probably never heard of.

Eric the Actor, the famously cantankerous caller and member of Howard Stern's notorious wack pack, died Saturday in Sacramento at age 39.

Diminutive and disabled, the actor, whose real name was Eric Lynch, stood just 3 feet 5 inches, weighed about 85 pounds and used a motorized wheelchair to get around. He suffered from a host of maladies, had a club foot, gnarled fingers and a bad heart.

He called into the Stern show 12 years ago to protest after Stern disparaged his favorite singer Kelly Clarkson. Stern promptly dubbed him “Eric the Midget” and was soon quizzing the then 27-year-old about whether he fantasized about having sex with regular sized women or small ones.

A star was born.

Although he protested the midget moniker, he came to embrace it, or at least appreciate it, after he found the modicum of fame being a Stern show regular brought. He insisted, though, on being called an actor.

He made guest appearances on the show "American Dreams," "Fringe", and "In Plain Sight." His list of demands for that latter appearance had Stern and his listeners howling. His rider for the four-line part included a two-bedroom suite at a five star hotel (four star acceptable if the pool and Jacuzzi area was nice,) no last-minute script changes, a personal assistant for his personal assistant, four 20-ounce Pepsi Colas per day and last, but not least, the following:

He does not want any contact with some of the dangerous wildlife that inhabit that region, such as black bears, mountain lions, coyotes, bobcats, spiders, werewolves or any venomous snakes.

Yup, you read that right - werewolves.

The rest, as they say, was radio show history, which included a free trip to Nevada's famous brothel The Bunny Ranch and a proposal to float him and his wheelchair into the stratosphere on balloons. He accepted the former, declined the latter.

Stern was genuinely sad when he announced the news on his SiriusXM radio show Monday morning. "I loved Eric. I truly, truly loved him," he said. "When Eric would call in, I got so excited because he was the greatest."

Ack, ack.

Bye for now. Eric the Actor has uttered his famous sign off for the last time.

R.I.P. Eric the Actor

Here is the call that started it all.

Just last month, Eric was nominated in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge by none other that Zac Efron, who named him along with other famous actors Matthew McConaughey and Rob Pattinson. Eric did not participate in the cold water dousing per his doctor's orders.

Efron and several other celebrities expressed their grief and disbelief at the inadvertent star's passing.





It was not just celebs who took to Twitter to commiserate and remember the cranky caller with the halting voice.





Tributes poured in.
And memories. Thanks for the memories, Eric. Even the Big Guy had something to say. Goodbye Eric. May you always be cranky and contentious as you rest in peace.
Advertisement