A day after the Columbine High School massacre in Littleton , Colorado on April 20 , 1999 , Stern 's comments regarding the incident drew criticism from some listeners . " There were some really good looking girls running out with their hands over their heads ... Did the suspects try to have sex with any of the good looking girls ? ... At least if you are going to kill yourself and kill all the kids , why would n't you have some sex ? ... If I was going to kill some people , I 'd take them out with sex . " Hundreds complained to KXPK , the show 's affiliate in Denver . Stern argued his comments were taken out of context , and accused critics of being overly sensitive . " I dared to ask if kids had sex . So what ? That 's how I think . I had zero intent to make fun of the situation . The point in making that comment was an attempt to try to understand a motive . We did n't know anything about motives the morning after and were trying to consider all possibilities . " Stern made headlines after former child star Dana Plato committed suicide one day after visiting the show . Plato had been living in Tulsa , Oklahoma , surrounded by rumors of her sexuality and drug abuse , which became the biggest topic of the interview . After telling Stern she had been sober for over a decade and denying rumors about her lesbian relationship , some callers accused her of lying . At some point Stern suggested that Plato do a urinalysis to prove them wrong , while Plato agreed to give a hair sample for analysis . Plato was crying several times , mostly while offering her gratitude to callers who believed everything she had said . Stern also asked her if she had ever considered suicide to which she replied , " Hell no . I 've got a beautiful boy . I 'm OK in my skin . I 'm OK with who I am . " Plato died of a drug overdose the next day
Columbine High School massacre
Columbine High School massacre
The Howard Stern Show