‘Baywatch’ alum Nicole Eggert still horrified by ‘mistreatment’ during 1995 Howard Stern interview

See more of our coverage in your search results. Howard Stern’s career-making “shock jock” antics did lasting damage, according to a new book. While his stunts were often brushed off as “just a joke,” it seems that some participants are still feeling their sting decades later — with “Baywatch” star Nicole Eggert saying she wishes she could “reach out and hug” her younger self who sat in Stern’s studio. Eggert — who appeared in a 1995 interview in which Stern criticized her outfit and demanded, “I want you in a bikini” — spoke with author Greg Prato for his “The Great American Nightmare: An Oral History of The Howard Stern Show,” saying, “I was very programmed to just go in and just let it slide off your back.” Former “Baywatch” star Nicole Eggert, pictured here alongside co-star Pamela Anderson, revealed her traumatic experience on the “Howard Stern Show” in new book. Getty Images Eggert claims Stern criticized her outfit and demanded, “I want you in a bikini” when she appeared on his show in 1995. Courtesy Everett Collection Eggert says she felt pressured to go along because Stern’s show was No. 1 and turning down the appearance could anger the people managing her career. She also wasn’t comfortable with some of his questions, saying the studio wasn’t a “safe environment.” “Watching old clips of the show and seeing how many women were treated – or more fittingly, mistreated – is also shocking,” Eggert says in the book. Eggert, pictured here more recently, rewatched her interview decades later and recalled thinking, “I wish I could just like, reach out and hug that girl.” Getty Images for Cindy Eckert Howard Stern, pictured here, is under fresh heat from former employees and guests who claim there was a dark side to his show. Eric Kowalsky / BACKGRID Rewatching her own interview decades later left her cringing. “I wish I could just like, reach out and hug that girl,” she says, adding that while she had thick skin, other women might not be as resilient. Still, Eggert says she doesn’t regret appearing and takes pride in refusing to put on a bikini. Meanwhile, some Stern staffers say in the book that they regret their part in the show’s more extreme moments. Former show personality Chaunce Hayden recalls bringing in the ashes of Debbie Tay, a fan favorite who died of a drug overdose in 1995, for an on-air memorial. Stern, pictured here with his wife Beth, is already under fire for laying off employees and scaling back show time, while reportedly making an estimated $8,000 per minute on air himself. Getty Images for SiriusXM Former show personality Chaunce Hayden, pictured here, says he has regrets about things he did during his time working for the show – which has left him traumatized. Getty Images Hayden says Stern pulled bone fragments from the box and joked about them on camera. Debbie’s family later filed an $8 million lawsuit against Hayden, Stern and Infinity Broadcasting. The case settled before trial, but the final amount was never publicly confirmed. “It was terrible,” Hayden says. “I do regret it.” The news comes as Stern is already under fire for laying off employees and scaling back show time, while reportedly making an estimated $8,000 per minute on air himself. Community Guidelines Welcome to the Page Six Community! Our community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations. We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas in a safe space. In order to do so, we've created a simple set of rules that will improve your experience. Simply put, keep it civil. Your post will/might be rejected if it contains: Spam Insults, profanity, incoherent, obscene or inflammatory language and threats of any kind Attacks on the identity of other commenters or the article's author User accounts will/might be blocked if we notice: Continuous attempts to re-post comments that have been previously moderated/rejected Racist, sexist, or homophobic comments Attempts or tactics that put the site security at risk So, how can you be a power user? Stay on topic and share your passion. Feel free to elaborate to get your point across. 'Like' or 'Dislike' when you are filled with emotions! Protect your community. Use the report tool to alert us when someone breaks the rules. Thanks for reading our community guidelines. Don't forget, freedom of speech is not the freedom of reach!