Stuttering John Melendez Files Lawsuit Against Podcasters for Unauthorized Recordings

Stuttering John Melendez has initiated legal action against podcasters Karl Heberger and Shuli Egar, alleging they secretly recorded his voice and exploited his identity for profit. The lawsuit, filed in Manhattan Supreme Court, claims the comedians used “illegally recorded private phone calls” to ridicule him during their podcast and live events.

At 59, Melendez is a prominent figure in the comedy and broadcasting world, known for his distinctive voice and persona developed over decades. His rise to fame began on the Howard Stern show, where he gained notoriety for his provocative questions directed at celebrities.

In the August 7 filing, Melendez emphasized that his name and likeness carry substantial fame and goodwill, contrasting it with Heberger and Egar’s lesser-known status. Egar, who worked alongside Melendez on Stern's show until 2024, has been accused of participating in this alleged exploitation.

The lawsuit centers around an event called “DabbleCon 2,” held in Rochester last August, which catered to fans of internet gossip. During this event, Heberger and Egar reportedly shared excerpts from private conversations between Melendez and comedian Kate Meaney, where he made unsolicited advances.

Melendez asserts that the duo has consistently used these recordings, along with his image and personal materials, as central elements of their podcast and comedy performances. Furthermore, he claims they trespassed on his Los Angeles property to retrieve discarded sofa cushions from an old couch, which they displayed as a “comedic exhibit” at the Rochester event.

According to Melendez, the cushions were showcased for attendees to photograph and mock, treating his “discarded trash as a trophy.” He argues that this act was designed to humiliate him while creating an oddly intimate connection with their audience.

In response to the lawsuit, Heberger dismissed it as “completely frivolous and without merit,” labeling it an “asinine attempt at a money-grab.” Egar echoed this sentiment, describing the lawsuit as a “sad attempt from a sad man to make money.”

This is not Melendez’s first legal battle over his voice; in 2020, he sued SiriusXM for allegedly exploiting his name and voice after leaving the company following a 15-year tenure. That case ended unfavorably for him.

Heberger criticized Melendez’s intelligence, stating, “John is not an intelligent man. We’ve watched him make the same mistakes over and over.”

Melendez’s career includes a stint on “The Howard Stern Show” from 1988 to 2004 before becoming the announcer for “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno,” where he remained until 2014. In 2018, he launched “The Stuttering John Podcast,” gaining notoriety for a prank call to President Trump. The podcast concluded in December, after which he shifted focus to stand-up performances and Cameo videos.