Porn Valley- Fresh from an April Fool’s Day prank in which he had thousands of listeners convinced that he had been replaced by a couple of Ryan Seacrest clones, Howard Stern spoke today with Libertarian Party presidential candidate Aaron Russo, www.russoforpresident.com

An entrepreneurial businessman, Russo at the age of 24, according to his biography, built a nightclub in Chicago, The Kinetic Playground, which quickly became a tour stop for major rock bands, and made Russo the second most influential rock producer in America. He was the first to bring Led Zeppelin to America and produced shows with The Who, Grateful Dead, Rod Stewart, and countless other performers of that caliber. Soon after, Russo began to manage Bette Midler, then a struggling entertainer.

Russo then produced his first motion picture “The Rose” starring Midler, for which she received an Oscar nomination for best actress in her very first film. He went on to produce “Trading Places” starring Dan Aykroyd and Eddie Murphy for which he won the NAACP award for best picture.

Russo decided to run for Governor of Nevada in the 1998 election, even though he had never run for or held a political office. Against all odds, he received 26% of the vote in a four-way race in the Republican primary, while building the largest grassroots volunteer organization in Nevada gubernatorial history.

As the result of his support in Nevada, Russo helped mobilize a large enough coalition of people to vote to legalize the medical use of marijuana against the Governor’s opposition. He was geared to run again for the 2002 gubernatorial election in Nevada, but withdrew to battle cancer. Russo successfully battled bladder cancer, using alternative medicine, combined with surgery.

Russo told Stern that the U.S. under Bush was becoming a fascist police state and that he could make a big difference. “We always say the Libertarians can’t win,” Russo commented. “But the fact of the matter is if you vote Republican or Democrat, nothing’s going to change. Nobody’s going to give you freedom of speech any more. We have free speech zones in America today and you’re not part of the free speech zone. The FCC’s a joke.”

Harping on his fascist theme, Russo said that’s the direction the country is taking. “Corporations and government now work together to hurt the people.” Stern was in agreement with everything that Russo had said so far but believes that if he wants to get Bush out of office he has to deal with the current system.

“Here’s the problem- if everyone of my listeners voted for you and you got 8, 9, 10, 11 million votes which would be a real statement, but still Bush would be president. These are people who would potentially vote for Kerry. Kerry’s no friend of mine, either. I don’t see him coming out and saying I’m for free speech.”

Russo said he was on FOX TV the other day explaining how he thought Kerry and Bush were the same person. “No matter which point of view you look at it, they’re both the same.” Russo then ran off a list noting that both Kerry and Bush voted America into war with Iraq.

“They both voted for The Patriot Act,” Russo continued. “They both overspend, they both fight against medical marijuana; they both fight gay marriage. They’re both supporting a military draft. They both support the Federal Reserve. Neither one of them has gone to the FCC to help you one iota.” Stern conceded that Russo was correct on all those points but seemed unenthused.

Stern also noted that Kerry had the same privileged background as did Bush.

“Except Kerry’s character, at least- he went to Vietnam. He served, then he came home and he objected to a war that he thought was unjust. Bush on the other hand used every single opportunity and every weapon in his arsenal especially his father and got out of the war and to this day won’t admit that he used his father’s influence.”

Stern also pointed out how Bush bankrupted three companies. Russo jumped in by saying that Kerry bankrupted America, whatever that meant, he didn’t explain. Stern continued with saying how Bush got in cozy with the Clear Channel. “He’s basically in bed with the Religious Right. He’s against stem cell research. Kerry’s for stem cell research. Bush is anti-abortion. Kerry is not. There’s differences.”

Russo said the differences in his mind are minutiae compared to the direction the country is headed. Stern also pointed out that Kerry is sensitive to environmental issues where Bush “enjoys raping the land- he gets pleasure out of it.” Stern also claims that Bush has taken more vacation than any president in the history of the world. [Obviously Stern wasn’t around during the Eisenhower administration.]

Stern told Russo that he liked what he was saying. “I want you as president because I would love to have a guy there who sounds like a human being.” Stern then asked Russo if he and Bette Midler had some falling out. “If you can’t have peace with Bette Midler, how can there be peace in the Middle East during your presidency?” Russo laughed saying that he and Midler were worse than Jews and Arabs.

However Stern said he was going with Kerry because he wants Bush out of office. “I feel he’s behind a lot of hot lining indecency acts.” Russo countered by saying the truth of the matter was the war wasn’t going to stop. “Kids are still going to be dying overseas. You’re going to have The Patriot Act.” Russo claims that Kerry, on his website, is calling for forced national service. “Conscription.” Stern said the same thing holds truth for Bush, and Russo said Stern was making his point. Stern said a vote for Russo was a wasted vote.

“If you want to bring change to America,” Russo answered, “if you want to bring your freedoms back, a wasted vote is voting for two parties that have caused that to happen. Nothing will change by voting for Kerry or Bush.” On the other hand, Stern said Bush will be in office if Stern votes for Russo. Russo said even if it went the other way and Kerry won, nothing will change. “Is the war going away? Is the Patriot Act going away? Or you going to have less FCC regulations? Is anybody going to support smoking marijuana in this country?”

Changing the subject, Stern wanted to know why Midler once poured hot coffee on Russo. “How did you find that one out?” Russo bellowed and admitted that he had sex with Midler. Asked how that was, Russo said Midler was quite the woman. “I really loved that woman. She was a great, great woman and she was very sexually active back then.”

Russo said they broke up because it’s very hard having a business relationship with someone and living together. “I was a young guy and very jealous and she was out becoming a star. She wanted to run around. I didn’t like it.” It was pointed out in an unauthorized biography of Midler that Russo apparently beat up Midler.

Russo said following advice, he refused to do an interview with the author.

“I said I’m not going to do it and the guy said I’m going to get you. And they really went after me in the book. Bette’s originally quote was that he [Russo] beat me psychologically. We beat each other psychologically. We had a very tumultuous relationship.”

Stern was curios if Geraldo was in the sexual mix. “He was waiting in the wings,” Russo answered. According to Russo, Geraldo forced Midler into something. “Him and his partner. I’m not saying anything that wasn’t in the papers.” Stern wondered if that meant Rivera “raped” Midler psychologically and wondered what made Midler so great in bed. Russo acknowledged that Midler wasn’t exactly a classic beauty. “But she has a beautiful figure.” Russo said he probably would have married her. “I would have taken a bullet for her.”

Stating that Russo would make a wild president, Stern observed that all that dirt was going to be dragged out. “It came out when I ran for governor,” Russo said. “There’s nothing there. I’m a straight up guy. I believe in freedom. I believe in the Bill of Rights.”

It was also pointed out that with his music and movie credits, Russo has actually accomplished something whereas Kerry married the Heinz fortune and Bush hasn’t worked a day in his life.