John Melendez Net Worth: Career & Lifestyle

John Melendez

An American radio personality, podcaster, comedian, singer, and writer John Melendez’s net worth is $5 million. 

Melendez gained recognition after appearing on “The Howard Stern Show” from 1988 through 2004. He started out as an intern but was eventually hired on as staff.

John gained fame for asking irritating and disrespectful questions to celebrities at red carpet events.

John Melendez
John Melendez (Source: Reuters)

He departed the program to take the announcer role on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” and further worked with him on his later shows.

In April 2018, Melendez started his podcast, “The Stuttering John Podcast.”

John Melendez | Quick Facts

As of March 2024, John Melendez’s net worth is a massive $5 million. Let’s look at quick facts to understand more about John Melendez.

Birth Name John Edward Melendez
Professional Name John Melendez
Nick Name Stuttering John
Birth Date October 4, 1965
Age 58 Years Old
Birth Place Massapequa, New York, USA
Height 1.73 m/5 feet 8 inches
Weight 54 kg/119 lbs.
Religion Christian
Gender Male
Nationality American
Body Type Average
Eye Color Dark Brown
Hair Color Black
Profession Radio Personality, Comedian, Singer, Actor, Writer, Announcer, Podcaster
Genres Alternative/Indie
Instrument Vocal, Guitar
Horoscope Libra
Ethnicity White
Net Worth  $5 Million
High School Plainedge High School
College New York University
Label
  • Atlantic Records
  • Razor & Tie
Distinctive Feature 
  • Stuttering
  • Big Smile
Sexual Orientation Straight
Marital Status Divorced
Spouse Suzanna Keller (M. 1997- Div. 2012)
Children  3
Active Since 1988-Present
Social Media Twitter, Instagram
Last Update March 2024

John Melendez | Net Worth and Income

Multi-talented radio personality, actor, comedian, and screenwriter John Melendez’s net worth is a whopping $5 million.

John’s fame grew as Stern’s morning radio show extended nationwide. His pranks became well-known to the show’s 15 million listeners.

In 1994, Stern was paying him a salary of $20,000 annually.

During this time, Melendez also obtained a record deal with Atlantic Records and released a self-titled album simultaneously.

As his character was more loved on “The Howard Stern Show,” he developed a prolonged beef with afternoon DJ Lee Mroszak.

Eventually, the two engaged in a boxing match, with John coming out on top by a unanimous decision.

The event was advertised as “The Flunky vs. the Junkie,” and 2,500 tickets went on sale for $100 apiece. It occurred on May 31, 2002, at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City.

He departed “The Howard Stern Show” in 2004 to take a job as an announcer for Jay Leno‘s show.

It was arguably the right moment for John to depart as his red carpet interviews no longer worked because he had become a well-known person.

This caused a feud between Howard and him.

John made a statement about his low pay when working for Stern four years later, which caused more differences between Stern and Melendez’s relationship.

In 2004, he served as a correspondent and a sketch performer for “The Tonight Show.”

With “The Jay Leno Show” in 2009, he reconnected with Leno.

Furthermore, Melendez served as an executive producer for “The Stephanie Miller Show.”

Later, his role was cut to one hour on Fridays per week, and as of fall 2016, he was no longer a part of the program.

Net Worth of John Melendez in Different Currencies

Let’s look into John Melendez’s net worth in different currencies, including the cryptocurrency Bitcoin.

Currency Net Worth
Euro € 4,905,675
Pound Sterling £ 4,109,500
Australian Dollar A$ 7,147,000
Canadian Dollar C$ 6,405,675
Indian Rupee ₹ 397,822,750
Bitcoin ฿ 209.91

John Melendez | Houses

As of March 2024, John Melendez’s net worth is a massive $5 million.

John purchased a beautiful house in Calabasas, California, for $2.7 million in 2005.

The 5-bed, 6-bath, 6,423 square feet house is currently worth $5-6 million.

John Melendez | Lifestyle

Multi-millionaire radio personality, writer, and podcaster John Melendez live a luxurious life with a net worth of $5 million.

He is married to Suzanna Keller, who is the mother of their three children. However, the couple separated in October 2011 and got divorced in 2012.

Moreover, John has been in a number of controversies in his career.

A.J. Benza became famous for slapping Melendez in 2001 on a live episode of “The Howard Stern Show.” As a result, Benza was prohibited from appearing on the show.

During an episode of “The Stuttering John Podcast” in 2018, John stated that he had made a prank call to Air Force One and was able to speak with the president directly.

Melendez claimed that while impersonating New Jersey Senator Robert Menendez, he chatted with former President Donald Trump on a variety of topics, including the Supreme Court.

He tweeted shortly after the call that “Secret Service” agents were at his home and questioned him.

Later, the White House confirmed that there had been a security breach.

John Melendez and Donald Trump
John Melendez and Donald Trump (Source: Decider)

The administration was trying to discover how John managed to reach the president.

Since then, Melendez has asserted that the Secret Service invited him to a meeting in the city, which prompted him to seek legal advice from two lawyers.

Furthermore, John sued Sirius XM in 2021, alleging that it had improperly capitalized on his fame on Stern-specific channels. Sirius XM was successful in having the case dismissed.

He claimed that Sirius XM had used his name, persona, and voice from earlier recordings without his consent to add listeners and sell advertising. He sought an undisclosed amount in damages.

However, the Manhattan U.S. District Judge tossed the case with presumptive dismissal, which means it cannot be brought up again.

John Melendez | Charity

John has supported a few charities and initiatives in his career.

He is a massive supporter of “The Stuttering Foundation,” which was founded in 1947.

It aims to offer information and assistance available for young children’s stuttering prevention and the best treatment options for adults.

Melendez tried his hand in the Findlay Auto Group-sponsored “Celebrity Spin Zone” in 2017 in an effort to raise funds for the “Foundation for an Independent Tomorrow.”

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John Melendez | Movies, Book, and Investments

Movies

After gaining fame on the radio, John gradually began to explore the world of acting. He met his future wife while performing in the Off-Broadway production of “Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding.”

Along the way, he landed parts in films including “Airheads” (1994), “Meet Wally Sparks” (1997), “Dude, Where’s My Car?” (2000), “Osmosis Jones” (2001), and “Private Parts” (1997).

He additionally had an appearance on “Headbangers Ball” on MTV, “TMI Hollywood” (2014), and “The Playboy Morning Show” (2014).

John Melendez Film Poster
John Melendez Film Poster (Source: Plex)

Similarly, John also made appearances on TV programs like “Wings” (1990), “Baywatch Nights” (1995), and the 2003 season of “I’m a Celebrity… Take Me Away From Here!”

Melendez made an appearance on “Fear Factor: Celebrity Fear Factor” (2006) and provided the voice of “Bob” for the Sci-Fi channel animated series “Tripping the Rift” (2004).

Moreover, John produced, wrote, and performed in his own full-length film, “One, Two, Many,” in 2008.

Books

John has released a book and established himself as a published writer.

In 2018, he wrote and published his debut book called “Easy for You to Say.”

The memoir tells the story of his childhood and his career in the entertainment business.

Investments

As of March 2024, John Melendez’s net worth is a massive $5 million.

His investments are all within the entertainment industry.

He launched “The Stuttering John Podcast” in April 2018. The podcast has been extremely successful and has attracted a number of listeners.

After his prank with the ex-president was viral, he signed a contract for a docuseries with “The Idea Factory” in 2018.

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John Melendez | Career

John enrolled in New York University’s film program and formed a rock band in 1988. He shared a room with comic Mitch Fatel while in college.

Mitch was an intern at “The Howard Stern Show” at the time and suggested Melendez as a successor when he left.

Howard Stern hired him without ever meeting or speaking with him, even though he was aware of John’s stuttering issue.

Melendez was in charge of taking calls and interviewing listeners before they could go on air.

John Podcast Poster (Source: Audible.com)
John Podcast Poster (Source: Audible.com)

John was given greater attention as time went by. He was given the task of confronting celebrities at red carpet events and asking inappropriate questions.

Celebrities often accepted the interview, probably out of sympathy for John’s stuttering issue.

Celebs eventually learned to avoid Melendez after he established himself as a well-known presence at these red carpet events.

After that, he began to use disguises and continued. He was famous for using fedoras, long coats, and fake mustaches as disguises.

Some Interesting Facts About John Melendez

  • John decided to run for the California U.S. Senate in 2017 but ultimately left.
  • He began to stutter for the first time in the second grade as a result of psychological abuse from his father.
  • Melendez did not have a good high school experience because of his speech problem.

FAQs

Has the relationship between John Melendez and Howard Stern improved?

Their relationship has remained sour since he departed from Stern’s radio show.

How long did John Melendez work for Howard Stern?

He worked for more than 15 years on “The Howard Stern Show.”

What is John Melendez doing now?

He hosts his own podcast and is working on docuseries on his previous work.

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