UPDATE: The Parents Television Council has come out against Howard Stern's involvement with the show.
"In an act of desperation by a flailing network, NBC has hired Howard Stern -- a performer who is synonymous with shock, profanity and obscenity -- as a judge on a prime-time talent competition," PTC president Tim Winter said, according to Entertainment Weekly.
Howard Stern has officially joined the judges panel for NBC's "America's Got Talent."
According to MTV, Stern made the announcement on his Sirius radio show. He was joined by his longtime manager Don Buchwald to sign the official contracts.
"I'm going to be Piers [Morgan] on steroids," Stern said. "It's going to be a no-nonsense judge ... I'm going to go there as a serious judge ... It's gonna be something else ... I am very excited."
Stern replaces Piers Morgan, who left the series after Season 6 to focus on his CNN program "Piers Morgan Tonight."
"I'm leaving America's Got Talent after 6 wonderful years," Morgan tweeted in early November. "Turned out that juggling's harder than it looks, so I'm going to focus on CNN."
“Howard Stern’s larger-than-life personality will bring a thrilling new dynamic to ‘America’s Got Talent’ starting this summer,” Paul Telegdy, president of alternative and late night programming at NBC said in a statement. “He’s a proven innovator and his track record in broadcasting is truly remarkable. Howard is very passionate about this show and is fully committed to its future success.”
News of Stern's involvement with the reality competition first broke shortly after Morgan made his announcement. Stern was reportedly asking for a $20 million payday to join the popular summer reality series, according to the New York Post.
On his radio show, Stern promised that the "goofy acts" of "America's Got Talent" are in for a surprise.
"This nonsense of Howie and Sharon putting through less than talented people has got to stop," Stern said. "Under my administration there will be no Frank Sinatra impersonators winning for the year."