By Jeffrey Mitchell

HOLLYWOOD, CA (Hollywood Today) 3/11/08 — A conflict in the hallways of the Howard Stern studio caused a shakeup for the show when the popular shock jock’s sidekick Artie Lange walked out, offering his resignation to Stern, which Stern quickly accepted. It did not appear to be a publicity stunt, as bad blood fueled the live incident and replays of the show were replaced with old programming.

The outburst centered around an assistant of Lange’s, who was setting up a travel schedule for Lange in a scheduled visit to Amsterdam. The battle ended with Lange lashing out verbally at his assistant Teddy, and then eventually attempting to physically attack him, when at that time others in the studio had to intervene. Lange was said to be so angry and out of control that Teddy would be “dead” if he had been able to get at him and he would have ended up in jail.

Stern smelling an opportunity, when told about the escalating incident, asked Teddy on the air to talk about it.

The incident appears to have left the “shock jock” Stern stunned. Replays of the show scheduled throughout Thursday were replaced with programming from earlier in the week and there is no mention of Thursday’s show on the daily recap feature at Stern’s website.

“I’m flabbergasted … Artie is clearly out of control with this,” Stern said on the air after Lange charged after his assistant in what the comic claimed was a dispute over money. “That was crazy what I just saw. I don’t understand it. I don’t approve of it and I don’t know what I’m going to do about it.”

Stern’s brand of reality radio often leads to his staff airing their dirty laundry on the air. “Howard, you like fightin’. You’re getting fightin’ man,” Lange yelled at Stern.

Lange’s assistant, who also works as a board-operator for Stern’s Sirius channels, is not the first Stern show staffer on the receiving end of Lange’s fury.

In November 2007, Lange hurled a CD case and threatened to beat up show participant Sal “The Stockbroker” Governale after he took exception to Governale’s criticism of Lange’s film “Beer League.”

Shortly after that incident, the former “MadTV” star promised Stern that he would no longer let his temper get the best of him.

Lange wouldn’t make the same promise Thursday, telling Stern: “I can’t guarantee that won’t happen again.”

Stern replied: “Then you can’t be here anymore.”

Lange then offered his resignation, which Stern accepted.

“That was awful,” Stern said after Lange left the studio.

Lange’s battle with drugs and alcohol have been well-chronicled on the show and colleagues have been concerned for his health both on the air and behind the scenes. The New Jersey-based comic, whose weight has ballooned to nearly 300 pounds since Stern’s show moved to Sirius in 2006, has often complained about the rigors of the morning show’s schedule. On Wednesday, Lange slept through part of the broadcast on a bed set up in the studio.

Thursday’s resignation was not the first time Lange has flirted with quitting the show on the air. In 2007, Lange said he would leave the show for a 6-month sabbatical to “dry out,” only to return along with the rest of Stern’s crew after the show’s week-long summer break.

Fans will have to wait and see if Lange’s announced resignation will hold this time. Stern’s show does not broadcast live on Friday and will be on vacation next week.