Last night, a pants-less Howard Stern appeared on Late Show with David Letterman to promote Sirius Satellite Radio and reveal his latest scheme to épater le bourgeois: Stealing Oprah Winfrey's best friend, Gayle King.

Stern told Letterman he and girlfriend Beth Ostrosky recently got the cold shoulder at a holiday party at Bryant Gumbel's New York apartment from many of his on-air targets who were also in attendance—the likes of Al Roker (whom Stern insists has stomach staples), Spike Lee, Kelly Ripa, and Gayle King.

It was King, though, who broke the ice and chatted him up. "Lovely woman," Stern gushed. "I'm starting to realize why Oprah loves this Gayle King. This woman is so engaging ... I can't believe it. I go, What if I was to steal Oprah's best friend?"

He may have his work cut out for him. Earlier this year, Winfrey wrote in her O magazine, "I understand why people think [King and I are] gay ... There isn't a definition in our culture for this kind of bond between women. So I get why people have to label it—how can you be this close without it being sexual?"

Then again, King might be drawn to Stern's outrageous side. She did come under some fire earlier this month for admitting to using the dreaded N-word, something not unheard of on Stern's show. They could be buddies so long as Stern lays off King's homegirl, O.

"I gotta talk about Oprah," Stern told Letterman. "I'm not changing for anybody."