Howard Stern explains mysterious absence: I had the flu

Radio personality Howard Stern speaks during a news conference in New York February 28, 2006. (Reuters)

Even celebrities need to take sicks days.

Howard Stern explained where he was last week after his absence from his radio show set off a frenzy.

"There was a lot of speculation, 'Where was I on Wednesday?'" Stern said on his SiriusXM show Monday. "Many people pointed out that me taking what they call a 'personal day,' by the way, I never said 'personal day.' I didn’t take a personal day, I took a sick day and I’m still sick, you can still hear it in my voice."

Fans of the radio host expressed their concern after Stern abruptly announced he would not be on his Wednesday show saying Stern had never taken a day off previously.

"Why was it such a big deal that I took a f--king day off?" he said Monday. "I wanted to take off today because my voice is still shot, but I was afraid to. I felt so f--king guilty. I missed a day of work and all of a sudden it’s bigger news than James Comey."

The 63-year-old added he was furious that people called his mother at her home to learn of Stern's whereabouts.

"What am I, 5? If I miss a day of work, you don’t call my mother, you call my wife, I'm married. They're calling my mother to see why I’m missing school."