It takes all kinds to make the world go 'round, but Riley Martin spent much of his life concerned with more. In fact, he often said he hoped to save the planet.
Martin rose to cult fame after calling into the Howard Stern Show in the mid-nineties. His smooth tone, humor and charm were just a few reasons why he became a fan favorite. It was, however, his story of recurrent alien abduction that listeners found most fascinating.
According to his official website, Martin passed away on Dec. 22, but his death was not announced until Tuesday. His claims of abduction, as evidenced he said through Polaroid photographs and regressive hypnosis, are detailed on his website and in his book, The Coming of Tan.
Stern and his crew didn't go easily on Martin or his story -- which you can hear below in a recording of his first call -- but he became a member of Stern's "Wack Pack," a group of regular callers and guests with similarly outlandish stories or odd, and often offensive, opinions. Martin quickly developed rapport with Stern's crew, particularly co-host Robin Quivers, to whom he initially flirted.
"My intention is to save the planet, but my ulterior motive is to get girls, also," he told Stern during an early interview.
Martin went on to host his own radio show, The Official Riley Martin Radio Show, on Sirius XM radio.
"'The Stern Show' was saddened to learn of the death of one of the most notable Wack Packers to ever be heard on the Howard channels," reads a notice about Martin's death at howardstern.com.
"Riley, to me, was one of the greats," the website quotes Stern as saying Wednesday morning. "We love you. We will miss you."