Artie Lange believes baseball might be the most fat-friendly sport on the planet ... claiming the MLB is the only place on Earth where an "enormous fat guy" like NY Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia can make $25 million a year as an athlete.

Lange was talkin' baseball in the Big Apple last night, when told us, "I'm not one to talk, but [CC] has got to stay away from the Captain Crunch cereal."

He's got a point ... but, c'mon ... Captain Crunch is delicious.

Artie Lange's return to radio is paying off for him and partner Nick DiPaolo ... BIG time -- because TMZ has learned the comedy duo will rake in a total of about 3 MILLION bucks!

We're told Artie and Nick just inked 3-year deals for a nationally syndicated radio show premiering Monday, October 3. Sources involved in the deal say each of them will make more than 500K per year of the deal -- and it's going to be called "The Nick and Artie Show."

As TMZ first reported ... DirecTV put together the deal to get Nick and the former "Howard Stern Show" star. We're told there are already plans to simulcast Nick and Artie on The Audience Network next Spring.

The show will focus on sports and entertainment -- and we're told Artie's already describing it like this: "Imagine two hosts from SportsCenter ... if they were under indictment."

As they say ... check your local listings.

Artie Lange said he'd do ANYTHING to get his job back on the Howard Stern Show -- but according to Howard, his former radio pal still hasn't taken one very important step ... actually ASK for it.


Howard briefly discussed Artie on the Stern show this morning -- claiming, "Artie had said he wishes he was back on the show ... [which] stirred up a whole bunch of conversation that I don't even know how to begin to address."

When Robin asked if Artie ever personally approached Howard to ask for his job back, Howard replied, "No, but I think he would if he could get a hold of me."

As for Artie's possible return to radio with a new show -- Howard said, "Of course I support it. I think it would be great. I'd like to listen to Artie."

Howard adds, "I'm glad to hear that he's feeling better ... I'm really pulling for him. I hope he does okay."

Howard Stern didn't turn his back on Artie Lange when the comic entered treatment last year -- in fact, Lange claims, Howard even called him ... while Lange was in a psych ward.



Lange dropped the Dan Patrick Show a line this morning, claiming, "Howard called me a bunch of times when i was going through the hardest parts of my ordeal ... he called me when I was in the psych ward once."

As we previously reported, Lange disappeared from the Stern show in January 2010 to deal with a private medical condition.

Lange claims he'd do anything to get back on the Stern show -- telling DP, "I would vacuum the studio. I would do anything they wanted ... I would do it in a heartbeat."

We broke the story ... Artie's plotting his own return to radio -- a sports show unaffiliated with Stern -- but so far, no deal's in place.

Artie Lange is FIRED UP about the possibility of returning to a full-time radio gig -- and tells TMZ he's very confident his old boss Howard Stern will have his back.



Lange was outside Dan Tana's in Hollywood with his friend and potential new radio partner Nick DiPaolo last night -- when we asked how Howard would feel about his on-air comeback.

"Howard's the greatest guy in the world" ... Artie said ... adding, "He's been supportive of everything that's happened and he's been a good man to me ... so hopefully he'll be supportive of this ... but you never know."

As TMZ first reported, the people behind Artie's project are hoping to lock a deal that would nationally simulcast the new show on DirecTV and Fox Sports Radio.

So far, we're told ... no official deal has been reached.

Comedian Artie Lange is in serious talks to make a triumphant return to the airwaves after leaving "The Howard Stern Show" last year ... TMZ has learned.



Sources with direct knowledge of the negotiations tell us Artie would team with his pal and fellow comedian Nick DiPaolo for the talk show.

We're told the people behind "The Dan Patrick Show" are putting the deal together -- and like Dan's show ... Artie and Nick's would be nationally simulcast on DirecTV and Fox Sports Radio.

Artie hasn't had a permanent home on the air since leaving Stern in January, 2010 -- but when he guest hosted an FSR show last week ... he said he definitely wants to come back to radio.

It's not a done deal yet ... but we're told both sides are anxious to make it happen in time for a September premiere.

Stay tuned.

Former "Howard Stern" radio star Artie Lange returned to the airwaves last night -- on a sports talk show -- telling fans that returning to his old job on Stern would be "the greatest thing ever."



Lange disappeared from the Stern show in January 2010 ... after a private medical emergency.

But last night, Lange appeared on a Fox Sports Radio show hosted by his friend and fellow comic Nick DiPaolo and explained he had been spending time at a rehab facility in Florida to get himself sober.

A caller told Lange he couldn't wait for Lange to return to the Stern show ... and Artie replied, "That would be the greatest thing ever."

Lange continued, "Listen, I was on the greatest show of all time for about 9 years ... and I put them in a very awkward situation to say the least, so, what am i gonna do?

"But I love them all and they were great to me. I appreciate it."

We've learned comedian Artie Lange just pled guilty to one count driving under the influence of a habit-producing drug.

Cops say Artie -- who was pulled over in Tom's River, NJ on July 10 -- had a prescribed sleeping pill in his system when he got behind the wheel.

Lange was fined $664, his driver's license was revoked for seven months and he has to serve 12 hours in an intoxicated driver resource program.

Lange's lawyer, MIchael Grasso, says Artie pled guilty because "If we would have taken it to trial the interest of the media would have outweighed the best interests of my client."

Grasso also said the prosecution planned to call more than 10 witnesses and he would have had to counter that with a dozen witnesses of his own -- so the plea just made sense.

Reason #2,173 why Artie Lange rules: He can hand out directions, dole out his weight loss secret, give props to David Carradine and try to talk an oversharing guy's girlfriend out of a codeine addiction in 3 minutes flat.


BTW: Hats off to Artie, dude's looking great these days.

No-holds-barred "Howard Stern Show" sidekick, Artie Lange, let loose some behind-the-scenes information on losing the lead role in "Brokeback Mountain" to Heath Ledger. Too soon? Not for Artie ...


Lange's rant occurred as the swelling comedian and "Madhouse" maestro Jeff Beacher were heading into JET Nightclub in Las Vegas.