To get as many followers as he did you must do this.
1.Be mention on TV because some intern found your twitter account and laughed, so passed it on and they needed some thing to fill in the 1-2 mins of air.
2.Have a book company say "We like your jokes lets turn it into a #1 NY best seller"
3.Have a producer call you and say "We loved the book and think we could make a #1 hit series from the book"
4.Have the TV media mention your success once again
Between each step the public go's hey thats some funny Schitt lets follow him, The avg person listen to howard stern because they never know whats going to be said, Doesnt matter if they hate him they still listen when they hear him.
Thats how it works people, you spark interest in the public or the media and your golden.