Retired WFAN host Joe Benigno might owe Mike Francesa $25,000, and he has Jerry Recco to blame.
According to Recco, Benigno’s house burnt down in the early ‘90s and a lot of people at the station pitched in to help the radio host. Recco, who worked as Benigno’s producer early in his career, remembered Don Imus sent new wardrobes to Joe and his family, Chris Russo also supported his WFAN colleague. But it was Francesa who offered one of the most impressive gestures.
“I’ll never forget, [Benigno] comes in one night with a check from Mike, and it was for like 25 grand,” Recco said during Al & Jerry’s Postgame Podcast. “It came with this caveat [from Francesa], ‘this is yours, I don’t want it paid back, but I’ll tell you right now, if anybody finds out, you owe me every penny of it.’”
Nearly three decades later, with both Francesa and Benigno having since retired, Recco thought enough time passed to tell the story. I would agree, and hopefully Francesa does too.
It’s a great story featuring someone who was often categorized as being too cranky, angry, arrogant and even Trumpian. But Francesa has always been charitable, and this was a great example of him stepping up to help a colleague.
It’s a reminder that the person you hear on-air, might not always be the same person off-air. Imagine if Francesa took a gentler approach with callers for 30 years? Imagine if he wasn’t so pompous and argumentative? No WFAN listener would have considered him a must-listen to sports personality Monday through Friday. That doesn’t make him a bad person, only an entertaining host.
Brandon Contes is a former reporter for BSM, now working for Awful Announcing. You can find him on Twitter @BrandonContes or reach him by email at Brandon.Contes@gmail.com.
I must agree, I’m not a big Mike Francesa fan…a little too pompous for my taste. Besides, M. had him pegged in the Post pretty well. Whether he could afford it or not, which we know he could, giving a colleague or anybody for that matter, $25 K is pretty special. Anyone with half a brain knows that you don’t want the world to know you gave away a sum of money no matter the reason….otherwise the phone would be ringing off the hook. That’s a generous gift. Good for Mike.. and JB!
Get rid of Carton!!! I am DEVOTED listener since July 1987. At least 16 hours a day I have the station on, at home, in work, in the car, in the shower, and fall asleep too.
I have one program request. PLEASE GET RID OF CRAIG CARTON!!!!
There is nothing redeeming about what he presents or represents. Plus he is overbearing, takes away from Evan, and to be brutally honest I now turn off your station for the first time EVER, WHEN HE IS ON THE AIR !!!!