Christopher “Mad Dog” Russo walked back on his promise to retire on the spot if the Arizona Diamondbacks won the sixth and seventh games of the National League Championship Series (NLCS) on the road against the Philadelphia Phillies. Yet he will not be getting off the hook so easily, beginning a day of ignominy on The Howard Stern Show on Wednesday morning. Russo agreed to a punishment after he claimed his promise was a “throwaway line” for radio and when Stern emphasized that he would need to do something to make up for the broken agreement.
“Mad Dog lost his mind,” Stern expressed. “I’m a radio guy, and so is Mad Dog, and I know when you’re on the air sometimes, you want to please people and make things fun and interesting, but he f****ng went over the line because he was trying to make things fun and interesting.”
As the program ruminated over potential punishments that could make up for the lack of retirement, Stern surmised that Russo should come on his show in Manhattan, dress in a bikini and walk down a New York City street with a sign that was refined to read, “I’m a liar and a dope.” After deliberation, he agreed to the punishment and will also make a charitable donation to an organization chosen by the Diamondbacks organization.
When Russo made his appearance on ESPN’s First Take, co-hosts Stephen A. Smith and Molly Qerim expressed that he will need to provide recompense for his broken promise. Russo began the show operating a camera before making his way to the desk and taking his seat where he was faced with an onslaught of commentary.
“How nervous were you watching the game?,” Qerim asked Russo.
“I was nervous – very nervous,” Russo replied. “I sure was [stressed], but remember, that was a radio thing; it wasn’t necessarily a TV thing.”
Smith immediately chimed in upon Russo claiming the bit was exclusive to radio, conveying that “Mad Dog” transcends the radio medium. Furthermore, he explained that the popular “What Are You Mad About?” segment exists because of his hosting style on the air and notable rants about different topics.
“This is what we’re going to do on behalf of the Diamondbacks,” Smith said. “This show is going to be dedicated to the Diamondbacks shutting you up since you threatened to retire. So you can speak, but you know what you will be doing? You will be running errands throughout the show today.”
Russo, incredulous that Smith and Qerim were going to direct what he does on the show, reaffirmed that he feels there is a difference between radio and television. Even so, both hosts believed he deserved to be punished and had him perform a number of ordinary tasks on the air, including removing the plastic off of a drink for Smith.
“Excuse me, this isn’t up for debate,” Qerim said after Russo tried to explain himself.
“Zip it, you don’t get to debate this anymore,” added Smith. “The Diamondbacks won.”
