Christopher “Mad Dog” Russo was recently on the red carpet at the London premiere of “A Complete Unknown,” the new movie about award-winning musician Bob Dylan. The invite came after star Timothée Chalamet reposted a screenshot of Russo complaining about his not being invited to the New York premiere of the movie during an episode of First Take on ESPN. Russo had been purportedly discussing the movie to colleagues over the last several months, and he had several commentaries about it within his weekly “What Are You Mad About?” segment.
While Russo was abroad, the show rebranded the segment to “What Are You Glad About?,” during which featured commentator Stephen A. Smith played a clip of Colin Russo talking about having to watch his father’s house rather than going to London. Russo claimed that it was him who sent his father information about the movie and suggested he talk about it on First Take. Smith expressed that Russo did not have enough attitude and ended up joining the ESPN West Palm afternoon program to elaborate on his opinion.
“I just want to inform you – you have to be very nice and very kind to me,” Smith said, opening his segment on Russo & Rizzo. “I’ve never said this to a radio host interviewing me before, but within the last hour, I was just on FaceTime with both your mommy and daddy, so you don’t have a choice but to be nice.”
Russo presumed that Smith may be afraid and thought that he would play hardball after having challenged him on the air. Smith replied by explaining that he is not afraid and that he was contacted by Christopher “Mad Dog” Russo rather than calling him. Colin Russo then asked Smith if he was displeased not to have been invited to the premiere either, to which he articulated that he had better things to do. Moreover, Smith divulged that he pulled some strings to make sure people got in touch with Chalamet to make sure this happened.
“Have you listened to your daddy open his radio show?,” Smith asked Russo. “‘And good afternoon everybody!,’ going crazy, and then he’s complaining all the time, ‘What’s the matter with the chair?,’ everything else, and you come on sounding all normal. I’m like, ‘Wait a minute. It’s Mad Dog Russo. If this is the son of Doggy, we expect some fire,’ and I didn’t get that yesterday.”
Russo understood that he did not meet Smith’s expectations, but he also conveyed that the clip was only part of the two-hour afternoon radio show from Tuesday. Smith explained that the show producers shared the clip with him and that was all the information he had. Co-host Michael Rizzo then added that Colin does not need to act like his father on the radio and is his own person.
“I didn’t say go on the air and be the same kind of radio host your daddy is,” Smith outlined. “I said that if you are upset that your dad didn’t come through or that you were left out of a pseudo-family gathering, a premiere in London – I mean the son of Mad Dog Russo, if he says he’s a bit salty and upset, we expect more fire than that. No one would disagree – no one would disagree with me about that.”
Russo denoted that he was in Connecticut doing laps around his local high school to ensure that the dogs were doing okay and having water. Smith did not think Russo was overreacting in being omitted from the trip, averring that Christopher “Mad Dog” Russo could have found a way to make sure he was there as well. Furthermore, he added that there are times when he is surprised Russo is allowed back home with the way he discusses his family on the air. Colin Russo then offered to come to the Seaport Studios in New York City to show up his father if he wanted.
“I might have to do that,” Smith said. “I might give you a second chance and let you come on to the studio and do a, ‘What Are You Mad About?’ segment on him, and list your top five reasons about what you’re mad about when it comes to your dad.”
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