{{Short description|American sports radio personality}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}} {{Infobox presenter |name = Joe Benigno |image = |caption = |birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1953|09|26}} |birth_place = Garfield, New Jersey, U.S. |death_date = |death_place = |show = ''Joe & Evan'' |station = WFAN, New York City |timeslot = 2:00 pm – 06:00 p.m., Monday–Friday |show2 = |station2 = |timeslot2 = |style = Sports radio |country = {{USA}} |prevshow = |website = [https://www.ohthepainpodcast.com/ ohthepainpodcast.com] }} '''Joseph S. Benigno''' (born September 26, 1953) is an American sports radio personality. He was a co-host of the ''Joe & Evan'' show with Evan Roberts weekdays from 2 pm to 6 pm ET on the New York radio stations WFAN-AM and WFAN-FM. His retirement was announced on October 28, 2020. After his radio retirement, Joe began hosting ''Oh the Pain'', a weekly podcast.
==Biography== ===Early years=== Benigno, who is of Italian descent, was born in Garfield, New Jersey and grew up in nearby Paramus.<ref name=NYT2005>{{cite news|last=Zeitchik|first=Steven|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A02E2D81038F930A15752C0A9639C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=print|title=IN PERSON; Meet Joe Fan|newspaper=The New York Times|date=January 23, 2005|access-date=July 14, 2009}}</ref> He graduated from Franklin College in 1975 with a degree in political science. Prior to joining WFAN, Benigno was a frequent caller to the station and was known on-air as "Joe from Saddle River."
===Professional radio career=== His first taste of radio experience occurred in 1994, when he guest-hosted a show on WFAN as a result of winning a contest held by the station. He then hosted a sports talk show on a radio station in Elizabeth, New Jersey<ref>{{cite web|url=http://newyork.cbslocal.com/personality/joe-benigno/|title=Joe Benigno|publisher=CBS New York|access-date=2010-08-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180131190349/http://newyork.cbslocal.com/personality/joe-benigno/|archive-date=2018-01-31|url-status=dead}}</ref> before returning to WFAN as their overnight host in 1995. He continued as overnight host until November 2004, when he was moved to middays to co-host with Sid Rosenberg after Rosenberg's previous co-host, Jody McDonald, did not have his contract renewed with the station. After Rosenberg resigned from the station on September 12, 2005, Benigno became the sole host of the midday show until January 2007, when he was paired with Evan Roberts.
Benigno also co-hosted ''Daily News Live'' on SNY.
Benigno was filling in for the vacationing ''Boomer and Carton in the Morning'' program on March 28, 2013 with his partner Roberts, when Benigno made disparaging remarks about having to get makeup done. (The program was simulcast on MSG.) Benigno said that he was annoyed about the chair time required for MSG's "11 viewers." The ''Benigno & Roberts'' show scheduled to be broadcast on Good Friday via MSG was immediately cancelled.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bobsblitz.com/2013/04/joe-benigno-fubared-his-evan-roberts.html|title=Joe Benigno FUBARED his & Evan Roberts' MSG Network Opportunity|access-date=April 2, 2013}}</ref>
On April 25, 2013, Benigno faced criticism for jokingly saying he would "buy drugs for Tyrann Mathieu" if the New York Jets drafted him.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bobsblitz.com/2013/04/joe-benigno-says-hell-buy-tyrann.html|title=BobsBlitz.com ~ Joe Benigno says he'll buy Tyrann Mathieu drugs if Jets draft him; Mike Francesa calls it a 'bad joke'|access-date=April 29, 2013}}</ref>
===Personal life=== Benigno released a book in April 2010, titled ''Rules for New York Sports Fans.''<ref>[https://www.worldcat.org/title/1102162297?oclcNum=1102162297}}Worldcat.org] accessed September 26, 2023.</ref>
On July 18, 2018, a wide-ranging lawsuit was filed by former WFAN employee Lauren Lockwood against WFAN, WCBS, various WFAN executives, as well as Benigno, alleging, among other things, that "WFAN host Joe Benigno pressured her into having a threesome" and that Benigno "whispered in [Lockwood’s] ear about having ‘threesomes’ with him and his wife and prostitutes."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://heavy.com/sports/2018/07/joe-benigno-wfan-lauren-lockwood-lawsuit/|title = WFAN & Joe Benigno Sued for Sexual Harassment by Ex-Sales Rep [DOCS]|date = 19 July 2018}}</ref> Through his representative, Benigno denied the allegations.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newsday.com/sports/media/wfan-s-joe-benigno-cbs-radio-named-in-sexual-harassment-lawsuit-u17148|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180720111051/https://www.newsday.com/sports/media/wfan-s-joe-benigno-cbs-radio-named-in-sexual-harassment-lawsuit-1.19930963|url-status=live|archive-date=July 20, 2018|title=WFAN's Joe Benigno, CBS Radio named in sexual harassment lawsuit}}</ref> In response to the lawsuit, Benigno was placed on an indefinite leave of absence from the station, returning on a regular basis on September 10, 2018.
On October 28, 2020, Benigno announced that he would retire, with November 6, 2020 being his last show.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-10-28|title=Joe Benigno announces retirement from full-time WFAN duties, will leave Joe & Evan show on Nov. 6|url=https://www.radio.com/wfan/sports/joe-benigno-announces-retirement-from-full-time-wfan-duties|access-date=2020-10-28|website=Radio.com}}</ref> Benigno would later return to the station on a limited basis in 2022, appearing on Monday mornings during the NFL season during WFAN's mid-day show, as well as hosting a Saturday morning show with Evan Roberts.
Benigno resides in Mahwah, New Jersey.
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{wikiquote}} * [https://www.ohthepainpodcast.com/ Oh The Pain official site] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20180131190349/http://newyork.cbslocal.com/personality/joe-benigno/ Joe Benigno « CBS New York] * {{Twitter|name=Benigno & Roberts}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Benigno, Joe}} Category:1953 births Category:American people of Italian descent Category:Living people Category:People from Garfield, New Jersey Category:People from Old Tappan, New Jersey Category:People from Paramus, New Jersey Category:Paramus High School alumni Category:SportsNet New York people Category:Franklin College (Indiana) alumni Category:American sports radio personalities