Sports Media News: Boomer Esiason Walks Off Set After Co-Host Absolutely GOES OFF on Caller Mocking Mental Health Struggles

[playahaitian]

WATCH: Boomer Esiason Walks Off Set After Co-Host Absolutely GOES OFF on Caller Mocking Mental Health Struggles

WFAN's Boomer Esiason left the studio after his co-host, Gregg Giannotti, obliterated a caller who mocked mental health issues.

www.mediaite.com

Boomer Esiason Walks Off Set After Co-Host Absolutely GOES OFF on Caller Mocking Mental Health Struggles
By Luke KaneMar 7th, 2023, 2:04 pm






Sports radio host Boomer Esiason left the studio after his co-host, Gregg Giannotti, obliterated a caller who mocked mental health issues.

Earlier on Tuesday’s Boomer & Gio, they took a call from someone who made misogynistic comments. Giannotti stepped up to the plate and ripped the caller for saying the show should change to Boomer & Mary. His comments were played back later in the show during “Moment of the Day.”

After the sponsored segment ended, they took another caller who thought it would be funny to attack Giannotti over mental health and anxiety, which to his credit, Giannotti has been very open and honest about.

“There’s people that fought in wars who have come back way tougher than I’ll ever be and have anxiety,” Giannotti said. “Are they soft?”
Giannotti appeared to curse since CBS Sports Network played music over the audio when he was in midsentence, but once the music stopped, he was still talking.
https://jadserve.postrelease.com/trk

“Those of us who admit that we’ve got issues, whether it be depression or anxiety, and deal with it in our lives to get to be in a better place, are not soft,” Giannotti said. “You, my friend, you are the soft one.”

The music continued to play again since Giannotti must’ve said another curse word, but the music finally stopped.

“The last thing that people are, who confront their mental issues, to have a better life for them and their families, is soft,” Giannotti said. “That’s the last f’n thing! ‘I’m of the old school,’ no you’re not! You’re an idiot! You’re an idiot who hasn’t developed!”

“I swear to God, if you were in front of me right now, I’d show you what soft is,” he said.

Giannotti took his frustration out on the table by punching it a couple of times as he sat there in silence for a few moments with Esiason and Boomer & Gio update anchor Jerry Recco.

Esiason said something off the microphone to Recco, to which the update anchor replied, “I do; well said.” And then Esiason got up and walked out of the studio.

“Well, Boomer’s leaving,” show producer Al Dukes said.

Recco saluted Giannotti for his effort, but he did recognize that Esiason had left the studio.

“Well, he can’t handle it either,” Giannotti said and pointed his hand toward the empty chair in the middle of the studio. “Quite frankly, he doesn’t understand mental health to save his life. That’s a big problem. It’s a big problem.”

When they returned from a commercial break, Esiason was back in his chair, and the two began discussing the quarterback situations between the New York football teams.

 

[playahaitian]

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[playahaitian]

Gregg Giannotti makes impassioned mental health comments while blasting WFAN caller

WFAN’s Gregg Giannotti ripped into two callers for insensitive remarks during a volatile final hour of Tuesday’s morning show.

elitesportsny.com

Gregg Giannotti makes impassioned mental health comments while blasting WFAN caller
By
James Kratch
-
03/07/2023
Audacy
The WFAN morning show had a volatile — and impactful — final hour on Tuesday.
Gregg Giannotti ripped into two callers for insensitive remarks. He swore on air when responding to misogynistic comments by the first caller, then lambasted the second for trivializing mental health issues in a personal rant where he revealed his own struggles — and then appeared to take a shot at partner Boomer Esiason at the end.
After a caller suggested Giannotti acted like a woman with his behavior — Giannotti’s profane rebuttal forced WFAN to dump the audio — the program received a call from “Bill in Connecticut.”
Mr. Connecticut said Giannotti was “soft” and his content style resembles “Housewives shows.” He then made strange comments about Giannotti’s high school sports career, referenced his injury playing for WFAN’s softball team and referenced an on-air incident that Giannotti said was the result of a “legitimate anxiety attack”
Mr. Connecticut then told Giannotti, regarding the anxiety attack, that “you’ve just got to suck it up.”
Giannotti did not take that well. His ensuing rant in full:
Oh, my God. Are you serious, Bill? You’ve got to suck it up? Do you know how many people have killed themselves because they were told to suck up their mental illness? Seriously. You know how many people? That’s the most insulting thing I’ve heard all the time. I’ve gone to therapy, I’m on two different medications, I’m trying my best to get through the things I have wrong with me. And you’re telling me to suck it up?
I mean, this is why you get a lot of people who go through real trauma, who are out in wars and come back here and kill themselves, because they were told to suck it up. Because of guys like you. Bill in Connecticut. Because I’m soft because I had a panic attack. That’s a real thing, man. It’s a real thing. If you don’t want to believe it, then quite frankly you’re not smart enough or intelligent enough to understand it.
I mean, you’re soft because you had a panic attack. That’s what I heard. I mean, we have got the most idiotic, neanderthal callers out there. This is not 1945 any more, man. Women are equal and people have mental illness. Anybody else want to bring on something else? Anybody want to call up and knock some Black people while we’re at it? Let’s do that. Hispanics? So we’ve already taken on women and people with mental illness. What about little people? Want to take them on too, today? What are we doing?
You’re soft because you had a panic attack. It’s 2023, man. And that’s not going to hurt me anymore. it’s not. Tell that to guys like Kevin Love, in the NBA, suffers from anxiety. He doesn’t get hurt, he’s not soft, he plays professional sports. Does that live up to your standard, Bill in Connecticut? He’s got anxiety. Is that OK? Is that OK? There are people who have fought in wars and come back, way tougher than I’ll ever be, and have anxiety. Are they soft? Or are you a dick? You’re a dick. We’re not soft. Got it?
Those of us who admit we’ve got issues, whether they be depression or anxiety, and deal with it in our lives to get to be in a better place, are not soft. You, my friend, you’re the soft one. You are the idiot and you are the dick. Get that through your head. The last thing that people are that confront to their mental issues to have a better life for them and their families is soft. That’s the last effing thing. I’m of the old school. No, you’re not. You’re an idiot. You’re an idiot who hasn’t developed.
Don’t give me that crap. Don’t ever bring that crap in here again. You’re soft if you’re mentally ill or have anxiety. I swear to God, if you were in front of me now I’d show you what soft is.
It was powerful. Giannotti banged the table several times and took his microphone off at the end so he would not swear again. His colleagues were visibly unsure what to do, taking a second before heading into a live read and commercial break. And Esiason walked off the set, which prompted Giannotti to say, “Well he can’t handle it either. Quite frankly, he doesn’t understand mental illness to save his life. That’s a big problem. A big problem.”
From the swearing to Giannotti’s poignant words to what could be perceived as threats toward callers — he said something about a fist down the throat of the first caller — to whatever tension may exist with Esiason, there is a lot to unpack. It will be interesting to see how the show addresses things Wednesday, if at all. But kudos to Giannotti for being so open and raw about an important issue.

 

[jack walsh13]

Wait, so Boomer left cause he was mad at Giannotti?

 

[Da Backshot Champ]

All those mental health issues he listed are just a few steps from homosexuality and all those other sicker mental health issues.

 

[playahaitian]

Wait, so Boomer left cause he was mad at Giannotti?

Yup

Got up walked out

 

[gman4gov]

Wait, so Boomer left cause he was mad at Giannotti?

Confused too.

 

[kidmegaii]

Dam

 

[jack walsh13]

Confused too.

Yeah I don't understand that

 

[playahaitian]

Yeah I don't understand that

Boomer felt the back and forth with the caller was disrespectful on Gio part

Then Gio took a shot at Boomer about how he don't understand anything about mental health.

 

[jack walsh13]

Boomer felt the back and forth with the caller was disrespectful on Gio part

Then Gio took a shot at Boomer about how he don't understand anything about mental health.

Gio should have punched that muthafucka right in his shit. Can't stand that block head crakkka.

 

[phanatic]

Mental health issues are real. I do a pretty good job of disguising it, but over the last two days, I just wanted it all to be done. I feel like the Muddy Waters song Going Down Slow most days, and just trying to make it to the end of the week. It feels like an accomplishment to wake up on a Sunday.

 

[Helico-pterFunk]

Unfamiliar with their show, but props to Gio for calling out the caller’s bullshit take.

Mental health is real. No fucking laughing matter.

 

[Helico-pterFunk]

Mental health issues are real. I do a pretty good job of disguising it, but over the last two days, I just wanted it all to be done. I feel like the Muddy Waters song Going Down Slow most days, and just trying to make it to the end of the week. It feels like an accomplishment to wake up on a Sunday.

Keep your head up, fam’. All the best.

 

[OutlawR.O.C.]

Mental health issues are real. I do a pretty good job of disguising it, but over the last two days, I just wanted it all to be done. I feel like the Muddy Waters song Going Down Slow most days, and just trying to make it to the end of the week. It feels like an accomplishment to wake up on a Sunday.

Damn, sorry to hear you're going through this brother and glad your still holding on.

I know it's easier said than done but reach out for help or someone to talk to before those feelings and thoughts intensify.

 

[playahaitian]

Gio should have punched that muthafucka right in his shit. Can't stand that block head crakkka.

Last I heard Gio could be some trouble

Boomer is pissed and management didn't like him talking to the caller like that and calling him a dick

 

[OutlawR.O.C.]

Last I heard Gio could be some trouble

Boomer is pissed and management didn't like him talking to the caller like that and calling him a dick

If they try discipline or fire him over this it would be a public relations disaster.

 

[knightmelodic]

boomer the racist? Nah, couldn't be.

 

[BlackGoku]

Mental health issues are real. I do a pretty good job of disguising it, but over the last two days, I just wanted it all to be done. I feel like the Muddy Waters song Going Down Slow most days, and just trying to make it to the end of the week. It feels like an accomplishment to wake up on a Sunday.

Are you taking any medication or talking to anyone? It's real out here and know that you're not alone.

 

[BlackGoku]

Glad he spoke his truth...me personally, i prob would have just let it go or spoken calmly...because no one is going to be able to get their point across when you are having a break down or panic attack on air, the men that listen to sports radio (most of them) anyway see what Greg did as being "weak" because he showed emotion

 

[Flawless]

Boomer been in this business long enough, he isn't going to get canceled because of some fool.

 

[Complex]

Threatening the dude on air was a bit much

 

[Flawless]

Glad he spoke his truth...me personally, i prob would have just let it go or spoken calmly...because no one is going to be able to get their point across when you are having a break down or panic attack on air, the men that listen to sports radio (most of them) anyway see what Greg did as being "weak" because he showed emotion

You know at least one person who called Gregg weak?

 

[crossovernegro]

New guy on WFAN that took over evening/nights....Keith McPherson.

I'm not sure if their show is based in NYC, but Keyshawn Johnson and Jay Williams do mornings in ESPN NYC with max Kellerman. Tiki Barber does mid mornings on WFAN.

Bill Daughtry and Tony Paige are fairly recently retired.



.

Are there any black sports talk hosts in NYC? Who are they?

 

[SPECTRE1]

I deal with alot of people with special needs or mental health challenges; that is rampant in the U.S. You just got to be patient with them. Most of the crime and societal problems can be linked back to them.

 

[dtownsfinest]

Wait, so Boomer left cause he was mad at Giannotti?

That’s what im
Confused about based on what the guy said when he left it seems like he did leave because of that.

 

[dtownsfinest]

If they try discipline or fire him over this it would be a public relations disaster.

Yeah they’d never. Can’t fire or suspend a guy for defending mental illness.

 

[dtownsfinest]

These fake old alpha “males”…..

Fuck it they want us to believe You are weak for speaking on mental ilnesss but it takes guts.

 

[jack walsh13]

If they try discipline or fire him over this it would be a public relations disaster.

It really would be.

 

[phanatic]

boomer the racist? Nah, couldn't be.

As a youth, he got punched in the face by another racist in the making, and the attacker broke his hand. The attacker grew up to be Anthony Cumia of Opie and Anthony fame.

 

[phanatic]

Glad he spoke his truth...me personally, i prob would have just let it go or spoken calmly...because no one is going to be able to get their point across when you are having a break down or panic attack on air, the men that listen to sports radio (most of them) anyway see what Greg did as being "weak" because he showed emotion

Bill Burr had a joke about why men don't live as long as women. It's all because men can't admit emotion like a puppy is cute or a flower is beautiful, so it's all pent up inside and then you just fall over and die from the weight of it.

 

[playahaitian]

WFAN's Gio livid after listener tells him to ‘suck it up' following on-air anxiety attack

Gregg Giannotti “Gio” of New York’s WFAN Boomer and Gio showed up for individuals everywhere living with mental disorders as he stood up to a caller who told him to “suck up” his anxiety attacks.

www.audacy.com

 

[playahaitian]

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[playahaitian]

VIDEO: WFAN's Gregg Giannotti lashes out at caller who criticized mental health issues

A New York sportscaster blasted a listener on-air who downplayed mental health issues during a segment on Tuesday.

thedesk.net

 

[sammyjax]

Funny the same "old school" whites are the biggest group of bitches known to man