Even some of the most legendary media personalities aren’t perfect.
Chris “Mad Dog” Russo has had a weekly spot on ESPN’s “First Take” since February 2022, but one of his more recent appearances landed him in some hot water with his bosses.
Last week, Russo said he “took a gummy” before Stephen A. Smith spoke about “Yankee nonsense” of the World Series. Russo admitted that he had been “flying.”
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Feb. 6, 2024; Las Vegas, NV; Chris Russo on the SiriusXM Mad Dog Sports Radio set on radio row at the Super Bowl 58 media center at the Mandalay Bay resort and casino. (Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)
But he namedropped another ESPN employee, which apparently crossed a line.
“I said ‘let me go gobble one,’ and I went back with [Jessica] Mendoza and I took a gummy,” Russo said.
Russo mentioned throughout the episode that Mendoza, in fact, had not ingested a gummy – Russo immediately said that Mendoza simply “saw it.”
During an appearance on the Sports Illustrated Media Podcast, Russo said the shtick “p—ed off” ESPN executives.
“It’s not accurate, and I got in trouble for that,” Russo admitted. “Because I put Jessica Mendoza in the mix and I shouldn’t have done that. . . . I indicated that she was in the mix. And that wasn’t the right thing to do. So, I’ll take the hit for that.”
Chris “Mad Dog” Russo speaks at SiriusXM’s Chris “Mad Dog” Russo Broadcast From Bar A at The Jersey Shore Bar Anticipation on July 26, 2024, in Lake Como, New Jersey. (Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images for SiriusXM)
The podcast host, Jimmy Traina, asked Russo whether Mendoza had gotten “p—ed off,” and he replied, “ESPN did.” It’s also possible that Mendoza may not be happy, either.
“She flew to Oregon right after, I have not heard from her,” Russo said. “But ESPN did . . . what are you gonna do? You can’t please everybody.”
It isn’t the first time Russo turned heads with a “First Take” appearance. Last year, on the 60th anniversary of the assassination of John F. Kennedy, he said the historic event was “not a solo deal.”
Chris “Mad Dog” Russo looks on at SiriusXM at Super Bowl LVIII on February 7, 2024, in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Cindy Ord/Getty Images for SiriusXM)
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“If anybody out there thinks that Lee Harvey Oswald did that by himself, they’re taking gummies with me,” he said.
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