Teaching An Old Dog New Tricks: Russo Makes Sirius XM Radio Debut
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Russo Sticks With Similar Format In
Debut Of Sirius XM Radio Show |
Sirius XM Radio's Chris Russo debuted his "Mad Dog Unleashed" show yesterday, and the broadcast was "instantly recognizable to anyone who listened to 'Mike and the Mad Dog' during the previous 19 years," according to Neil Best of NEWSDAY. The "loosey, at times goofy, Russo ... seemed if not 'unleashed,' then at least unburdened." Topics were "more national in scope than at [WFAN], and he had to talk more than ever, with fewer commercial breaks and no partner." Russo's first guest was NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, who also has a show on XM. Russo was later joined by Dodgers manager Joe Torre and MLB Commissioner Bud Selig (NEWSDAY, 9/16). In N.Y., Bob Raissman writes if Russo were still at WFAN, he "would've come out banging the Mets Pig Pen or the Jets being the Jets" against the Patriots Sunday, but "that wouldn't play in Topeka." Russo instead "lifted the lid trashing [NFL referee] Ed Hochuli for that blown call late in Chargers-Broncos." Raissman writes of Russo's interview of Bettman, "Hockey talk on an 85-degree day in September? If someone else did this there is no doubt Russo would have screamed: 'Hockey in September ... nobody cares!'" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 9/16). Russo on the show said to his audience, "I'm going to annoy you some days. I'm going to bother you some days. You'll say, 'His opinions are awful' or 'He doesn't love my team,' or 'He knows nothing about hockey.' ... Everything you can say, I've heard" (N.Y. TIMES, 9/16).
MAD, MAD WORLD: NEWSDAY's Best reports Russo "by late October ... hopes to launch his 24-hour channel, 'Mad Dog Radio,' at which time the show will be available on the Internet to subscribers." Meanwhile, Russo has "negotiated rights to the 'Mad Dog' nickname from WFAN, which owned the trademark" (NEWSDAY, 9/16).
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