Benigno, who has been at WFAN for 24 years, refuted Lockwood's claims through his agentGETTY IMAGES
Former WFAN sales exec LAUREN LOCKWOOD filed a $5M "sexual harassment lawsuit" in Brooklyn Civil Court against the station. Lockwood said that she was being "subjected to a bro culture full of sexual inuendo, leering co-workers and creepy back rubs." Lockwood claims WFAN's JOE BENIGNO "compared the physiques of other women in the office and carried on a two-year affair with a sales assistant." Benigno, who has been at WFAN for 24 years, "refuted Lockwood's claims through his agent." The lawsuit said that Lockwood also had to "put up with drunken co-workers," as "whisky, beer and tequila flowed freely at the station" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 7/19). The lawsuit also claims that on various occasions, Benigno pressured Lockwood into "having a threesome" (N.Y. POST, 7/19).
SAVING FACE: PR firm Edelman is advising Ohio State on its "comms strategy" as it deals with the school's former doctor RICHARD STRAUSS' "sexual abuse investigation" that U.S. Rep. JIM JORDAN (R-Ohio) recently got caught up in. Ohio State has had a "long-standing relationship" with Edelman. The firm has "worked with universities going through major scandals before." It represented Penn State in the aftermath of the JOE PATERNO scandal and Duke when it "dealt with its lacrosse player case." It also repped UNC, which "faced an academic scandal that involved 'fake classes'" (POLITICO.com, 7/18).
GAME BOYS: YouTube personality PRESTON ARESMENT joined multi-game esports organization Envy Gaming as an investor (Envy Gaming)....During Sunday's World Cup final between France and Croatia, France's ANTOINE GREIZMANN celebrated a goal by doing the "'Take the L' dance, a move that has been popularized by 'FORTNITE'" (USA TODAY, 7/19).
NAMES: New Michigan State AD BILL BEEKMAN's contract will "pay him $750,000 with a potential $100,000 in bonuses." The five-year agreement "places him in the top half" of Big Ten ADs in "base compensation and in the same ballpark as his predecessor, MARK HOLLIS" (DETROITNEWS.com, 7/18)....Clippers C BOBAN MARJANOVIC said of getting a role in the upcoming movie “JOHN WICK 3,” “My agency (Excel Sports Management) helped me; they needed someone, and luckily we got it figured out for me to get the role.” Marjanovic also is “developing a handful of projects, including a digital series” with Clippers F TOBIAS HARRIS (VARIETY.com, 7/18)....Former Ottawa Sports & Entertainment Group CEO BERNIE ASHE and former Senators President CYRIL LEEDER have acquired Ottawa-based kitchen cabinet company Deslaurier Custom Cabinets (OTTAWASUN.com, 7/18)....Spurs PA radio announcer JONATHAN SANFORD, who has been with the team at AT&T Center for the last five seasons, is “stepping away from the mic for family reasons” (MYSANANTONIO.com, 7/18)....Astros 3B ALEX BREGMAN picked a Chevrolet Camaro SS Coupe as his prize for winning the All-Star Game MVP, before “giving it to his mom JACKIE” (HOUSTONCHRONICLE.com, 7/18)....Former NFLer WARRICK DUNN will “serve as honorary captain of the large team of volunteers being recruited to help stage” Super Bowl LIII in Atlanta (AJC.com, 7/18)....The National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues has terminated its lobbying relationship with Frost Brown Todd LLC (POLITICO.com, 7/18).
