WFAN's Evan Roberts acknowledges allegations against Joe Benigno, but says he cannot discuss them.
Joe Benigno’s WFAN partner can’t talk about it.
Midday show co-host Evan Roberts alluded to Wednesday’s bombshell lawsuit filed by a former CBS Radio advertising executive accusing Benigno of sexual harassment and seeking various sexual encounters termed “threesomes” at the top of Thursday’s show, but said there would be no discussion.
Roberts was hosting Thursday’s show solo. Benigno was previously scheduled to be off the air this entire week, according to WFAN’s online schedule.
“I know, you know there is a big story out there,” Roberts said. “I’m aware of it. But as you probably guessed, if you use your brain, I cannot talk about it. It is a story that involves the courts, the legal process. I do know the company is dealing with it, and I can’t add anything personally. So we know that, so if you call in about it, you understand there’s nothing I can say. So, I’m not going to play stupid. We’re not all idiots. We understand that’s out there. I cannot talk about it.”
The allegations and lawsuit were first reported by The New York Post. NJ Advance Media has since obtained a copy of the lawsuit.
In the lawsuit, the former ad executive, Lauren Lockwood, alleges WFAN and CBS Radio had an alcohol-fueled “Animal House” culture in its offices that resulted in “flagrant sexual harassment, gender bias, unequal pay, unequal terms of commission, targeting of complainants and retaliation as well as protection and concealment of favored male talent’s sexual misconduct.”
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The lawsuit also alleges Benigno, a 64-year-old Mahwah resident, “often came over to plaintiff’s cubicle to flirt with her and ask her personal questions” and “commented inappropriately about plaintiff’s physical appearance, her hair, jewelry and clothing.”
The lawsuit then specifically alleges Benigno of seeking “threesomes” with Lockwood, who sold ads for CBS Radio and the Yankees Radio Network, that would have included Benigno, his wife and prostitutes:
On these various occasions, Defendant Benigno rubbed plaintiff’s back and whispered in her ear about having ‘threesomes’ with him and his wife and prostitutes as well as having ‘threesomes with him and his wife’ and other females in the office.
Defendant Benigno described to plaintiff in detail about the ‘threesomes’ he had with a prostitute and his wife in Las Vegas.
Defendant Benigno showed plaintiff a nude photo of his wife with a prostitute and propositioned plaintiff to join him, his wife and a prostitute in sexual intercourse.
The lawsuit also alleges Benigno made sexually-charged comments about other women in the office and had a two-year affair with a female subordinate.
Benigno’s agent denied the allegations in a statement provided to Newsday: “Joe’s been at the station for the better part of 25 years and had no issues, to my knowledge. With any story you hear, people need to always consider the source … Joe denies the allegations, and as anyone can imagine is extremely upset for him and his family.”
James Kratch may be reached at jkratch@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JamesKratch. Find NJ.com Rutgers Football on Facebook.
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