Joe Benigno back on WFAN following sexual harassment allegations

Joe Benigno is back on WFAN. The veteran sports talk host was reunited with co-host Evan Roberts in the midday Monday following a two-month leave spurred by a bombshell July lawsuit filed by a former CBS Radio advertising executive accusing Benigno of sexual harassment and seeking various sexual encounters termed “threesomes”

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Joe Benigno is back on WFAN.

The veteran sports talk host was reunited with co-host Evan Roberts in the midday Monday following a two-month leave spurred by a bombshell July lawsuit filed by a former CBS Radio advertising executive accusing Benigno of sexual harassment and seeking various sexual encounters termed “threesomes.” 

“I’m thrilled to be back,” Benigno said to open the show, thanking his wife, agent, WFAN colleagues and friends, legal team and listeners for support that was “off the charts.”

“Obviously it hasn’t been an easy time for me at all,” Benigno said. “I can’t comment on any of this. … I just want to thank everybody.”

In the lawsuit, the former ad executive, Lauren Lockwood, alleged 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.”

The lawsuit also alleged 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 alleged 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 alleged Benigno made sexually-charged comments about other women in the office and had a two-year affair with a female subordinate.

Benigno’s agent Mark Lepselter denied the allegations in a July 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.”

Entercom, WFAN’s parent company, has said it will contest the lawsuit. It’s not clear if Benigno’s return is a sign a settlement has been reached.

James Kratch may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @JamesKratch. Find NJ.com Rutgers Football on Facebook.