It seems either Mike Tirico is extremely busy in Paris, or he might not be particularly pleased with SiriusXM host Chris Russo (or possibly both).
Russo, also known as “Mad Dog,” mentioned this week that he had scheduled an interview with NBC’s Olympics host but was left hanging by both the network and Tirico himself.
The former New York radio star believes this may be a result of a joke he made about NBC and the Olympics.
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Chris “Mad Dog” Russo, left, claims Mike Tirico and NBC ignored him following a jest about the Olympics’ opening ceremony. (Getty Images)
On last week’s episode of ESPN’s “First Take,” dubbed “What Are You Mad About,” Russo made a quip regarding NBC’s plan to broadcast the Olympics’ opening ceremony in Imax theaters for $20.
“I’m taking Stephen A. [Smith] on a date,” Russo began a nearly two-minute rant. “I’m gonna take him to an Imax theater, drop $40 to watch the ridiculous Olympic parade in Paris. Do you see what NBC is doing?!”
However, following the joke, it seems that communication suddenly ceased.
“To cut a long story short, I messaged [my producer] Eddie on Wednesday. I said, ‘Eddie, what’s the situation here? Have we heard from Tirico?’ And he replied, ‘No, not yet.’”
SiriusXM’s Chris “Mad Dog” Russo at Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas on February 7. (Cindy Ord/Getty Images for SiriusXM)
Russo added that he hadn’t received any communication from NBC on Thursday or Friday, prompting him to directly message Tirico.
“I said, ‘Mike, what’s happening here?’” Russo recalled, but still got no response.
“Are you trying to tell me that ‘What I’m mad about’ has that much influence? That somehow, from 4,000 miles away, they caught wind of my Imax joke and made the decision to keep Tirico off?” Russo questioned.
The Olympics have faced criticism for a boxing issue that escalated early Thursday morning when a female boxer forfeited mid-fight against another athlete identified as having XY chromosomes.
The opening ceremony also drew criticism, featuring what appeared to be a parody of the “Last Supper,” a headless Marie Antoinette, and even a ménage à trois.
Sportscaster Mike Tirico at the Golden Goggle Awards in Miami Beach, Florida, on December 7, 2021. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
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Tirico took over as the Olympic host in 2018 after Bob Costas’ retirement from the coverage.
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