Angelo Cataldi criticizes WIP’s silence on Howard Eskin allegations

Hosts at WIP-FM (94.1) have largely remained silent about the allegations surrounding Howard Eskin, and that isn’t sitting well with Angelo Cataldi.

WIP’s former morning show host, who retired last year after more than three decades on the air, criticized his former station in a blog post for remaining quiet about Eskin, calling it “disrespectful to the audience.”

“The entire city is talking about the Eskin mess right now, but not the station where he developed his reputation?” Cataldi wrote. “It’s a place where people talk, nonstop, 24 hours a day.”

The Inquirer reported Eskin has been banned from Citizens Bank Park for the rest of the season after an investigation found the longtime Philly sports talker made an unwanted advance toward a female Aramark employee in the CP Rankin Club behind home plate in May. Eskin has also been barred from the Sixers’ practice facility in Camden, according to Inquirer columnist Marcus Hayes, who is also employed by WIP.

Eskin has yet to comment publicly on the matter.

Both WIP and its parent company, Audacy, have largely remained silent about the situation. Audacy confirmed the “unwelcome kiss” and said it took actions to address the matter “following an investigation,” but the company has not commented further.

WIP host Spike Eskin, Howard’s son, addressed the allegations briefly Wednesday afternoon, but only to tell listeners he wouldn’t be commenting about the situation surrounding his father.

“I don’t feel comfortable, at all, speaking on the issue itself as I would not if it was anybody else here at WIP,” Eskin said.

“The dumbest thing a talk station can do is not talk,” Cataldi wrote.

Cataldi followed his own advice in 1997, when a Pottstown woman was murdered by her jealous husband after Eskin sent her a bouquet of roses. Eskin said at the time he had previously e-mailed the women and was just trying to “brighten up her day.”

“I didn’t know any of the particulars behind the scandal, but I knew that people wanted to talk about it,” Cataldi said. “And talk they did. For days. Because that is the purpose of talk radio.”

Despite a contentious history that goes back decades, Cataldi has credited Eskin for being a “sports talk pioneer” in Philadelphia after transitioning from disc jockey to sports in 1986. The two often battled in public and weren’t afraid to discuss controversial issues on the air. Cataldi urged the hosts at WIP to do the same now.

“You make a living by talking and letting callers talk,” Cataldi said, addressing the hosts at the station. “This is definitely not a good time to clam up.”

Eskin hasn’t been suspended by the station, but he hasn’t appeared on the air since news of the allegations became public this week. He also won’t be hosting his Saturday morning show this week, but sources say that’s because of a planned vacation.