NYC Radio: Family Feud At Sports WFAN

WFAN 660 AM / 101.9 FM morning show co-host Gregg Giannotti fired back at afternoon host Mike Francesa on Thursday after the big guy lambasted him, his on-air schtick and the "Boomer and Gio" program on Wednesday.

"He's an insecure bully who thinks those things are going to affect me, affect us, and it just doesn't," Giannotti said, adding that "it's radio," he doesn't care when he's mocked because he and co-host Boomer Esiason do it too and that he was "laughing at it, more than anything else" when informed of Francesa's ripjob.

Mike Francesa

According to nj.com, Francesa blindsided Giannotti, saying he was "short on ability" and that his show "stinks" after, Francesa claimed, he listened to the show for an hour Wednesday morning while driving to LaGuardia Airport to pick up his wife.

While listening, Francesa was not impressed by the program's hypothetical discussion on the morning show about WFAN midday voice and former Jets star Bart Scott being in a fight with former professional wrestler Tazz, who hosts a national CBS morning sports show.

The show features former Jets quarterback Boomer Esiason and sidekick Giannotti, who often does a dead-on impersonation of Francesa that gnaws at the radio legend, according to The NYPost.

Francesa may be the biggest bully in the schoolyard, but he is seldom present. There is a feeling his comeback has put a cloud over the station, even if he usually works from home.

Francesa returned to the FAN after his short retirement, citing the need to promote his personal app. He had no other substantial offers and came back for less money. He used the app as cover to justify the potential embarrassment of his return.

Francesa, 64, has been more cranky on the air — especially in recent weeks, write Andrew Marchand at The Post.  He has pressure on him, as in the latest rating week recorded he lost to ESPN New York’s Michael Kay Show, 6.6-6.0, in the coveted men 25-54 age range, according to sources.

Ratings books are fully judged in three-month periods. In the first month, Francesa beat Kay, 6.3-5.5. Francesa — having never lost a ratings book to Kay’s team, and with FM and AM dials, as well as Kay being on YES diverting eyes and ears — still remains the clear favorite, but it is now a ballgame.

Francesa’s app has been widely written about. While no official numbers are known or have been reported, Francesa has claimed to have more than 800 subscribers for his $8.99-per-month service.

Francesa has been shouting for attention, says Marchand.