Craig Carton is back on the radio and WFAN starting on Monday, and plans to return stronger than ever.
The polarizing radio host has not been on the air in three years after he was arrested for fraud while running a ticket scam to offset his gambling debts. It has been a tumultuous road back for the 51-year-old, who has gone through rehab and prison before getting a second chance as the afternoon host on WFAN.
Carton joined Wayne Cabot of WCBS 880 News, which will air on Monday, in a very open and honest discussion about a variety of things, including his gambling addiction, how he has changed and what to expect going forward.
But perhaps the most surreal revelation wat that Carton felt that what he’s been through may have actually saved his life from going down a much more troubling, darker path.
“Lifestyle-wise, I was in a downward spiral and I’m not sure where that would have ended,” he said. “It wouldn’t have been good, for sure. There would have been an explosion at some point. There are days where I do contemplate if the FBI may have saved my life. They very well might have. I was out of control playing blackjack. It didn’t matter what anyone would say to me, because I was not listening.”
Carton described his addiction as a cocoon – to hide himself from feelings and emotions he was experiencing, which included being sexually abused as a child. An issue he opened up about last month during a special hour-long show on WFAN.
He described his time in rehab as an “epiphany.”
“Prior to going there, I would have looked you dead in the eye, I would have said, ‘you have the problem. I’m good. You can’t understand I’m really good at blackjack or how I process and why it’s not a problem,’” he said. “That was me deflecting the reality that I had a real problem; a significant problem and it was starting to dictate how I live my life and the choices I make – the far majority unhealthy and not good for me and the people around me.”
Carton has not gambled in over two years – June 19, 2018. He said he has not had the temptation to return to a casino or gamble again, but was very honest about how difficult it will be for him if he does get tempted.
“I also couldn’t sit here and tell you today if you put a stack of cash in front of me and an Uber driver with a one-way trip to a casino that I could say no to that,” he said. “I hope that I would. And I feel like I would say no, but I wouldn’t swear on a stack of Bibles I’d have the strength to. I know it seems cliche, but I didn’t gamble today, so today is a good day. If I wake up tomorrow, I’ll try and get through tomorrow and not gamble.”
Gambling is obviously a big part of sports culture and sports radio advertising, which Carton said has been discussed and acknowledged with his bosses. The host said that he sees this as an opportunity to use his platform to discuss responsible gambling and be open about his problems and experiences as a way to help others who may be dealing with something similar.
“I’m blessed to have a microphone around my fat face again with an audience who wants to hear what I say,” he said. “I’m not going to throw that opportunity out the window…I will do the best of my ability to raise awareness for that problem and be a voice for that problem.”
As for his show with new co-host Evan Roberts, which will air Monday from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., Carton strongly believes they can quickly become the top afternoon show in the city and envisions it being a similar vibe to his morning show he hosted with Boomer Esiasion for 10 years.
“When was the last time you put on a radio talk show and just had fun? And just entertained listening to the byplay between the host the callers and guest?” he asked. “It doesn’t exist. I’m coming into this situation where I think there is this black hole in the afternoon where no one is entertaining everybody. From day one, we’re going to laugh, we’re going to have fun and no one is taking themselves too seriously. And in doing that, I think very quickly we’re going to engage a very significant part of the radio audience in New York City.”