Longtime Philadelphia sports radio host Howard Eskin has publicly denied allegations that he forcibly grabbed a female colleague during an argument, which reportedly led to his sudden departure from WIP in December. The accusations stem from an incident that occurred on Dec. 9 after a remote broadcast at Chickie’s & Pete’s sports bar in South Philadelphia.
The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that Eskin allegedly grabbed the arm of a female employee of Audacy, the parent company of WIP, during an argument. The report suggested that the altercation escalated following a conversation between Eskin and Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham.
In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday, Eskin strongly refuted the allegations, calling them a “vicious smear campaign.”
“I had hoped to avoid commenting on my departure from WIP, but the vicious smear campaign being waged against me by a small group of employees at the station forces me to defend myself,” Eskin wrote. “There was absolutely no ‘physical altercation’ between me and a female employee at the station. I did not ‘forcibly grab’ anyone.”
Eskin provided his version of events, claiming that the colleague had interrupted an important conversation he was having with Graham after the broadcast had ended.
“I raised my voice, irritated at the interruption,” Eskin admitted. “She stormed away, and I followed her and tapped her arm to get her attention to apologize and explain why I was upset. I did not grab her. I apologized three times. She wouldn’t accept my apology or hear me out.”
Eskin expressed disappointment in the backlash he has faced since the incident, emphasizing that he has never physically assaulted anyone throughout his career.
“The amount of piling on since has been disappointing, to say the least,” Eskin continued. “In all the years of a very public life, I have never put a hand on anyone. I can’t tolerate these lies. As they say, don’t believe everything you read in the paper or on social media.”
Allegations and Past Controversy
According to the Inquirer, the female employee had approached Eskin and Graham during their conversation to inform Graham that a group of fans was waiting for autographs. This reportedly led to the argument in question.
This is not the first time Eskin has faced scrutiny for his interactions in the workplace. Over the summer, he was banned from Citizens Bank Park, home of the Phillies, after an Aramark employee accused him of giving her an “unwelcome kiss” before a game. Eskin publicly apologized and retained his WIP radio role at the time.
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Departure from WIP
Eskin had hosted a popular Saturday morning show on WIP and served as a sideline reporter for Eagles radio broadcasts. However, Audacy, WIP’s parent company, announced before Christmas that Eskin was no longer with the station. Devan Kaney replaced Eskin as the sideline reporter for the Eagles’ Dec. 29 game against the Dallas Cowboys.
Neither Audacy nor the female colleague involved in the Dec. 9 incident has issued public statements since Eskin’s response. Despite his denial, the incident has sparked ongoing discussions about workplace behavior and accountability in high-profile roles.
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