Gambling addiction a sickness
SID Rosenberg had plenty of emotions after hearing that one of his former radio partners, Craig Carton, was arrested by the feds Wednesday morning on charges he ripped off millions of dollars from investors to pay off massive gambling debts. The one that rose up above the others: sympathy.
“I know it sounds crazy, and I may be the only one in the country who feels this way, but I actually look at it, because I’m a recovering addict, and I’ve had gambling issues in my life as well, there’s a part of me that’s sympathetic,’’ Rosenberg (inset) told The Post. “Like, this guy is so sick. I went to Gamblers Anonymous time and time again, been abstinent for a long time, then I’d fall off the cliff a little bit.
“But I know how deadly the disease is, man. [With] drugs and alcohol, that’s one thing, you can smell it, you can see it. But gambling is different. You can go years, no one is going to know. But you’re laying on your pillow at night and you’re like, ‘How do I come up with a million dollars,’ and it’s terrible.
“He obviously did a lot of these things out of desperation and what he did was terrible, if it’s true. If he fleeced innocent people out of millions of dollars, he’s got to go to jail. He f--ked up. But that’s what happens with this disease.’’
Rosenberg is the co-host of “The Bernie and Sid Show’’ and a regular contributor on the “Imus in the Morning Show,’’ both on 77 WABC. He has a history with Carton. Back in 2000, they were co-hosts of “Sports Guys’’ on WNEW.
Rosenberg has endured his share of addiction issues — he resigned from WFAN in 2005 after failing to show up to host a Giants pregame show and was fired by 560 WQAM in South Florida after a DUI arrest — and knows how damaging this will be to Carton.
Rosenberg said his relationship with Carton was strong when they first worked together but deteriorated, mostly over differences of opinion about the direction of their show.
“The guy had the best job in the world, morning show host on FAN, to his credit, after Imus, he actually had a winning show, he did a good job, and it’s all over. He’s finished,” Rosenberg said.
“Trust me. I must have got texts from 30 radio hosts across the country saying, ‘ What a dummy.’ You know what, you can call him a dummy. I look at him as a sick guy. I know what this disease does. If this is not the scariest tale of all, I don’t know what is.
“If in fact he’s guilty here, he’ll never work again,’’ Rosenberg said.
“If he’s exonerated, he’s got a chance, but my fear is not getting back on the air at FAN is the least of his problems.’’