Chris Russo could yell all night long about Lionel Richie canceling his recent show at Madison Square Garden.
Richie cited weather issues as the reason he couldn’t make the show at the world’s most famous arena on Saturday night, as thousands of fans wondered if that could actually be what happened.
Russo, speaking on his customary Wednesday morning appearance on ESPN’s “First Take”, said the weather in New York City was actually “absolutely glorious” this past weekend.
“19,000 people putting their LIFE EARNINGS on the line to go that event. Fiftieth wedding anniversaries, mom and dad, grandpa, the whole nine yards,” Russo began.
He was astounded that Richie could cite “travel issues” coming in from Boston, an hour after the show was scheduled to begin.
“Walk here!” Russo said, unsympathetically.
“Wheels Up! Pull a Stephen A! Figure out a way to get here.
“Ten o’clock on a Saturday, with everyone having spent a fortune to get in the building, food, drinks, parking, all raring to go!”
Russo was unimpressed with the idea of rescheduling the show for Monday night, when it had previously been on the weekend.
“People travel in to see this! That is complete, utter disgrace!
“He said he had travel issues! You know what you do? You leave [Boston] Friday night, you take an Acela, you get your rear end to the Garden, and you play!”
At the rescheduled show on Monday, Richie apologized to the audience.
“I had two ‘no’s to come at the same time,” the singer said. “And when those two decided it’s a no — when God says no and when the pilot says no, the answer … I tried to bribe the pilot.”
“And the pilot said, ‘I do want to see my wife tomorrow.’ So tonight we are going to make up for that,” Richie continued. “I apologize for that a thousand times.”
