More Joe

The Rudy of Radio, from a few years ago: 

Mr. Benigno was soon filling in on WFAN, and in 1995 landed a gig as overnight host. And he was ecstatic. ''When I first started, I couldn't believe this was work,'' he said. ''I'm like 'You get paid for this? For talking about sports in the middle of the night?''

But he's more than Everyfan. He takes callers more seriously than most anyone in talk-radio, giving even the irrational a minute or two. And, always, he has a flair for black comedy: ''Oh, I think the Jets will win a Super Bowl -- long after I'm gone from this earth.''

If Mr. Benigno sounds like his callers, it's for good reason. He used to be one. Just 10 years ago, he was well-known to listeners as ''Joe from Saddle River,'' one of the hundreds of sports-radio obsessives who spend hours each day on hold for a chance at 15 seconds of glorious venting.

Mr. Benigno is a sports host who can't do a car commercial without ad-libbing from the pain of fandom. ''With Hyundai, you win.'' Pause. ''Maybe Hyundai should be the Jets' new offensive coordinator.''