Former sports radio host Mike Missanelli from Philadelphia was taken into custody on Wednesday, facing charges of harassment and assault. Reports indicate that his fiancée informed the Lower Merion police that he slapped her during an argument concerning their engagement. According to a police report, one officer noticed that she had blood on her forehead, a cut, and swelling in her ear.
Missanelli, who is 70 years old, has been charged with simple assault and harassment, and a hearing is set for April 22.
In a somewhat alarming twist, a 911 call was placed to the Lower Merion residence from an unidentified person, though they hung up immediately, according to reports.
Missanelli, known for his career in the Philadelphia sports scene, hosted a show on 97.5 FM until 2022. In the past, he mentioned to listeners that he was parting ways with the station as his contract was ending, noting that he and the company had different visions for the future. His show was well-recognized, airing from 2-6 p.m. ET and also broadcast on NBC Sports Philadelphia.
Reflection is perhaps a natural sentiment at this moment. I mean, Missanelli had his fair share of controversy, such as in 2017 when he made headlines for criticizing ESPN’s hiring of a female commentator for NFL games. This incident led to a temporary ban from an appearance on 6abc’s Sports Sunday, which he felt was excessive in consequence.
“There have been some failures,” he remarked about his career, “but I hope the good outweighs the bad.” Maybe that’s something a lot of us think about when reflecting on our own journeys.
