Boomer Esiason knows better than most people: Craig Carton likes to hold grudges.
When Esiason’s current WFAN co-host, Gregg Giannotti, was late for their “Boomer & Gio” morning show on Thursday, prompting the QB-turned-sports talker to quip that when his last partner was late, he never saw him again — a reference to Carton’s 2017 arrest for a ticket pyramid scheme.
“So I’m glad you made it, and you weren’t arrested,” Esiason said. “Usually, that’s what happens when a partner doesn’t show up.”
Carton, who spent a year in prison before returning to the WFAN airwaves on “Carton & Roberts,” heard the joke and was not entertained by his former “Boomer & Carton” co-host.
“I do have a receipt now, and one day, when it’s least expected…I will remember, because I never forget,” Carton said.
Esiason was informed of the retort by a caller to “Boomer & Gio” on Thursday.
“They heard it, of course they did,” Esiason said. “Just so you know, we listen to them, they listen to us. Well I don’t know if Craig does anymore, because he’s doing some show somewhere. I’m not really sure where it is, but he’s doing some show somewhere in the morning.”
Carton’s new national TV venture, “The Carton Show,” debuted on FS1 last Tuesday, running up against the “Boomer & Gio” simulcast on CBS Sports. The Post reported that the early ratings have been stunningly low for Carton’s TV show.
“He’s keeping receipts, he’s got a long memory,” Esiason said of Carton.
“People who have wronged him, he remembers,” producer Al Dukes said.
“How did I wrong him?,” Esiason said, preparing to list his own receipts. “Didn’t I do his documentary? Didn’t I give him nice quotes when he was away? Didn’t I give him nice quotes when he came back? Didn’t I call them up on their first day and say ‘You guys will be No. 1 before you know it?’ I guess we don’t remember those things. I mean, I bought him mackerel in prison.”
The “Boomer & Gio” crew went on to determine exactly what Carton’s problem is.
“He likes to hold grudges,” Esiason said. “Then he has to go see his therapist to talk about all that stuff. And I wouldn’t say that, unless he had said that on the radio. And he’s said that on the radio.”