Departures of note

Ronnie Benjamin, known to listeners as Big Black, was an American radio personality who became a fixture of Howard Stern's nationally syndicated show. Born in the Bronx, he appeared on the program multiple times for lengthy interviews and was formally named a member of Stern's famed Wack Pack in 2006, becoming part of the show's inner circle of recurring characters. He was known for his deadpan banter with Stern's sidekick Robin Quivers and for his eccentric, often bleakly comic monologues about his life in the South Bronx. A member of Mensa, the high-IQ society, he returned to the show in 2011 after a five-year absence, recounting a brief stint working security at Yankee Stadium and his efforts to publicize himself through YouTube videos. He died at age 64 from arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, which the New York City Medical Examiner's Office deemed natural.