So maybe you European, especially Italian guys who are more familiar with this subject can fill me in, but I stumbled across this guy while following a youtube "rabbithole" one afternoon.

He's an Italian guy with a British name, and it sounds like he's some kind of big larger than life TV character and musical personality over there. By all accounts he was actually a pretty good neoclassical shred guitarist at one point, until he lost his ability to play due to arthritis. (This might have been partlydue to the way he played- in some of his videos he would stretch his fingers across six frets to do his scale runs, which while it might not have caused the problem, it certainly didn't help.) Anyway it seems like after he quit playing, he turned into this goofball "Angry Tough Guy Metalhead" TV persona, basically playing himself sort of like a wrestling character- loud and violent but in a comedic way. On this one TV show hosted by some cheesy TV personality named Max Giusti, there was a long running joke where Benson would become violently enraged whenever this dopey pop singer would perform this ultra cheesy song "Cucciolo," often while wearing not-so-clever disguises.

And even though he can't actually play "normally" anymore, he stages these live performances where people throw food at him, like some running gag. It's hard to say whether he is in on the joke, so to speak, and it's all just part of his strange performance art, or whether it's just fans showing up to be dicks. I tend to think it's the former, since he has to know he can't play guitar anymore but does so anyway, and I would assume he would know what to expect. (Plus, as a fan, why would you go to his show otherwise, just to hear some has-been play badly.)

So, what is the deal with this dude? Anyone else heard of this? It sounds like he's just some kind of washed up musician trying to have a second career as a TV personality and comedian.

Yeah, I came across his "Betcha Can't Play This" video earlier this year. I'd guess he didn't intend for it to become a joke, but just wanted to continue playing guitar and ran with it.

Nailed it, but he also disappeared pretty fast as a TV personality, to the point that pretty much only italian metal fans know him... And he's known more as a living meme than a musician. And yes, some people go to his rare concerts just to throw stuff and have fun in that way, go figure

He's now broke and really sick, and he can barely walk. it's a sad situation overall, considering the fact the he was a proficient guitarist once

I heard a few months back that he was on the hospital and had a surgery. He is currently broke and definently doing the "shows" as a method to gain more money through the fun of the audience. Also does anyone know the song where David Bowie sung?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSUunI6mX-c

Richard Benson and David Bowie. (well, allegedly. It sounds like Bowie anyway, and Richard claims its him but...I'm not actually sure.)

Its a strange song, to be sure. Benson's guitar playing is pretty unique- fast and sloppy.