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Don Imus’ Show Suspended From CBS Radio And MSNBC
Apr 9th, 2007 | 38 responses
Don Imus, the politically incorrect curmudgeon who has enjoyed a long career on radio and been a ratings builder in the mornings on MSNBC has been suspended — from the radio and MSNBC:
After a career of cranky insults, radio star Don Imus was fighting for his job Monday following one joke that by his own admission went “way too far.�CBS Radio and MSNBC both said they were suspending Imus’ morning talk show for two weeks following his reference last week to members of the Rutgers women’s basketball team as “nappy-headed hos.�
The suspension begins next Monday.
Note that this isn’t a cancellation but a suspension. And Imus’ career and role in garnering audiences is strong enough so all along it was likely that he would essentially be given one more chance to adjust in these politically correct times. But, even so, the controversy this time went BEYOND something that was mildly politically incorrect. Read Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estes’ earlier TMV column HERE.
While CBS made its announcement without comment, MSNBC said Imus’ regret at making the inappropriate comment and his stated dedication to changing the show’s discourse made it believe this was the appropriate response.“Our future relationship with Imus is contingent on his ability to live up to his word,� the network said. MSNBC simulcasts his radio program weekday mornings.
Imus continued to apologize Monday, both on his show and on a syndicated radio program hosted by the Rev. Al Sharpton, who is among several black leaders demanding his ouster.
Both MSNBC and CBS Radio said they would go ahead and air the previously scheduled Imus radiothon in support of the Tomorrow’s Children’s Fund, the CJ Foundation for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome research and the Imus Ranch planned for Thursday and Friday.
Even amid continued pressure, it’s unlikely Imus’ show would be canceled. Aside from his role in radio and TV, he has received good (and justifiably so) publicity for his work with sick children. His show has also been a favorite among Washington and media elites, but not usually a favorite with whoever occupied the White House.
While CBS made its announcement without comment, MSNBC said Imus’ regret at making the inappropriate comment and his stated dedication to changing the show’s discourse made it believe this was the appropriate response.“Our future relationship with Imus is contingent on his ability to live up to his word,� the network said. MSNBC simulcasts his radio program weekday mornings.
Imus continued to apologize Monday, both on his show and on a syndicated radio program hosted by the Rev. Al Sharpton, who is among several black leaders demanding his ouster.
Both MSNBC and CBS Radio said they would go ahead and air the previously scheduled Imus radiothon in support of the Tomorrow’s Children’s Fund, the CJ Foundation for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome research and the Imus Ranch planned for Thursday
In essence, he’ll be off and then be “on probation” when he comes back to see if he can work within the early 21st century’s new acceptable boundaries. Many radio “shock jocks” who get good ratings already do.
SOME ADDITIONAL RELATED READING:
Don Imus : Racism, Sexism, or Just Bad Taste?
Imus critics say apologies are hollow
Racist, sexist call gets US jock in trouble (Australia)
Why Imus Is the Best Interviewer on the Air
Don Imus Rutgers Controversy Not Going Away
Fire Don Imus
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38 Responses to “Don Imus’ Show Suspended From CBS Radio And MSNBC”
Will Imus apologize, in person, to the Rutgers U women’s basketball team?
What is the big deal? When a black comic makes a racist remark towards a white person it’s funny, but not the other way around!! Dam, I’m sick of it when a white man makes an off color remark about a black, certain people try to make the entire white race feel guilty. Shame on you for suspending Imus!
Imus has handled the fallout from his remarks poorly. He should have said when confronted: “That’s what I do for a living. Get over it.�
Now, what do people have to look forward to? A new, more politically correct Imus?
God help us.
Holly, he offered, but he can’t until Rutgers lifts their in house gag order. The university do not want the players involved.
Ken I tend to agree. Imus’s spoken words, (Nappy/Ho), are words that Black people created themselves. These words are African American colloquialisms. They are unique to the United States and no where else. Of course the “Rapper Music language” argument applies perfectly I’d say.
I do find it ironic that on Easter holidays, REVEREND Jackson and REVEREND Sharpton cannot find it within themselves to forgive. So both have lost great credibility with me. And of course we all remember Jacksons “Hymee Town” statement.
What the hell is going on here? Networks trying to knock a competitor show off the air? The whole thing is a bit much IMO.
I watch Imus regularly and what he said about the girls is consistant with his show. It was very insulting. Imus insults everybody.
How many times did he re-play that tape of Alan Iverson’s mother acting a complete fool? Anybody Remember that, from a couple years ago. And what about those calls to prison so he could talk to Suge Knight?
I don’t think they should suspend him.
You’re not a racist- until you think you are.
I’m a long time listener. In the past, whenever anything Imus said brought on a tirade of accusations of racisim or bigotry, he handled it by telling those people to “butt out.” Imus is neither a racist or a bigot- if they don’t “get it”, it’s their problem, not his. He pokes fun at everyone and everything- always has.
Why Imus’ change of heart?
Either 1) He is afraid of being censured by the Network and losing his job (unlikely- he’s making too much money for them- but they did have to suspend him in this PC world.
2) Imus has always been a closet racist or recently has become a racist (also unlikely)
3) He has turned into a PUSSY, or more likely, has been influenced by one- to the extent that he actually cares what these morons think.
Regardless, Imus has sold out- and sold himself short. He is trying for mass appeal and he is losing his long time fans in the process. Who the hell does Imus want to be- Oprah?
I’m WAY more irritated that Imus referred to them as “ho’s” than “nappy headed”. “Ho” is short for “whore” and was coined by black street pimps on the street. To call a bunch of black female college students “ho’s” just ticks me off. As a black man, I’ve said the phrase “nappy headed” so many times it’ll make you dizzy. So blah to that. But to call a group of young women prostitutes because they look tough just rankles me. That’s why I stopped listening to the majority of hip-hop/rap music. The rampant flinging of the word “ho” to describe every female is sickening and sexist. I’ve been railing against the word “ho” on many urban blogs for a long time. And I’ve been praised and denegrated.
Personally, Imus should talk to the Rutgers women’s basketball team. Let those young, tough ladies give him the business (cause black women can break you down quick with sharp words). He’ll be redder than Rutgers uniforms when they are done. He won’t forget that experience.
But suspension? Naaa…
What is overlooked is that his producer initiated the “ho” remark. Bernard (the producer) consistantly makes these remarks and uses “minstral” impersonations of black politicians like the NO mayor. IMO the producer is more of a racist, yet Imus is taking the fall for those under him.
Why hasn’t Al Sharpton shown this kind of indignation over the black rappers use of much worse terms for black woman? His holier than thou attidude only applies when it is a white person. How hypocritical. He brought his daughter out on the show with Imus….doesn’t he think of his daughter when black men call their women names worse than Ho? Why isn’t he upset over that?
Everyone should start paying attention to what is being said and the type of words that they are using to express anything. I feel that Imus SHOULD be FIRED!!!! and ANYONE that has not learned what to say and when to say things should be held accoutable for their actions. IF anyone calls me a “HO” then, they better be ready for what may happen next. I’m sure there is NO female, Black, White, Asian, Spanish, or any race would like being called a “HO” Please ladies speak up if I am correct. I feel that this is also an issue for any female to find offensive. I wonder how Imus would feel If someone called his mother and his sister and any female in his family a “Ho” on the air. Ladies let us please make ALL MEN show respect for us!!!!!We deserve to be respected !!! A.M.T. for Washington D.C.
Man, a lot of people seem to leave smart behind on this issue. I always wonder about the people who are soooooooo upset they can’t make baseless accusations against black people without someone being offended. Huh.
[...] Executive: Imus, great job, Ratings are up dude. This is better than the insults regarding Hillary Clinton. This is news all the way over in Australia Our advertisers are saying anything, your all right dude. Listen Imus, your HOT, You have 2,074 news articles on Google dude [...]
[...] Executive: Imus, great job, Ratings are up dude. This is better than the insults regarding Hillary Clinton. This is news all the way over in Australia Our advertisers are OK they are not saying anything, this is Ok, your all right dude. Listen Imus, your HOT, You have 2,074 news articles on Google dude [...]
He’s an artist and trying to make people laugh. Maybe it was a little dumb, but big freaking deal. IMUS FOR LIFE!
Should Don Imus be fired over his comment?
See a tongue-in-cheek visual of Imus and his newfound buddy, Michael Richards, hanging out and counting sheep…here:
http://www.thoughttheater.com
[...] Read What Other Bloggers Are Saying About This: The Moderate Voice; MyDD; Obsidian Wings Technorati Tags:Â apologies, ethical journalism, Imus, Media, Michelle Malkin, Msnbc, politically correct, racism, Sean Hannity [...]
Our Culture Of Pre-Packaged Apologies…
In an era of Politically Correct overload, it is easy to grasp the appeal of a public personality like Imus. His enormous audience is indicative of the fact that we long to have small slices in our day where careful, PC, and ever guarded language is …..
Re: Don Imus should be taken off the air
Mr. Imus should be taken off the air. A two week suspension just doesn’t cut it.
Mr. Imus’s history of racist & sexist remarks must end now! Please do not allow Mr. Imus to continue to denigrate all of us in America with his disparaging remarks that reach & influence millions of people. This has got to end NOW! Take him off the air!
Anthony Allen
White male, middle age teacher
Hawaii
I want to make a comment about the Imus show. First of all I’m not sure what part of the comment everyone is upset about,” nappy hair or ho”. The” nappy hair “part is a fact and most everyone knows that, black or white. The “ho” part may be a bit off color. When Eddie Murphy uses the same line in one of his movies everyone thinks its funny. Is it because of the color of his skin or that people know he’s being funny?? The problem is people are not sure when the show is serious or trying to be funny. There are much much more important things to get upset about. Thank You……………………………
What people are anymore racist then Al Sharpton and Jessie Jackson?They both throw Jewish slirs around,and they even claim to be Preachers.”WHAT A JOKE” These guys are total Jerks. I wish Imus had the “BALLS” to stand tall, what is said was all in comedy.
I don’t understand why the Rutgers women’s basketball team should be dragged into this. Imus has offered to apologize to them in person. They haven’t done anything to deserve this. Now they’re being put on the spot to accept or not accept the apology of a loud mouth jerk. What am I missing here?
Anybody who is so offended by Don Imus’ stupid remarks must have never seen a Chris Rock comedy routine. The problem is that Imus is white and he made a stupid remark about black people. That is especially unacceptable these days.
Imus should apologize and he did. What he said was stupid. It wasn’t funny and I certainly would never try to defend him. The suspension is fine, but let’s just move on.
Is this really the most important thing black “leaders” have to worry about? How about high drop out rates, crime and imprisonment of black men, teen pregnancy, out of wedlock births and disgusting gangster culture where things far worse than anything Imus said are routine? Maybe those things are more importatnt than what was said on a radio show by a cranky old curmudgeon like Don Imus.
Man, does the black community need new leadership. Al Sharpton? This is the guy who accused New York police officers of raping Tawana Brawley and smearing dog feces on her. Of course, it all turned out to be lies. Where the hell is his apology? How does Al Sharpton have any credibility with anybody? He is a pathetic excuse for a leader for black Americans.
What ever happened to FREEDON OF SPEACH in this country? Must we moderate everything we say just so we don’t offend or hurt someone’s feelings? Perhaps Caucasian people should file a lawsuit against all the African American rappers for calling us “crackersâ€?. Seems only fair to me! All this Politically Correct crap is ridiculous. Oh wait, what about the rappers calling themselves racial slurs (God forbid I use the ‘N’ word!) and calling African American women “Ho’sâ€? in their music. I guess that’s ok, they aren’t Caucasian.
Rappers and other fools who call women whores or hos are also condemned by many in and out of their community. So condemning Imus and his producer for it is nothing new. I do agree with the posters who point out that his producer should be being castigated at least as much as Imus.
And has anyone noticed that the one who signed as Don Imus links to one of the most obnoxious white power racist sites in existence?
Imus should have been fired years ago. Suspension and return confirms that his employer’s aims for a larger audience are met by Imus’s lack of civility. He is a blight on our civilization.
Only the concellation of advertising by the customers of CBS can effect his removal. Public outcry without economic consequences does nothing. Imus’s profanity and the price of oil are in the same genre.
[...] It’s really hard to say anything anymore. Don Imus has been suspended for two weeks by CBS and MSNBC for referring to the black women who play on the Rutgers basketball team as “nappy-headed hos.� Isn’t this is terribly unfair? How was Imus to know that referring to black women as “nappy-headed hos� is now considered offensive? What other demeaning racist and misogynist stereotypes are now off limits and how do you find out what they are? [...]
My guess is that this is being pushed in the background by conservatives who don’t like his disgust with this administration. If people were truly irrate with attacks on women and blacks, they would have gotten rid of MTV and VH1 long ago. It is no wonder that a conservative religion like Muslim want to distroy us. All they have to do is watch what goes on, on VH1 and MTV. For a country that is as great as ours, we have a lot of pathetic radio and TV.
Personally, I’d rather have Micheal Savage off the radio, than Imus!
GET OVER IT!! IMUS is a comedian. He has ALWAYS talked about everyone and anyone. I am of Polish descent. Do I want someone fired over all the Polish jokes? Heck no. He has a good heart, and has put his money where his mouth is. He loves children and has a camp for them also. He and his show has made me laugh at myself and others for years. If people werent so thin skinned this wouldnt be happening. I feel sorry that the advertisers pulled out so soon before he could apoligize to the Rudgers girls.
You go Imus!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Clara E. Fries
Summerville, SC
I’d like to point out that Howard Stern didn’t get into real trouble until he broke with President Bush and began to diss him. I truly think that the White House is behind the push on this, even though it is Sharpton and black Dems out front.
[...] UPDATE: Now I get it. They were participating in Imus’s radiothon, held at the MSNBC studios due to previous arrangements — the same MSNBC that just cast its simulcast of Imus out of its programming. FOr two minutes on the car on the way to shul this morning I heard him expressing, plainly and frankly, both his continued regret and acceptance of personal responsibility — “If I hadn’t said that stuff, we wouldn’t be here” — and his disgust with MSNBC over his treatment from them. [...]
I am a black female. I have three young daughters. I don’t appreciate being called out of my name by anyone regardless of color. How would Imus like for someone to call his daughters, his sisters, mother, or wife a whore or a piece of dirty white trash or anything that is on this level of extremely offense. I think this is about being a decent person that has respect for yourself and others. Sure, it is racist, but, it also shows what type of person he is because he is not a young person, he is an old man, and a professional man, he knew it was offensive and that people would not receive it as a joke, but he did not care because of the prejudice and hate he has in his heart. There is nothing funny about what he said, and no one can tell me that he meant it as a JOkE or they are as ignorant as he is. They want to say that black men call women whores etc., well THAT’S NOT ALL BLACK MEN AND A LOT OF WHITE MEN ARE JUST AS GUILTY. I am with a white guy, we have been dating for 3 1/3 years. I HAVE NEVER BEEN CALLD A BITCH IN MY LIFE AND I AM 46 years old until he called me one. A triflent person comes in ALL RACES, and Imus is a triflent man just like any other man black or white that would disrespect women and KIDS. These young women are not far from kids, how dare he say something so outragious to people kids. Firing him is not enough as far as I am concerned.
i think u are all stupid for the fireing of don imus.he has done more good than bad.him and his wife do more for hadicapped children than all the polations and big wigs like opra winfre.al sharpton,all they do is pass and stere up racial remarks.what about what happened to the white boys charged with the rape of the black woman and reuined there sport careers.and the polations that say they would not go on imus show are liers and only want to get in office like o bamba and hillory clinton and all the others
I love don imus, but was bothered by his comments. BUT I feel MSNBC and CBS over reacted. I think the big shots, if male, need to put the toilet seat down next time they pee, because if they look, they will see they no longer have testicles. Oh well, back to FOX…..
April 12, 2007
Whatever happened to the First Amendment? Mr. Imus comedy was often extreme but entertaining. I think his show was a breath of fresh air although some of his guests tended to bore me to death. Eleanor Roosevelt said, “No one can make me feel bad without my permission.” The Rutgers students need to grow a thicker hide if they expect to operate in this society. I deplore Sharpton and Jackson for using these students for their own political agenda. Censorship is in—free speech is out.
if this basketball coach truley wants equality
then why didn’t she condem sharpten and jackson
for being raceists,she talked more about herself and her family
then she did her team.she was looking for her on publicity.
i don’t care for her or sharpten or jackson.they want
a race war lets get it on.
The firing of Imas was just plain stupid he could have done more for the black community by having a voice then to shut him down. The two black leaders that have the platform now cause nothing but hate and will put this country back years.
I have watched Imus for years and when he gets on cause he will make it happen.
They have gained nothing by his firing the people in charged listened to a few blacks who had a bone to pick with Imus over something else.
Ok it seems most people here who left a comment is either a fan, or part of this guys family or related or something… You have pity for a person who comes on and makes a comment like that then say “oh they over reacted”, he shouldn’t be fired? So yeah let him keep his job, obviously he did have listeners of a different race so their not listening anymore or whoever was offended, so I guess that just leaves his fans, MSNBC is not stupid they cant keep him after what he said its going to hurt their ratings and if they did suspend him they would loose money trying to pay for someone else to sit in his place until it’s settled then to keep him, and their already in the hot spotlight now because he represents them. On top of that please I’m sick of everyone trying to bring rap in this like it justifies something, yes they say ho’s or ho but their is a reason, if you are a ho you might take offence to it if not why you worried about it. On top of that black people did not create the words nappy or hoe. Everyone needs to get your facts straight before saying something stupid like that get a dictionary. And the word hoe has been around since so for the person who said black people created moron no they didn’t blacks just have put slang to the word. I’m pretty sure most western movies I seen had whore houses so do your own dates back when it was created, maybe you wouldn’t target rap so much if he said nappy head whores in stead of ho’s For one rappers aren’t saying WMBA women players are all nappy headed hoes, or in rap are they directing to no one who doesn’t act like one. A whore or ho is a prostitute, woman of the night, easy woman, woman who sell their sex or act sleazy doing whorish things. So to be one who have to fit the description if some one is writing a song about that maybe that someone they have dealt with that fits that description or an situation they have been in. No more then some rock songs I have heard saying the same thing so if they do something for rappers they need to do something to everyone, ROCK, RAP, everything. People need to stop relating what is a comment from music and an some thing they may have been feeling or experienced to Something that is just flat out a racist thing to say. If the whole basket ball team was white and he made the same comment or called them Ho’s then what?? you have to think the team is mixed, for one the black woman are going to be defensive because society tends to associate the word nappy with blacks when technically everyone has nappy hair at some point white Chinese, Spanish, you name it, nappy is Having fuzzy, Kinky, frizzy, hair get your facts straight and stop associating your self. Two the word ho’s the whole team should be mad at because no they are not hoes but now he’s saying white and black it doesn’t matter any female on the team is how he put it. comedy my ass, comedians don’t even do that I have never heard a comedian say nothing even resembling remarks like that so don’t get it twisted. I say to all you fans, friends, relatives what ever you are to this Imus keep supporting him being prejudice, then do some soul searching because if you’re that blind to see what he said was. Then maybe you are yourself. And no not just prejudice against black people, because it doesn’t just mean that ok? Al Sharpton is speaking on their behalf because of how he put the comment into context but prejudice has more then just that meaning irrational suspicion or hatred of a particular group, race, or religion (get a dictionary). This is also prejudice against woman.