Imus

[Lilith]

anybody got an opinion on his recent drama?

[IowaMan]

I've always thought the guy was a jackass and he did absolutely nothing to change that opinion this time around. Gotta admit when I first heard what he had said last week though that I was stunned that he would be so stupid as to say something like that.

The issue of racism is one that won't go away during my lifetime and, unfortunately, it's never that surprising to hear someone say something so stupid. The kicker is that someone would think they could actually get away with it on the air in this day and age. The guy is a jackass on many levels with this one.

Fire his ass!

[1nutworld]

I agree that there is no place for his comments, as offensive as they were. He is now saying that they were made in a "comic" light, of course instead of apologizing, and that while it was inappropriate, it was just comedy.

I guess that while I don't agree that he should be fired, his suspension should be enough. He has apologized for making the comments, but I also don't think that is enough. I wonder if the comercial sponsors of his show will re-think about signing when the contracts are up?

[IowaMan]

I'm sure his apology will be enough to save his job, whether it should be or not I'm not sure.

I'd like to see him get fired if for no other reason than that I wouldn't have to hear or see him anymore. :p

[Lilith]

What is strange to me is that people are concentrating on the "nappy" part of his comment but frankly as a woman I am offended when *any* woman is spoken of as a ho by someone who does not even know them. To me it's offensive in a wide variety of ways. My students and I discussed it and we decided he *can* say whatever he wants and we can choose not to listen or support a company that puts up with one of their employees making statements like that on their behalf/their time/their money.

[Aqua]

I don't recall ever hearing of him until now.

I think he's a jerkface, but I don't think he should be fired. If he's fired some other station will hire him for ratings because people will tune in to hear the next stupid thing he says. People need to stop listening to his show and then he will disappear.

[LixyChick]

I've heard about Imus and his "comedic racism" through the years. He used to ride his pet dinosaur to the radio studio.

As far back as I can remember, Imus has made racist comments in the guise of comedy. Comics (stand-up and TV) both scowl and back him because of their position on stage and, now, in radio.

I've listened to all sides...including Rev. Al, Jesse Jackson and some people in the black community I have never heard of till now.

The US airwaves are on ORANGE alert because of the FCC rulings lately (language and content according to discussion) with no real rules until they are violated. The double standard is in effect when it comes to race and "assumed racist violation". There is no real steadfast rule as to what is acceptable and what isn't and who can say it and who can't.

In otherwords...the FCC has taken terrestrial radio hostage and the owners of those stations don't have a fucking clue what can and can't be said. When the station owners get wind of a possible infraction, they go into action and reprimand the perpetrator. When the media gets wind of an on-air infraction that the owners of the station have reprimanded the on-air host of...the world gets wind of it and it takes off like a missle!

My point? Not everyone listens to Imus. He claims a certain demographic...but he exaggerates...TRUST ME!

Now that he's been "outed"...Rev. Al and Jesse Jackson, and everyone else who has no real job but to be an advocate when the media can hear them, has screamed for Imus to be fired.

If Imus is fired for this infraction...we can take several more steps back in the process of trying to irradicate segregation and racisim.

YES...Imus is an ass! He speaks and then I think I can actually hear him thinking to himself, "WTF did I just say". If we fired everyone for thinking like an ass and saying asshole things...this country would cease to exist! Can you say G.W?

So Imus is a racist and has no respect for women? How does that really hurt us? Us...meaning...the people who never heard him actually say what he said till the media played it over and over again. And Us...our black community who can't/shouldn't possibly think that Imus...IMUS FOR CHRIST'S SAKE...has any influence on changing the values of any of his listeners or non-listeners?

If we give Imus the attention now...we give him a power he never really had. It might be too late for that now. But with all the more attention this gets, Imus feels more powerful...even if it's not true and it's fleeting.

Pardon my rawness on this subject...but...Fuck Imus and Rev. Al and Jesse Jacson for making this a national issue!

And BTW...Rev. Al and Jesse are NOT pure of racist speak! They still have a job!

WHAT IS THEIR JOB AGAIN...EXACTLY?????????

[rabbit]

If we give Imus the attention now...we give him a power he never really had. It might be too late for that now. But with all the more attention this gets, Imus feels more powerful...even if it's not true and it's fleeting.

Pardon my rawness on this subject...but...Fuck Imus and Rev. Al and Jesse Jacson for making this a national issue!

And BTW...Rev. Al and Jesse are NOT pure of racist speak! They still have a job!

WHAT IS THEIR JOB AGAIN...EXACTLY?????????

Amen, sister.

[Winston77]

U.S. Constitution: First Amendment

First Amendment - Religion and Expression

Amendment Text | Annotations
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

It's as simple as changing the channel

[Jude30]

Yes but if too many people start changing the channel the company loses money. So the question becomes fire him now or wait till they lose listeners. Unfortunately he's likely to gain listeners from this because like Aqua said people will listen just to hear what stupid shit he will say next.

[osuche]

Likely this is a ploy because his ratings are going down. Ignore people who make racist and stupid comments and they either give up or go away.

[Teddy Bear]

Any publicity is good publicity.

He is getting bad press for what he said but many people who had never heard of him now know who he is and many will tune in. So basically he'll be doing good once this passes. It's now a name heard around the water coolers at work and the dinner tables at home. Free publicity just for saying something stupid.

[Cheyanne]

What bothers me the most (other than the comment itself) is that there is more here than blatant racism. From what I heard on the news, the producer made a remark first regarding the ho's and Imus took it one step further and added the ''nappy headed''. What of the producer? Where are the women's advocates here? Gloria, where are you when we need you?

As Lixy said (((LIXY))), the Revs' jumped on this like, well white on rice, the moment 'nappy headed' was uttered. GET A LIFE! What about songs that refer to nigga? Shame on them for concentrating on the nappy part and ignoring the ho part! IMO, if this is an issue, it is an issue for ALL women. Notice, it is the men who are having an issue with the nappy part, the women are concentrating on the ho part. Why isn't there an outcry toward these fine African American men for that? Again, one part of the comment isn't any better (or worse) than the other. Fire the producer! Make him go on air and apologize to over half the nation!

[IowaMan]

You're absolutely correct Cheyanne. There should've been more of an outcry about that portion of his comments.

My first thought actually was of anger because he was in a round about way attacking Coach Stringer, whom I greatly admire. She's a great lady. I was fortunate enough to meet her when I was in college and she was coaching the Hawkeyes. She had come to my college to help coach a clinic and I was in the TV dept. and got to interview her have adored the lady from the second she smiled and extended her hand to shake mine.

I still say fire the jackass. Like everyone else said, this will only help bring the jerk into the spotlight and increase his listening audience. Fire his ass and if someone else wants to take the chance of hiring him to their station then so be it. If you or I were to be giving a talk in front of a group of people and we made those kinds of remarks, we wouldn't be suspended for two weeks, we'd be in the unemployment line. Fire his ass!

[Lilith]

I have no problem with the constitution and believe everyone has the right to speak their mind. That being said, with rights come responsibilities. He should be held accountable for what he says. That is part of what he is paid to do, speak publicly. As am I. If I were to speak in front of my class about my local black women's basketball team the way he did, and people took offense (and boy would they) my boss would then have the responsibility to decide if what I am saying represents the message she wants given. Did I have the right to say it? Sure. Do people have the right to chastise me for it? Sure that is their right as well. If free speech is a right, then I have the right to say how I feel about him being paid by a company to say what he says.

To say people can do/say whatever they want because it is a constitutional right and not be held accountable for it is wrong. I have the right to bear arms, but once I use those arms I am responsible for the results. Rights and responsibilities go hand and hand.

[LixyChick]

And don't forget the Spike Lee reference and "jiggaboo" stuff.

But seriously folks...I listen to talk radio all day, every day and there have been comments so much worse than this.

Anyone ever listen to Opie and Anthony? How bout Howard Stern when he was on the FM airwaves?

Again...the comments were stupid and racist and demeaning but they were NOT illegal and they were not known nationwide till the reverands made them known nationwide (possibly worldwide). There are so many bigger problems in this world today and if the reverands really cared about race relations they'd be advocates for the human race and stop trying to perpetuate segregation.

Does anyone remember when Rev. Jesse Jackson referred to the Jews as hymies? Probably not...right? Ya know why? Cause no one made a big deal out of it and it was just as offensive as anything Imus ever said! Go on...listen to any black radio station on a daily basis. There are constant derogatory remarks towards all races all over the airwaves every single day.

It's words people! Ignorant words...but just words!

There's a conspiracy or agenda behind this particular case. I think, before it is known, this will be blown so far out proportion that we'll be stepping back into the dark ages when all is said and done.

Al Sharpton has a radio show. He'd better be on his best behavior from now on in because what goes around, comes around Mr. Sharpton!

[jseal]

... To say people can do/say whatever they want because it is a constitutional right and not be held accountable for it is wrong. I have the right to bear arms, but once I use those arms I am responsible for the results. Rights and responsibilities go hand and hand.
Lilith,

Yes'm. Quite so.

[LixyChick]

Heard this today..

On a well balanced scale...weigh Edward R. Morrow vs. Don Imus

Imus isn't (and never has been) your daily source for serious, everyday news. If you want a news source...DON'T TURN TO "IMUS IN THE MORNING". HE'S SO OUT OF TOUCH IT'S FUNNY!

Imus is more out of touch than Regis and George W. combined!

The reverand's (Al and Jesse) have taken the weakest of the sheep (terrestrial talk show radio host) and chased him down and are now trying to crush him so they can stand in a hollow victory! When it's over...


*******IF YOU LIVE IN A GLASS HOUSE...DO NOT THROW STONES*******

Just sit back and watch the boomerang effect!


BTW...as to "women being more pissed about the "ho" reference"??? Al Sharpton didn't give any woman's group a chance to call Imus out. He jumped on the racial case for his own benefit and never gave a second thought to a woman's perspective.

And still...women take the back seat.

RISE AGAIN...ROSA PARKS!!!!!!!!

[Irezumi Kiss]

I already got my dander up at another site with wannabe racists making pseudo-excuses for Imus...basically I agree with everyone here...let's continue to support quality, not stupidity...nothing need more be said from me!

[scotzoidman]

Latest developments I heard was that Imus has indeed lost sponsors over this...also, MSNBC has decided to stop carrying the simulcast show...the head of NBC says these two events are not related...yeah, right...

Imus has about 7 listeners, & Rev Al has 3 more...now we all have to hear it over & over again because it's <NEWS>...personally I'm sick of having to watch these buzzards having a puking contest...

[WildIrish]

I think Imus should be terminated and banned from radio.

Not because of the purely racist comments, but because he's not funny.

[Aqua]

Imus is officially unemployed.

[Irish]

I,personally, don't like Imus but one thing that many don't know is that he has
much to do with contributing to many charities!He has been instrumental in
many Autistic charities.I know of this because my youngest grandchild is
Autistic.Everyone has good & bad qualities.The severity depends on your individual preferences!
The Rev. Al Sharpton & the Rev Jesse Jackson seem to have forgotton that
(especially)as a Rev,you are supposed to forgive!Perhaps if Al Sharpton,paid
the fine,imposed on him,in the Tawana Brawley(sp?)farce,he could throw
stones.Imus also diverted his plane to pick up a handicapped Afro-American
boy,to take him to NY.I am NOT sticking up for Imus,but there are two sides
to every story.You usually only hear ONE side. :sad: Irish

[Lilith]

I had a great chat with my Lost Boys today about this Imus thing and about what is and is not a person's right. I also asked them why it's ok for them to listen to rap music where they call black women ho's but when a white man says it people get upset. It was a very interesting conversation led to a great learning opportunity.

[PantyFanatic]

:wish:
... With my old fashion appliances.


I have a radio that came with a "station selector" and it even has an "OFF" switch. :D











(and the both work ;) )

[Scarecrow]

But PF if it does not have a remote control many people will have trouble getting up to go turn it off. :rolleyes:

[fatbeer]

I bet at least one of the players is an actuall ho

[Cheyanne]

I can sure tell that fatbeer is new...

Piece of advice fatbeer - you truly do not want to go there.

[jseal]

fatbeer,

Do you have any evidence to support your claim?

[fatbeer]

yeah thers 12 players theirfor their is probably a ho on the team, Probably the white player.

[WildIrish]

The first amendment grants us the right to speak our minds, but like Lil said...that right comes with responsibility. I don't believe he should've been terminated because of what he said.

[jseal]

fatbeer,

Suggesting that 1 in 12, or a bit more than 8% of women undergrads are prostitutes does not, as I understand it, constitute evidence that any one of the Rutgers University women's basketball team is. It is a rather grim speculation, in my opinion. Had there been any evidence to support Mr. Imus’ description of these women, I suspect that he or one of his supporters would have presented it for review. It is most unlikely that he would have apologized for his behavior had he thought his description apt.

As one who tends to take a liberal view towards other people’s behavior, I must grant Mr. Imus his right to say what he wishes, no matter how odious I find them, provided he avoids such dangerous behaviors as shouting “Fire!” in a crowded theater. He in turn must, however, accept responsibility for his actions, and now he will have the leisure time to reflect upon the appropriateness of his more memorable sound bites.

[wyndhy]

as will his staff^^^
a bit of a witch hunt, methinks, but he can’t cry foul too loudly. in this day and age you’d better be damn careful what you say ‘cause you are gonna pay the piper, even if it's extortion.
at least the government didn't get involved. :p

[WildIrish]

What does Imus have to do with jseal's staff? :confused:

[jseal]

:yikes:

[wyndhy]

i mus' admit, i have no clue. :p

[Scarecrow]

Just heard on the CBS evening news that the Coach and players of the Rutgers team say Mr. Imus should be given a chance to redeam himself and should not be fired.

[scotzoidman]

His termination was inevitable as dawn once his sponsors dumped him, a clear example of the Golden Rule..."He who has the gold, makes the rules"...

After a day or 2 of ruminatin', 2 points have become clear for me... 1) Imus said something offensive, <insert big yawn> wake me up when some news happens...he's always been an equal opportunity offender, the difference this time is his choice of victims...the Rutgers team was truly the Cinderella story of the NCAA tourney, & people will get pissed if ya call Cinderella a "ho", even as a joke...
2) and this gets me pissed as much as anything, the whole story has been a tempest in a teacup, except that this teacup is named New York, New York...it's a reflection of the media's "NY-centric" view of reality...as if what Imus (or Rev Al) says has any interest to those of us that don't live within view of the Manhattan Skyline...
:rant:

[Wicked Wanda]

...is a bore.
(sips from her 4th glass of wine, so no soapbox or claws tonight)
He plays the ignorant redneck for effect. I dated boys who, though they had never heard of Imus, thought that his kind of person was what they wanted to be, the "City Cowboy". Matt calls people like him "all hat and no cattle", which had to be explained to me. (So far I am not really becoming Japane...uhh Texan)
I don't follow sports at all, (to my frequent embarrassment here) and didn't know the whole story at first. What I know now is that he was mad at them for losing, and for that he made crude remarks about a very young group of women who had done some amazing things. Remarks about their gender and some team members' race. (I saw the pictures, it's a mixed race team)
Having a fit over an imagined slight and lashing out- This defines "tantrum".
They are a WOMAN'S (they're not girls) College basketball team, and didn't have the ability or resources to defend themselves publicly. Attacking someone who can't defend themselves- This defines bullying.
I NEVER listened to Howard Stern, and didn't really know anything about Imus. But he attacked these women as a bully throwing a tantrum would.
The government needs to stay away. The Constitution mandates this is not their concern. The goverment is not supposed to address every little grievance anyway. What matters is that his sponsors said, "We don't care about how high his rating are, we don't want him speaking for us" and dropped him. No sponsors, no job.
Bye Bye "Mr" Imus.
About his charity work. Leigh once pointed out to me (on another subject,) that even the Klan wears clean white sheets.
He's a millionaire. Let's see if he is still the same charitable person now that his income has been reduced. Charity is supposed to be hard. That's what makes it special.
Funny, I don't know anyone who does, or ever did listen to either Stern or Imus. So who says "they're popular"? Makes you wonder how acurate the ratings are, doesn't it?

WW - goes to bed. alone.