Don Imus, aka, 'the I-man"

[sailaway21]

Last week Don Imus, commenting on the largely black Rutger's women's basketball team, made reference to the girls having alot of tatoos and then said, "those are some nappy lookin' ho's"

His radio show, Imus in the Morning, originates from WFAN in NYC and is syndicated across the country, as well as simulcast on MSNBC. Today, he was suspended for two weeks by CBS and MSNBC. I am not sure about WFAN. CBS syndicates the radio show.

Of course, Imus has said some outrageous things in the past. And many of them have been outright hilarious. Nevertheless, this is not Henny Youngman, and it was viewed as a major mistake to have him mc the White House Correspondent's Dinner a few years ago, where he took the Clintons for a painful ride, to say the least.

The comment made last week was in poor taste, which can, in and of itself, be delicious. As in, "I don't believe they just said that." For that to be the case, the comment usually has to ***** some type of P.C. ballon, and be funny. In my opinion, the comments last week were neither.

That Don Imus is racist is preposterous. That he must engage the likes of Al Sharpton, on that racist's radio show, to make amends, is equally preposterous. The Tawana Brawley frame up ruined people's lives and Sharpton has never appologized for it. The fact that Sharpton can somehow be recognized as a "leader" in the black community says something very sad about America. See Tom Wolfe's "Bonfire of the Vanities" for more on that topic.

I used to enjoy listening to Imus. It was a good way to keep up on current events, and you had to be current to figure out the humour. Maybe it is just me but, over the last year or so, I find him tilting quite a bit to the left, and the humour seems forced. The left-ward tilt would be fine, the forced humour makes the show just another Chris Matthews screed. He has run off just about every conservative that used to frequent his show, with the exception of Mary Matelin. I suspect he has been too long in NY as well as, just getting old and tired. It's just not an equal opportunity pomposity buster anymore. And the pressures of TV are greater than radio.

While totally disagreeing with his politics, and much of his "humor" of late, I am forced to say that the man has redeeming worth. He has consistently raised prodigous amounts of money for such causes as the Wounded Warriors charity, autism, pediatric oncology research, as well as his own ranch for kid's with cancer. He backs up that fund-raising with large amounts of money from his own pocket-book. This is in stark contrast to the normal celebrity who seems to feel that their mere presence at a fund-raiser is an ample contribution. The various concerts for Africa and Bangladesh come to mind.

I, for one, never thought that Al Campanis or Jimmy the Greek should have had to pay the price they paid for ill advised remarks. The former's entire life, one of service to baseball and the black baseball player in particular, was reduced to a sound bite.

I cannot, in any way, defend the remarks made by Don Imus and Bernard McGurk, his producer, but I also am distressed that the likes of Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson can be viewed as the arbiters of cultural taste. Where is their outrage at the filth and degradation that is rap music? Howard Stern spews forth his trash without any sign of a social conscience whatsoever. If Don Imus is to be censored for his tasteless comments, I would submit that it should be done by his viewers and listeners choosing to tune in elsewhere. And the artists, politicians, authors, and pundits that frequent his show should consider alternate venues as well. That he will be disciplined by those who are largely responsible for the racial tension, such as it is, in America and contribute directly to the lock-down in poverty and depravity of an entire class of citizen in America, is just nonsensical. It seems like we have the pimps running the vice squad.

Free Don Imus! and then forget him

[PBzeer]

To be succicent, it's another sterling example of hypocrisy at it's finest.

[tigerregis]

Ho's yo daddy?
S21, you raise good questions that will not be answered here. Your POV will probably induce apoplexy. For me, I have a heart that feels in the Romantic tradition, but have eyes that see in the reality.

[xort]

lets see if any of the politicians who are boycotting fox's debate (sponsered by the CBC) will vow to never appear on imus either. the left is full of it, in spades.

[sailingdog]

Politicians rarely do the right thing... they usually do the Politically Correct thing....regardless of whether it is morally or ethically right.

[Brezzin]

Once in a while I listen to Imus because of the guests he has on. What Imus said is stupid but really it no dumber than most anything else he said. Personally I think its just another case of Sharpton and Jackson looking for another way to get and stay in the news. After all this is Don Imus, not Obama, Not Dodd, Not McCain. It's Imus.

Anyway it's the bottom line that matters. As long as Imus makes money for his sponsors then he's got a job.

[PBzeer]

In our current society, the only people who can be in any way disparged without the need for apology are any who are considered conservative. Look back on some the things they have called Bush, Cheney, Rice, etc. and no apologies were ever forthcoming, or even called for.

Why the top news story should continue to be, a known idiot saying a bunch of girls looked just like what they did, tells you a lot about the culture.

[Valiente]

I watch a little show on PBS called Tony Brown's Journal which in the context of U.S. media is pretty subversive. Brown has guests who often discuss race issues (his guests are frequently academics and average about two-thirds self-identifying as black) and, like Bill Cosby, they aren't afraid to include certain aspects of what is called black culture in the U.S. as well as citing the more egregious forms of what might be called institutional racism. I have found it refreshing, if occasionally baffling.

I find Halle Berry refreshing in her beauty and baffling in her logic as well. She's promoting her new movie by decrying the racism of Hollywood, etc., etc. In other words, this woman of both white and black parents, a veritable Lena Horne of hybrid vigour, is identifying herself as "black" for what I presume are mixed political and promotional reasons. Pun intended.

And yet this particular heir of Martin Luther King had surgery 20 years ago to give herself a little retrousse nose. I sometimes think that if she wanted to be TRULY radical and groundbreaking, she could, with equal cause, identify herself as "white" (whatever that means) and thus force to the surface the societal hypocrisy that makes one "black" if there is a tiny visible phenotypical element of Negritude in one's look (Ice-T, Vanessa Williams, the aforementioned vaguely Italianate Lena Horne), but "white" if the genetic cards fall in a pasty direction.

What bollocks. I have family members ranging from fell off the potato cart Irish-looking to "blacker" than Halle Berry, and so feel qualified to comment. Race has got to be almost as stupid-making as religion.

[bestfriend]

Originally Posted by sailingdog

Politicians rarely do the right thing... they usually do the Politically Correct thing....regardless of whether it is morally or ethically right.

SD -I am interested in reading Bill Bradleys new book. He was on The Daily Show last night and talked about the same thing.

The biggest offender in all of this? CBS. Take a close look at who they are, what they own, and what they are doing with it. Talk about the eye of big brother.

[kananumpua]

I'm not a fan of fox but I liked how Oriely laid it out there like this.

YouTube - Bill O'Reilly vs Rev Sharpton on Bush NAACP Speech

I agree sailway, free Imus and let the listeners decide his future by either tuning in or not, I mean why the hell should Sharpton to decide or have any input. I don't get all this PC non-sense and how only some must adhere while others can have a field day.