NEWS: Don Imus is an Asshole

CULTURE: Don Imus is an Asshole

Last Wednesday, during what should have been a happy week for the women’s basketball team at Rutgers University, radio host Don Imus decided it was a good time to be an incredible asshole. On his morning radio program, Imus called the team “nappy-headed hos” setting off a wave of controversy that has led many to call for his firing.

Many people might ask, “Is it really such a big deal? Isn’t this what shock jocks do?” But Imus is more than just another shock jock. His radio show is simulcast on MSNBC. He regularly hosts the most influential people in politics and media on his program. Tim Russert of Meet the Press and Republican presidential hopeful John McCain, specifically, are frequent guests on the show. Shouldn’t we expect better of them, if not Imus himself?

After all, this isn’t the first time Imus or a member of his team has pulled this sort of thing. His former producer, Sid Rosenberg was fired for saying that cancer-stricken singer Kylie Minogue “ain't gonna be so beautiful when the bitch got a bald head and one titty.” Rosenberg also said that Venus and Serena Williams were better suited for National Geographic than Sports Illustrated. Of course, since nothing is too outrageous or fucked-up for an Imus associate, Rosenberg wasn’t fired for long, and was actually in the studio on Wednesday when Imus made his Rutgers comments. Imus himself, remember, has been a racist for a while, calling PBS commentator Gwen Ifill a “cleaning lady” at one point.

Today, Imus is pretending to be contrite, apologizing on the air, and planning a trip to Al Sharpton’s radio format. He claims that he “is a good person,” and makes a vague sort of plan to change his program’s tone.

On Thursday, the day after the comments, Imus’ tone was much different, telling his audience that people should not be offended by “some idiot comment meant to be amusing.” That was before the media firestorm, of course. Now he’s sorry. At least, that is, until the next time.

It annoys me that Imus, and others who do this, always pass it off "as a joke" once it's clear they've done something really horrendous. I read an interesting comment, I believe on CNN, that amounted to: We need to stop letting people be terrible, then apologize and then the public/wrong parties/whatever are all supposed to act like nothing happened.

Now, I'm not clear *what* should happen - I dunno if he should lose his job or whatnot. But I do think he has to really own up to this, rather than just brushing it off as an "aberration" in his otherwise sterling character.

Just goes to show, if you just barely scratch below the surface, racism is still strong in America. I work in the construction industry in south Florida, and just 3 days ago, pulled up at a customers house and the first thing he said to me was, "Where's your spics?" I mean WHAT THE FUCK!!!???Hopefully, in a few more generations, we'll all be the same color and this ridiculous bullshit can finally stop!

PS..Fuck Imus!

Fuck Imus, he should have quit radio years ago...his show is zzZZZzz.
Al Sharpton's radio show seems to be the place where assholes redeem themselves...he should start a weekly segment...this week Imus! next week, Newt Gingrich !

I vote we burn a cross on his front yard.


wait.
I'm kidding.

Imus says shit like this everyday. I dont think he is a racist and he does alot of good things for cancer stricken kids but the guy definatly is an old coot.

Imus is such a washed-up hack. His ass should have been fired years ago.

Who even listens to Don Imus? His show is not even remotely entertaining and his ratings have been in the toilet for years. Somebody oughta just put him outta his misery at this point.

Meh. Imus is clearly a major league asshole, but this is not a big deal.

If Don Imus were never able to get another job on the radio I think I'd be perfectly fine with that.

I hate celebrities who say offensive shit and then issue a non-apology apology.

Imus is a good guy who has done a lot for kids with cancer, but he's just compounding the problem with his apology-a-thon. Maybe before we attack the guy we should make sure we've never said anything offensive before.

Keep in mind that Jessie Jackdon once refered to NY City as
Hymietown. Now he's protesting outside Imus's studio calling for him to be fired. Hypocrite.

And was roundly criticized, lost all respect as a presidential candidate, lost tons of influence for years. Imus says this shit regularly, and nothing happens.

Who, exactly, is the hypocrite?

The point isn't that people say offensive things or not. The point is, Imus does it and never pays the price. I'm not even upset (that much) at Imus. he is what he is. My problem is more with the polititcians who constantly go on his show to joke around with this total ass.

This isn't the place for a debate on his ranch, but lets just say that it's not the most efficent charity ever.

Can you say "tax deductable ranch"? He is a scam artist.

I see what you're saying. The mistake Imus made was apologizing. He should have just said that its a joke and if you don't like it turn the channel. People say offensive things all the time and they are left alone because we all know there is no apology coming. Ann Coulter is a good example.

If you like the taste of comedy titled This Honky's Nuts, you'll love the taste of Sharpton's big chocolate backside.

Could someone please clarify for me how the term "nappy-headed hos" is racist? I'm assuming that "nappy hair" is somehow a reference to black people, but I'm afraid my Racist Dictionary is woefully out of date.

Color me Randal Graves on this one.

You know, I actually watch a little Imus. I'd probably watch more if it wasn't on at 3 AM, as I'm sure a lot of people would. It's funny, offensive humor, and when it gets down to it he does good thorough discussions with political candidates, et cetera. Which is why they've kept coming.

Now here's something that you all should know: Calling Don Imus a racist because he made fun of someone makes you sound really, really silly. He makes rash, abrasive, scornful remarks at EVERYONE, regardless of skin color or shitty hair job. He even brings his wife on the show so they can yell at each other. Call him an asshole, and you'll be completely correct. Call him a racist, and you're just simply misinformed.

I also think it was silly of him to apologize, but you know what... this is the first time that he's said something that actually *really* hurt someone, and I think that got to him. When you're used to people shrugging off what you say, and all of a sudden someone doesn't take it well, it really makes you stop and wonder what the hell you've been doing.

Our culture just has some sort of pressure point with white people making fun of black people. If Chris Rock went live on stage and called the UCLA women's polo team a bunch of coked-out trailer trash skanks, no one would even think about it the next day.

(this is in no way condoning that guy from Seinfeld)

Personally, I have nothing to say either way on what he said, but he's given large amounts to (something like 300,000 grand) and raised 10 Million for The Center for the Intrepid veterans rehab clinic. He's also been at the forefront against Generals and other people who have mistreated our troops from the outset of this recent quagmire called "Iraq".

Now, personally, I'm not a big fan of the guy. His show is INCREDIBLY boring, he wears a hat that is particularly ugly and oh well heh, he occationally says incredibly retarded things.

I dont know, I TRY not to be one to judge, but I can guarantee everyone has probably said something generally racist... from a joke heard round the water cooler to something heard in a movie, to something that could be construed as a racist, sexist, elitist... hell anything "ist". Anyone who states differently is liar, because everyone says something blantently stupid at least once in their lives.

Personally I don't think this is that big a deal, and people making it out to be some kind of huge spectacle and hugely racist issue are only giving the guy clout and reaching an audience he wouldn't normally reach. I don't listen to his shit, I don't listen to Howard Stern, I don't listen to any of these douche bags on the radio. I would've had no idea Imus said anything at all if somebody who got offended didn't say anything. Shit, I wouldn't even know who the guy is, but I watched the Howard Stern movie several years back and Stern talked about him.
Here it is in black and white. people who get famous get that way saying, doing, and acting like they do, or they sale out. If I had to find anything with this statement offensive, and I don't, I would have to say it is the fact that he called all those ladies hoes. But hey, let's bring up the race issue, I guess no one cares about a woman's honor anymore. Reading through these comments not one person addressed that part of the comment, and the article didn't emphasis it either. Think about our culture and what that says about us if we are willing to either A.) Let women be criticized for there sexual practices and told that if they enjoy their sexuality and sex they must be a ho, or B.) let someone slander a woman's reputation. It's all in how you look at it and what you believe, personally I think a woman should be able to have sex with who ever she wants and have as many partners as she wants and fear no name calling or reprisal. It's odd though, cause I also believe if a woman is monogamous, or celibate , and someone calls her a hoe, whore slut, whatever that she should be offended. Sad to say in today's society hoe, and bitch are just another word for woman, and we let it get that way. Nappy headed? Shit I wake up and don't comb my hair, it looks nappy. Fuck man. Fuck. And Imus' show sucks.

For some, apparently the only *really* racist thing is saying: "Hey, I'm a racist!" Everything else is just *humor.*

People who insist otherwise are too sensitive and judgmental.

Really? There are people who are sticking up for Don Imus? Imus? Who the hell likes Imus?

For what it's worth, several articles have pointed out the sexism. it's also worth noting that the women weren't called "hos" because of their sexuality. They were called "nappy headed hos" because they were black. No other reason.

I'm not sure why everyone (not you specifically) is ignoring the fact that this is part of a pattern on his show. It is neither isolated nor is it off the cuff. Hell, on that very show his producer said that the game between Tennessee and Rutgers was "the Jigaboos versus the Wannabes," but I guess anything goes.

An update, of sorts: He's been suspended 2 weeks.

Assuming that all nappy-headed-hos are Black is in itself racist. I heard the audio from the show and immediately after he insulted the Rutgers team he said that the Tennessee girls were cute. Are we to assume that he was referring only to the white girls on the Tennessee team? What Imus said was clearly intended as a joke. A stupid joke, but a joke nonetheless. Imus has been suspended for two weeks for his politically incorrect remarks and he was on a non stop Apology-Fest this morning. If he had a pair he would tell Al Sharpton to go screw Tawana Brawley and shut the fuck up. Imus's apology should have been sufficient for his stupid remarks.