Don Imus !

[Murffieus]

What is all this hallabaloo regarding Imus's remarks about the girls Rutgers BB team all about. I mean he referred to them as "tatooed.....nappy headed HOS's"-----now just what is a "nappy headed HOS"-----and why has this gained the wrath of so many in the national media?

Please help me out on this!

[4everwarriors]

The dude made a mistake and apologized, BFD. That should be the end of the story. But no, those with an agenda are like barracuda. When the shoe is on the other foot, however, like the Rev. Jackson referring to Chicago as "Hymie Town" or Michael Ray Richardson saying he has "Jew lawyers," well, we all accept that and push it under the rug.

[OneMadWarrior]

Richardson was fired for his remarks and Jackson was universally adminshed for that statement for awhile. The Truth is unless one is a person of another ethnicity other then white, then it is impossible for us to understand that which is offensive. The truth is that the statement was insensitive and he shodul never have said it. Even men like Howard Stern no better then to describe it that way. Referring to Nappy Hair is usually a traditional putdown of the peopel in the Afircan Community. If you have an IQ above 80 you shoudl knwo its okay not to say it.

[augoman]

I guess what bothers me about the whole thing is 1. Americans enjoy free speech; Imus can say what he wants to say, and we can choose not to listen to him anymore, or the networks can choose not to air him.  2. the loudest whiners/complainers are the same phoneys we have to listen to every time; sharpton(remember the phoney tawanna brawley deal?), jackson (remember the missing millions from operation push.  the butcher-store blood he tried to pass off as MLK's?), et al.  3.  what's gravy for the goose is gravy for the gander.  We all have trip-words that offend deeply.  when some knob is disrespectful (and that's what it is) it should be treated as such.  4. where is all this outrage when actual crimes are being committed?  Can't we get the 'PC police' fired up about that?

In a nutshell;  no question he was wrong.  no question it was offensive/hurtful.  doubtful it was intended as such (evidence of an empty-head).  he has apologized.  end of story. 

[muarmy81]

First off what Imus said was wrong, and he's apologized but the comment I have is who created the word Hos?  Isn't that a word used on every rap album you ever listen to?  I just have a problem with the NAACP getting all over white people about using offensive language yet they rarely battle the same rappers that flaunt women around like objects on their videos, call them b*tches and Hos, and refer to their "homies" with the N-word.  I mean come on, you're just calling the kettle black...

[OneMadWarrior]

I agree with you. Actually on Jim Rome yesterday Dr. Edwards stated how that is just as big of a problem as if a white men says it and it is the Record companies that are allowing them to say it. No one in the educated black community is happy with the state of music.

[muarmy81]

That's true, many educated black citizens recognize the double standard that is being displayed and how demeaning parts of their own culture are to themselves.

[mu_hilltopper]

(First note .. I don't listen to Imus, don't have a thought toward him one way or another.)

There's definitely two "hands" on this one.

On the one hand, what Imus said was galactically stupid.  Here's a group of young women who are at the height of their game, underdog Davids vs. Goliaths .. and are in COLLEGE for crying out loud.  They work and sweat as much as men, and get 1/10th the respect and fanfare.  You don't insult that group, and surely don't do it with an audience of millions.

On the other hand .. Imus was just running his mouth, partly for comedy.  I'm sure worse things have been said about women's bball and the women who play.  And he's realized his grievous mistake and apologized over and over.  So is that it for him?  3 words, and he's condemned forever?

Truth is, it's not only Imus' fault for making a racist, sexist comment like that.  A great chunk of US socieity is permeated with racist and sexist thoughts.  Generally, those thoughts are kept in silence.  He let 3 words slip out.  That's no excuse, but the honest truth is, lots of people think those kinds of thoughts.  Those on the butt end of those those thoughts aren't pleased with them, to be sure, and have a target for the month: A guy said 3 words.

So, sure, we roast Imus for a time.  And he apologized, profusely.  Aren't there about a million other misogynistic and racist guys who are doing much more harm to women and race than this dude? 

[Ahoya06]

I grew up listening to Imus in NY. This is very much his style, and it certainly does not mean that he is a racist. Part of Imus' bit is knocking people....any and all people, including himself. In fact, a majority of the comedic part of his show is very self-depricating.

That said, the flip side of the coin is that Don Imus is an intelligent, witty individual, who manages to score some of the most high profile guests in the nation. Surely he must be doing something right.

Did he go to far with this comment? Undoubtedly. Did he mean anything truly hateful by it? Not likely. It was an attempt, albeit a poor one, at humor.

[BigSky]

To answer the original question as to why this is news.  Multiple reasons. 

Imus is really a comedian/shock jock....people can debate all they like if he is funny or not.(not a fan myself)  However he often times brings on respected journalists and politicians etc....which puts his comedian/shock jock role into a rare gray area compared to other comedians and shock jocks.  Stand up comedians do not work for corporations, ad dollars etc....they work for themselves.  And other morning personalty shock jocks are not taken as seriously. 

Imus has been doing this for years, so now many would like to turn the tables.  It is far from his first expereince with racist comments.  He is also a powerful figure with decent ratings.  It brings attention. 

If he gets fired he will show up on another network or satellite and do something again. 

As for others, like a Chris Rock, who also spouts much mean spirited bigoted and racial material in his live act that I have seen....and others...is it much different?  Only in the sense that they do not work for a corporation and are not on the comedy channel or HBO where that is more accepted. 

The problem is now instead of good debate, the topic has entered the hands of self-serving, self-important attention seekers like Jackson and Sharpton....who lack credibility, and are polarizing to the masses.  Instead of solving serious and real inner city and largely African American issues such as poverty, education, etc....which is too challenging, too much work for lazy people like the mass media to bring attention and solutions to, for lazy people like Sharpton and Jackson to bring attention and solutions to, ....this is the best they have to offer. 

Also often times it is said well it is okay for one race to say this about themelves but not another...no, it is the same.  Many of the masses buying the pathetically lyrically written "songs," are white people btw.

s a cranky old, bigoted hack really the most important issues in race relations or in facing African Americans?  ......but apprently it doesn't get as much ratings as Imus, Sharpton or Anna Nicole Smith.

[77fan88warrior]

Here is a very good article related to matter.
http://www.kansascity.com/182/story/66339.html

[mu_hilltopper]

Wow.  Awesome article, 77fan.  It's amusing to think, if the author was white, he would be surfing Monster.com for a new job right now.  Only an African-American could say those things.

[Virginia Warrior 77]

No doubt there's a double standard and a high level of hypocracy being spewed over this whole issue.  I enjoy watching Imus when I can because he's witty and tends to expose the hypocracy in others through his comedy.  I have gotten uncomfortable with some of his parodies that get close to the racism line.  I believe his producer, Bernard McGuirk, is a blatant racist and I turn it off when he gets air time.  Here's my perspective on this incident.

The problem with Imus' comments about the Rutgers women's basketball team is that he (probably unwittingly and unintentionally) made a personal attack in a nationally syndicated radio/TV show on the character of mostly 18-19 year- old student athletes/teenagers who did nothing other than try to do their best in the women's basketball tournament.  As the father of an African-American college student I would be equally outraged if Don Imus slandered my daughter in that way.  It's one thing to make comments or comedy such as this about celebrities and politicians who have chosen to be in the public spotlight; it is way out of line to personalize such slanderous comments against teenagers who have done nothing to invite this attention other than attending their college classes and participating in college athletics.

Imus knew better.  He should apologize.  He should also accept the consequences of his actions (apology does not obviate the need for punishment).  The long-term debate, however, should be about the corporations that are making millions from the entertainment industry's continued degradation of women, especially African-American women.

[tower912]

I never listen to Imus, or watch him on MSNBC.   His statements were dumb, his original apology lame.   What he said is no worse than statements by Limbaugh, Savage, Beck, Hannity, O'Reilly over the years.   But they are supposed to be bad boys, and Don has become more mainstream.   While I agree that there is a double standard and Reverend Jackson should have received equal grief for "Hymietown, and Reverend Sharpton should continue to be pounded for the Tawana Brawley debacle, the fact that Imus said something absurd is not the reason he is in trouble.
     With free speech comes consequences.   Just as if you had something anti-Bush or anti-war 4 years ago you were labeled treasonous (laughable now),  or if you were John Kerry attempting to make a joke, any joke, and were ridiculed for it, free speech has consequences.   You can say anything you like, but pay the price.   And this time, the ultimate price is being paid, the money is walking away.  Nothing in America talks like money (advertisers) walking.
    The bottom line for me is that this episode has not changed my opinion of Imus one bit.   Never listened before, won't now.    Jesse and Al are staying close to form, so my opinion of them hasn't changed, either.  The only truly interesting thing here is that the money is walking.

[Murffieus]

Comments like Imus's have done a number of well know people in over the years------Tom Brookshier (former NFL star & announcer)-----Jimmy the Greek-----now Imus and a few others in between.

Even though supposedly this is a free speech society-----race is a very sensitive subject/topic because of the 300 years of slavery here!

I'm of German decent-----and if someone wants to call me a "Heine" or a "kraut" (or anything else)------God bless them !

[mviale]

Murf - you got it wrong again.  The war and now this one.  Do you have a daughter or son under 22?

[Murffieus]

What does having a son or daughter under 22 have to do with this war? If we don't win the wars in Afghanistan & Iraq the next wars against radical Islam will be bigger and broader and require a draft----then you'll have to worry about your kids and mine who aren't going to be volunteers----they'll be conscripted as draftees!

Is that what you want?

[augoman]

Murf, the pendulum has swung too far past center and all things offensive are punishable by termination or worse.  Not defending Imus, as he absolutely denegrated these women based on their race, and by using the slang 'ho' he lumped them in w/ the gansta element that is eroding the black culture into one that glorifies prisons, drugs, violence and disregards/disrespects life and dignity.  For that he deserves to be punished, but it doesn't address the problem.  The problem is that it's essentially a one-way street with some of the worst offenders , appointed by the media, doing the policing.  If anyone watched the 'comedy' special on BET last night they know what I'm saying..., and this is one "dumb f*ckin' honkie" who is sick of it.