Imus?

[Karried]

He has been on the news and is suspended for two weeks. They are having a Live Rutgers News Conference with the players speaking. The same players he called racially charged names.. for those who missed it.. google it.

I've heard much worse from Howard Stern (which is why he went to Satellite so he can say what he wants).

What do you think about this?

[PUGalicious]

He has been on the news and is suspended for two weeks. They are having a Live Rutgers News Conference with the players speaking. The same players he called racially charged names.. for those who missed it.. google it.

I've heard much worse from Howard Stern (which is why he went to Satellite so he can say what he wants).

What do you think about this?

Imus said something very stupid and very offensive. And I also believe that these comments were hurtful to the Rutgers players. I found the comments to be offensive and very unfortunate.

However, I find it equally unfortunate that so much of the outrage is being manufactured. In some ways the overreaction is almost more troubling than the original insensitive remarks. Some are exploiting this incident for their own political agenda, inciting anger and deepening the divide in this country.

The comments were intolerant and racially provocative. Should Imus be fired over this incident? No.

If people find his conduct so reprehensible, they should stop watching/listening to his show and stop supporting his advertisers. They can vote with their pocketbook. But censorship — by demanding his removal from the airways — is not the answer to a society that supposedly cherishes the right to free speech and expression. That right extends to everyone, not just those who we like or agree with.

[Easy180]

I watch him every morning while I work out and for the most part he is harmless...They were joking around about how ugly the Rutgers ladies were compared to Tennessee...Tattoos and all

His sports guy blurted out something about ugly ho's and Imus immediately came back with the nappy statement...Definitely uncalled for, but I think it was just an unfortunate knee jerk reaction to what the sports guy said...Just blurted it out so I'm sure there was no premeditation involved

Let the guy serve his suspension and make amends...Much worse things are said on the airwaves than a quote from Spike Lee's School Daze film...Feel the suspension is deserved as his statement was out of line, but give me a break with all the firing crap coming from the usual racial ambulance chasers

[Karried]

Sharpton's all over it... where's Jesse Jackson?

I agree it was horrible .. totally inappropriate.. but a live news conference on CNN? wow

I've heard some really derogatory things said about all walks of life and I can't recall everyone being up in arms quite like this.

[oldglory]

Its amazing how some groups of people have to maintain "I'm the victim status" in this country. Ya don't see others bitching about all the Black comics bustin on the whites. Americans are pretty thin skinned. I agree with pug, if you don't like something turn it off.......

[mranderson]

All Imus did was state his opinion. He has that right.

By the way. I do not like the guy and never have. My brother watched him all the time, however, I think he is a jerk.

[Keith]

Sharpton's all over it... where's Jesse Jackson?

I agree it was horrible .. totally inappropriate.. but a live news conference on CNN? wow

I've heard some really derogatory things said about all walks of life and I can't recall everyone being up in arms quite like this.

Sharpton and Jackson...two of the most racist men on this earth. Always in the right place at the right time....to get their publicity.

[NE Oasis]

His sports guy blurted out something about ugly ho's and Imus immediately came back with the nappy statement...Definitely uncalled for, but I think it was just an unfortunate knee jerk reaction to what the sports guy said...Just blurted it out so I'm sure there was no premeditation involved

Further proof the man speaks without thinking, telling Al Sharpton "I can't get a break from you people"
Let him serve his suspension and let's move on to the next manufactured media crisis.

[Easy180]

Just saw a piece on a radio guy Neal Boortz who a few years back describing a black congresswoman's new haircut saying she looked like a ghetto slut....Maybe it's just me, but that is way worse than what Imus said

Guess who wasn't fired??....He just didn't have the ratings power or rep of Imus so the story quickly disappeared

Rutgers players and their families should be major offended...Everyone else should move on

[mranderson]

Sharpton and Jackson...two of the most racist men on this earth. Always in the right place at the right time....to get their publicity.

Yep. And you can add Louis Farakon (sp) to that list of racists.

[BailJumper]

All Imus did was state his opinion. He has that right.

By the way. I do not like the guy and never have. My brother watched him all the time, however, I think he is a jerk.

While he has a 'right' to speak his mind, he does it at the leisure of his employer.

Acting as an agent of his employer they have the right to suspend him and/or fire him.

Personally, I think some people saw a stage and jumped on it. I say do your "I'm sorry" and get on with it.

[BadGorilla]

What's interesting about this story is how big the story itself has become. Imus has spent the last 30 years in broadcasting saying and doing things that are relatively offensive, but for some reason, this statement gets attention.

The feigned outrage on the part of Sharpton (remember Tawana Brawley) and Jesse Jackson is laughable. Let us not forget Jackson's anti-Semitic remarks a while back. And then, the University holds a press conference, blathering for almost an hour. Sheesh.

The Imus statements were morbidly inappropriate in my opinion so don't get me wrong - I am not at all justifying his dialog. I've not been a fan of Imus because I think him to be a grumpy little kurmudgeon for a very long time but now, his ratings are probably the highest they have been in a long time.

I believe in free speech and yes, even offensive speech because if our Constitution protects the most offensive speech, it will protect the rest of us who are only moderately offensive. Call me Libertarian on this one.

You want to know what I find offensive? I find the condition of talk radio offensive - the "sanitized for your protection" syndicated programming being shoved down our throats every day.

[Karried]

What about the Duke LaCrosse Team? That turned out to be false. But, wow, the same people above were all over it. I think Sharpton needs to apologize now that the rape charges have been dropped, but I didn't see a huge news conference on CNN from him.

I wonder why this didn't get as much attention:

"Summary: On his national syndicated radio program, Rush Limbaugh referred to the alleged victim of a rape by members of the Duke University lacrosse team as a "ho."

How do you feel about satellite? Sirius or Howard Stern?

[BadGorilla]

What about the Duke LaCrosse Team? That turned out to be false. But, wow, the same people above were all over it. I think Sharpton needs to apologize now that the rape charges have been dropped, but I didn't see a huge news conference on CNN from him.

I wonder why this didn't get as much attention:

"Summary: On his national syndicated radio program, Rush Limbaugh referred to the alleged victim of a rape by members of the Duke University lacrosse team as a "ho."

How do you feel about satellite? Sirius or Howard Stern?

1. LaCrosse Team: It was a bizarre case from the beginning, built and produced for a District Attorney's re-election bid. Sharpton, to my recollection, has never apologized for anything. Yesterday, he tried to justify his involvement in the Brawley scam.

2. Satellite Radio: Stern is, well, Stern and will always have an incredible following. Stern isn't exactly what I would listen to with kids in the truck, but he has a forum on satellite radio where he can let loose and every now and then, don't we all need to let loose? Satellite radio is a good alternative to "free" radio but it rather avoids the big question that we're kind of ignoring: How are radio stations serving in the public interest as the FCC requires? I am a free market supporter and the market has dictated that boiler plate models for radio, including voice-tracked FM programming, makes money for station owners so I support it.

[dismayed]

What, a gripy old man who's a racist to boot? No way!

[writerranger]

Don Imus says something like what he did and look what happens.....but....

The song, "It's Hard Out Here For A Pimp" won the Academy Award for Best Song from the movie "Hustle and Flow" in 2005. It was performed LIVE by rappers Three 6 Mafia on television (during the Oscar telecast) and won a standing ovation. Granted, the song as it's played at clubs, in the film, and on CDs across America wasn't heard. It couldn't even pass the network censors. But, the Academy decided it was worthy to reward these thugs with an Oscar. And Don Imus? The double-standards and hypocrisy are almost too much to stomach.

I present to you, the Oscar-Winning song for 2005:

It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp
Written & Performed by Djay f/ Shug

[Chorus 2X: Shug - singing] + (Djay)
You know it's hard out here for a pimp (you ain't knowin)
When he tryin to get this money for the rent (you ain't knowin)
For the Cadillacs and gas money spent (you ain't knowin)
[1] Because a whole lot of bitches talkin **** (you ain't knowin)
[2] Will have a whole lot of bitches talkin **** (you ain't knowin)

[Djay]
In my eyes I done seen some crazy thangs in the streets
Gotta couple hoes workin on the changes for me
But I gotta keep my game tight like Kobe on game night
Like takin from a ho don't know no better, I know that ain't right
Done seen people killed, done seen people deal
Done seen people live in poverty with no meals
It's ****ed up where I live, but that's just how it is
It might be new to you, but it's been like this for years
It's blood sweat and tears when it come down to this ****
I'm tryin to get rich 'fore I leave up out this bitch
I'm tryin to have thangs but it's hard fo' a pimp
But I'm prayin and I'm hopin to God I don't slip, yeah

[Chorus]

[Djay]
Man it seems like I'm duckin dodgin bullets everyday
Niggaz hatin on me cause I got, hoes on the tray
But I gotta stay paid, gotta stay above water
Couldn't keep up with my hoes, that's when **** got harder
North Memphis where I'm from, I'm 7th Street bound
Where niggaz all the time end up lost and never found
Man these girls think we prove thangs, leave a big head
They come hopin every night, they don't end up bein dead
Wait I got a snow bunny, and a black girl too
You pay the right price and they'll both do you
That's the way the game goes, gotta keep it strictly pimpin
Gotta have my hustle tight, makin change off these women, yeah

[Chorus]

All lyrics are property and copyright of their owners. Lyrics provided for educational purposes only.

--------------------------------------------

[SpectralMourning]

Good ol' double standards.

I really don't understand how he had a job in the first place, just as any of these morons in broadcast "journalism." O'reilly, Stern, Maher, who are these people and what makes them qualified to preach their garbage over someone who actually has something worthwhile to say? Maybe Imus could be the first of all of these idiots to go.

Who am I kidding, though? Real journalism is dead.

[mranderson]

MSNBC: Hey Don. Can you say canceled?

Imus: *%$#@!)(^%$$#@

Yep. MSNBC canned him. His show is cancelled

[BadGorilla]

MSNBC: Hey Don. Can you say canceled?

Imus: *%$#@!)(^%$$#@

Yep. MSNBC canned him. His show is cancelled

And we're still awaiting a mere apology from Sharpton regarding the Brawley case. Imagine that!

[PUGalicious]

And we're still awaiting a mere apology from Sharpton regarding the Brawley case. Imagine that!

Not to mention the Duke case...

[Karried]

I don't even like Imus but the hypocrisy is killing me.. it's unbelievable.. he is being raked over the coals.

[Easy180]

Especially all the outrage coming from a guy famous for calling New York Hymie Town (sp?)

Wonder how Imus even heard the phrase nappy headed ho's?....Guessing it wasn't being around his other rich white friends....Said over and over and over in rap songs so he could have thought it was only a little bit over the top to say

Imus is an easy target and the victim leaders are having a field day....It should have been over when he apologized repeatedly

Anyone watch any of the Rutger's press conference?...The coach just went on and on about the great Rutger's season...Pretty sure there is no way an old white guy none of them had ever heard of has now somehow ruined the entire season for them....Sure they are upset, but come on....Way overblown

[BadGorilla]

I don't even like Imus but the hypocrisy is killing me.. it's unbelievable.. he is being raked over the coals.

The hypocrisy piles up so fast you need wings to rise above it. What absolutely blows my mind is how race talk in any form is sacerdotal (particularly if it comes from the mouth of a non-black), but local morning hosts can make fun of Christianity with impunity and there are no ramifications. Church members aren't lining the streets in protest demanding the termination of the morning hosts, neither are there outcries for boycotts of advertisers.

Imus, a decidedly grumpy little man, makes a statement that is rather offensive but in no way compares to the dialog in a Spike Lee film or hip-hop lyrics and there is complete insanity.

I don't get it.

[Karried]

Exactly! HymieTown... That is being explained away because it was 'off record'.

I guess we just don't have enough outraged high profile people (like Sharpton and Jackson) to make an impact.

Hymie is used as a derogatory slur for "Jew". The word comes from the name Hyman (from the Hebrew name Chaim (חיים, meaning "life")). "Hymie" was originally a nickname for Hyman. In recent years, the name has been used almost exclusively as a racial slur, particularly due to a famous interview with Jesse Jackson, during the 1984 United States presidential election, where he referred to the Jews of New York as "Hymies", and to New York City as "Hymie Town".

[BailJumper]

I can go both ways on this. While it reeks of hypocrisy I cannot condemn IMUS's termination.

He is not a singular identity. While under the employment of MSNBC he is acting as their agent.

If a black woman walks into a Wal Mart and an employee refers to them or any other black person as a "nappy headed ho" it would shock no one if that employee was fired.

This isn't Imus's first walk down this road.

What I really question is MSNBC's motivation. Were they outraged by his statements or reacting to the potential loss of revenue? Either way I have to respect their right to do it.

Personally, I hope he picks up a big fat contract on satellite radio!