MSNBC, CBS take Imus off air

NEW YORK (CNN) -- MSNBC and CBS Radio are suspending Don Imus for two weeks after the host described the Rutgers University women's basketball team as "nappy-headed hos," the networks announced Monday.

The suspensions start April 16, and MSNBC's "future relationship" with Imus depends on "his ability to live up to his word," according to a statement from NBC News. MSNBC simulcasts a television version of Imus' radio show.

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http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/TV/04/09/imus.rutgers/index.html

Imus has fallen so far that he really has little pull anymore. For a while he was considered a force to be rekoned with in the media, but I think his star has fallen to the point where his employers can push him around and get away with it.

Andrew

I am going to also ask that Any radio station playing Stevie Wonder's Sir Duke pull the song from rotation for two weeks beginning Monday. I find the line ..."Little nappy headed boy" racist and offensive.

Message to Al Sharpton (Twanna Brawley)

Actually - it was "I Wish", not "Sir Duke" that had the line you quoted...

thank you... my bad... I made up for it in the Destiny Child thread (same error in AA post)

Because calling a little child a "boy" and a young woman a "ho" are the same thing, Roger?

(Corrected --so I'm not a sports fan -- thanks!)Imus' comments weren't just offensive to black people, they were degrading to all women. The members of that team are accomplished students and athletes. To call them ho's when they had just become the first Rutgers team to make it to a collegiate final shows his overall disrespect for women in general.
As the coach pointed out, calling these team members names is different than calling politicians or other public figures names. Many of them are freshmen. All they did was excel in their sport. They're not politicians and they did't do anything to deserve what he said.
I learned during the news conference today that he still hasn't even apologized to the team directly.
Don Imus is ugly, and HIS hair is horrible!

They also excelled. Although they did not excel enough to win the national championship.

What I dont understand is why is there such an outrage over Imus' comments when the hip hip community uses these terms daily.

I still don't get it. Sure Imus's comments are offensive. That's WHAT HE DOES!!! He's been making outrageous comments for years. What's the big deal now?

Andrew

It goes to show the double standard in radio. It's like you say, he has little pull in radio these days, Rush or Savage could say the same thing and their bosses would probably look the other way.

I'm sure when civil rights activists wanted blacks to be allowed to eat in "white" restaurants, there were people who said, "well that's how it's always been. Why are they upset now?"
Yes, the word "ho" and worse are used daily in hip hop, but that doesn't make it right. Maybe this is what we need to start turning the tide so that it's NOT accepted.
It probably isn't enough to change anything, but at least it's a drop in the bucket.

...calling a little child a "boy" and a young woman a "ho" are the same thing, Roger?

Can be. I coached little league through the boys and girls clubs for 10 years. A Mother berated me in front of other parents for calling her 8 year old son "BOY". Doesn't matter that the whole team were boys. Doesn't matter that my reference was in no way meant in a demeaning way. She heard the word "BOY" and took offense. Went to the parks department and wanted them to pull my coaches card... I had to bring in other parents for a hearing to prove that I wasn't making racially insensitive statements to children.
As for Imus. He makes his living offending everyone equally. No, He wasn't ok with the comment, neither the hip hop artists who sprinkle the word in song lyrics.

20 years ago the word 'HO wasn't part of everyday speech, and when I was in school, only the most uneducated, uncouth cretins used the words F*** and C*** and most people cringed when they heard it. Now I bet I don't go a day without hearing some person uttering the F bomb.

Imus, Stern, Opie and Anthony, and others of that ilk are paid millions to push as far as they can. Chris Rock, Richard Pryor before him and others make a ton of money on the other side of the fence. It's lowest common denominator "entertainment". But as long as the people who spew the garbage get paid handsomely to do it, then things won't change.

So whether you air Imus' and his commentary, or demeaning hip hop lyrics on public airwaves, it's all the same. I hear Rev. Al, and Rev. Jesse calling for his head. Yet the people they represent are not really Imus' audience. Maybe they need to speak directly to the people whose music lyrics and lifestyle inferences are aimed at. If you are publicly offended by the comments Imus made, the be equally outraged at the artists who use equally offensive language with the exception that Imus made a one time comment, while these songs play in power rotations hourly and blast from car and home CDs repeatedly. Most of us never heard the Imus comment until the media picked up on it and played it repeatedly. It's only news because somebody made it news. Ask people who he interviewed that day and how few could tell you? Not because the one comment so outraged them that everything else was blotted out, but because the vast majority never listen to his "SHOW"

I have to chime in with my.02.

For Al Sharpton I have two words...Tawanna Brawly. For anyone who needs a refresher on the subject, I suggest this URL http://eightiesclub.trupod./rd315/htm

As for the word "ho." If it weren't a general vernacular term for woman then Imus wouldn't have known to use it. I had to laugh at the idea that the word is used in the rap communuty. It is used in the general community. I hear it used by young white guys all of the time.

Removing Imus from the air would be an all-too-rare act of corporate responsibility. Failing that, someone whose opinion he respects really needs to put a gentle hand on his shoulder and tell him it's time to call it a career. Unfortunately, most celebrities seem to have no one in their lives willing to be honest with them.

If there were, would the celeb actually listen?

onetimeradioguy... your link doesnt work.

Imus did a stupid thing and should pay for it with a lengthly suspension. Drawing Sharpton's indescretions into the argument against Imus is a waste of time. We all have done stupid things. Imus and his producer, Bernard, sound like a couple of high school kids with their putdowns. It gets numbers and the "time sellers" turn it in to cash and CBS radio is pleased. They are also pleased by the media frenzy over the I-man's degradng comments. The easiest humor is to put someone else down. Look for business as usual at CBS and MSNBC.

What is Howard Stern, Imus' arch foe, saying about all this? I do not have satelitte radio.

Howard is not defending him. Howard basically feels that Imus was never in his corner when he had problems and when Howard started with NBC, Imus was a real jerk. They have never really liked each other. Imus show isn't about humor like a "true Shock Jock" its more about politics anyway....

Someone should make up a list, of words you cant use to describe people, and then they have to apply to everyone.

Mr Imus's comments , while a little crude, were nor racist.

Next time some jock makes a deregtory comment about a redneck, I want him/her banned for at least 2 weeks.

Nwokie....its called a double standard

Sorry for the broken link. Try this.

Imus ceased to be amusing (if he ever was) or intelligible, a decade ago. I hope he doesn't come back.

yes he has gotton rather marble mouthed. He's a marble mouthed cracker! Oops, I'll have to go on his show and apologise for making derogatory comments on a public forum!

I love the fact that fat rosie is defending him today.
Only one reason she would do that: to justify the crap that comes outta her mouth.
The IMan is still relevant politically, no one else gets the guests he gets.
Speaking of Al Sharpton, anyone ever ask him where his REVEREND title came from? What seminary? What school of divinity? He and REVERND Jesse Jackson, I never hear them pastor a church, or even preach on Easter Sunday. I thought a REVEREND was a pastor, not some freelance political hack.
And where are those two when two quarters raps about ho's and b***hs? Where is the indignation? Where's djfreesshhh when we need him?

If you gentlemen don't grasp the difference between calling someone a redneck and calling a group of young women a 'ho' (whore) -- you are either ignorant or idiots.

I agree with Sparklewave and TDanner regarding the sexist part. I wonder what the punishment would be if he called Obama, Colin Powell, or even Jesse Jackson a "nappy head"? Probably a lot longer suspension, if not a permanent vacation. And I saw the team, they all had nice hair and were not "ho's", I mean really, at Rutgers?

(Sharpton doesn't count because of his hair and demeanor: both slick and oily)

Fat Rosie? Dodger! Hey! I resemble that! Now that just pisses me off just as much as "nappy headed ho". If I didn't love you, I'd have to...

mrs m, you just made my point for me.
iman has been calling people "fat ...." forever, where is the uproar from the horizontally challenged?
love ya too

MSNBC says it will no longer simulcast Don
Imus' radio program.

no one else gets the guests he gets.


...You mean the guests he used to get?

Jackson was ordained by the Baptist church (don't know which branch) after studying theology at a seminary in Chicago. All his bios name the seminary he was attending when he left to join MLK.
Sharpton was ordained as a pentacostal minister decades after beginning his preaching career at age 4 in the churches of Brooklyn.

This whole situation with Imus is ridiculous. Where is the "outrage" regarding the lyrics to rap songs? Cop Killing, pimps, gang lifestyles being made cool. Jesse, Al, hello??

Can I assume Jesee and Al will be flying to Duke to apologize to the Duke lacrosse players for the horrible things they said about the them?

"Where is the "outrage" regarding the lyrics to rap songs? Cop Killing, pimps, gang lifestyles being made cool. Jesse, Al, hello??"

While no big fan of Al Sharpton, it did not take very long to Google around and find that he has indeed been fighting the lyrics in rap songs.

http://www.nobodysmiling.com/blogs/2007/04/03/al-sharpton-needs-to-sit-his-ass-d own/

http://media.www.thehilltoponline.com/media/storage/paper590/news/2005/03/28/Cam pus/Sharpton.Calls.For.Ban.On.Violent.Rap.Music-904105.shtml

I'm still a bit baffled at this whole affair, given that Imus has been offense for his entire career. Why now? I was surprised to read today that Imus's MSNBC show was in fact gaining in ratings and was equal to CNN in its timeslot(!), causing CNN to replace their morning team. I guess I was wrong about Imus's success fading.

I do think what Imus said was offensive, but he's said a thousand offensive things, so I'm again wondering why now? I think it's pathetic that all of these advertisers and media companies have bowed to interest group pressure so easily. It reminds me of Janet Jackson's boob - I mean, come on, is it really a big deal? I don't see Imus's recent statement as being some sort of intentionally hurtful remark - I believe he says these things to be outrageous and funny. I don't even listen to Imus anymore - I got bored with him a few years ago, but still don't see why any of this warrants much attention.

Andrew

As I understand the legal situation involved here, there is a difference between the recourse that a "public" figure can take against defamatory remarks compared to somebody who is not usually in the public spotlight. A talk show host can get away with making fun of the follies politicians and celebrities like Britney Spears much more easily than with these college basketball players who are probably too obscure to qualify as public figures. When these young women are not on the court, their lives are probably not much different than those of other Rutgers students. They do mundane things like living in student housing, working on papers, going to classes, studying for exams, and eating at cafeterias. I doubt that any of these young women have private jets or the privilege of going to an ER for an aching tooth. Some of those young women might be sexually promiscuous; some of them might not be.
Having gotten that point out of the way, I was listening to the Jayne Carroll Show today, and Jayne stated that the FCC is looking into this matter! This, I think goes too far. Whatever the intent of Imus's original comment, I think that if the FCC should take action, this will just serve to intimidate other air personalities who use satire as part of their schtick. What ever happened to the First Ammendment?
Finally, can someone answer the following: what was the context in which this "nappy-headed hoes" remark was made? Was it intended to satirize the prevalence of hip-hop slang in youth culture today? If that were the case, then I think that the remark is an appropriate statement on the inherent coarseness of that culture and dialect.

Has anyone noticed that Imus has not been on KXL since Tuesday 4-12-07...running various shows 3-5am in place of Imus and nothing on their web site...it's like Imus was never on the station!
And what an irony that their sister station airs (those same)demeaning lyrics hourly...just check their playlist! Hey...maybe Imus should return on Jammin?? The two having similar ideals??

Do you really think MSNBC's decision was a principled one?

Only the principle that advertiser dollars rule. Imus had been very good for the cable net's ratings, and he'd still be there were not big sponsors pulling out. Under extreme pressure from folks like Sharpton & his cronies.

It's a tragedy that MSNBC's precipitous action precluded it from simulcasting today & tomorrow one of the Imus philanthropic fund raisers, the annual WFAN "radiothon" for three children's charities.

Imus was pulled from KXL, permanently I think. I believe he is still on KUIK (1360), 5-9 AM.

The right of free speech is not a right without consequences. It is a right to freedom from government prosecution. Unless the FCC decides Imus used hate speech to incite, they'll stay out.

But Imus' right to free speech is balanced by his advertisers' right not to associate with the speaker, his broadcasters' right not to employ the speaker or (depending upon his contract) transmit the speaker. (Even if contractually they may have to pay his contract off.)

Shock jocks keep pushing the envelope in the search for ratings while waving the banner of free speech. Every once in a while, the envelope exercises its right to push back hard.

Imus was out of line. He deserves a long and expensive suspension, imho.

Breaking news! CBS has fired Don Imus from his radio show.

After reading some news stories that discussed the context of Imus's remarks, I don't think that these remarks were in any way intended to satirize hip-hop slang. It looks like Imus was just making coarse, insensitive remarks himself. For that, I say let him get what he's got coming to him. I still hope that the FCC does not step in here, however, because that will open up a pandora's box about where the lines are between bigotry, humor, and satire.

This is too bad because I had really been hoping that somebody would satirize the double-standard that exists regarding the use of some of these derogatory terms.

The comment and the context didn't warrant firing.

chickenshits........... Hope that wasn't too offensive and degrading....

Now the O and A sex in Church stunt was a bit over the line.

I'm actually quite upset to see Imus go in this way - it is totally unwarranted. I used to listen to him regularly, for many years, when he was on KOTK in Portland. During the 90s he was very funny - and yes, sometimes quite offensive. But it bothers me that peoploe pushing politically correct santizied speech over the airwaves have won in this case and will now only have more power in the future to filter what we hear and see in the media.

I wonder how many Imus LISTENERS truly complained about this??? It sounds to me like a bunch of people who don't even listen to the guy complained (why would you listen if you weren't interested in Imus's brand of sometimes-offensive humor?). So why exactly should non-listeners have any opinion about Imus staying or going???

This isn't the same as the Super Bowl and Janet Jackson's breast, where parents and kids weren't expecting to see a naked boobie during a football game (though I think that was way overblown as well). 99% of the listeners to Imus's show HAD to have been well aquainted with his humor.

Now MSNBC - yeah, I suppose they have a better case, given that people tune into their station as one of several news channels. But the radio show? Sounds like a total cave to Al Sharpton and some skitish advertisers.

Who's next? Tom Leykis? Michael Savage? After all, we can't have offensive people on the public airwaves saying things we might not like, even if we don't even listen to their shows...

Andrew