Don Imus Must Go
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When I saw the original comments, I just couldn’t believe it. Don Imus pulls a lot of crap on his show, but honestly how the heck could someone be so blatantly racist in today’s world?
Then he has now gone on the apology circuit, but to his credit Al Sharpton is right about this. No apology is good enough.
Imus issued another apology for referring to members of the team as “nappy-headed hos.” Sharpton called the comments “abominable” and “racist” and repeated his demand that Imus be fired.
“Our agenda is to be funny and sometimes we go too far. And this time we went way too far,” Imus said on “The Al Sharpton Show.”
NBC reporter Ron Allen has an interesting take.
Clearly, an apology hasn’t made all of this go away. Something more has to happen, and is happening. I think some of the media companies trying to keep their distance now realize they remain tainted. I believe many here where I work will do the right thing. It is being taken extremely seriously. One dilemma is that many of the country’s most influential decision makers seek out Imus, appear regularly on his show, relish the platform he provides in morning drive time. So far, many of those powerful voices remain silent.
22 Responses to “Don Imus Must Go”
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The views on this site are mine and mine alone, and do not reflect the views of my employer, Media Matters for America
© 2000-2011 Oliver Willis
Yea, only Gansta Rappers can call black women ho’s
Ignorant and should be apologized for, yes. But with the alternatives being more Today Show and Fox & Friends, I’d rather keep the occasionally intelligent Imus Show on the air.
Make him bring the Rutgers team on his show and discuss how denigrating comments like that make them feel. I think that be something of more value than collecting another politically incorrect head.
I was wondering how long it would take you to write about Imus- Being he’s an anti-Bush/war guy and all… Maybe it took you a while to sort through your mixed feelings about it. A pro-Bush guy wouldn’t have gotten a pass over an entire weekend from you on something like this.
I have never really liked Imus anyway (politics aside,) and I am just tired of being offended. I don’t know that I found the statements any more offensive that some of the crap that I hear on that I hear on top 40 radio, but, then again, I think it all has to go. Your post with Alanis Morrisette cover of “My Humps” is a good example of what I’m talking about Her take was a great showcase for the absurdity and offensiveness of that song. Not exactly something that I would want my 12 year old daughter to aspire to.
The funny thing about the Imus thing is- I’m sure that when Chris Rock heard about the comments, he probably said to himself, “Damn- I wish I would have written those jokes.” Especially the reference to Spike Lee’s ‘School Daze.’ I could hear the old guys in the barber shop saying the exact same thing. I mean when I watched that game, I said to myself, “Damn- these Rugtgers girls look rough.” But being a fan of C. Viv’ Stringer, I was rooting for them anyway. (Besides- Pat Summit, as great as she is, has plenty of ‘rings.’)
But I digress- should Imus go? Sure. So should a lot of other crap that we call “entertainment.”
I find it interesting that Don Imus should be expected to lose his job but the NAACP had no issue with handing Isaiah Washington an Image award shortly he made his repeated “faggot” comments. That kind of double standard makes me think an apology is more than enough from Don.
I was planning on writing about Imus when the thing broke but didn’t get around to it, your conspiracy theories aside. I don’t know how much of an anti-Bush guy he is, he’s more like a Chris Matthews who kind of goes with the tide one way or the other.
Whenever the right is offended, they’re told to “turn it off” or “change the channel”.
But when the left is offended, people must apologize, people must be fired.
I really wonder why that is…
I know Oliver- you’ve been really pressed for time, with you 44th Guliani post and 58th “St. McCain” post over the weekend.
An Imus post was just burning in your gut…
But hey- it’s no conspiracy. Just curious about what took you so long. Would any conservative or war supporter have made it though the weekend with you given the chance to use the word “racist” next to their name? I doubt it.
But I’m glad you’re being consistent saying he shoud step down. Let’s see if this lasts as long as your “Brit Hume must go” posts. Are you going to put up a counter for this one?
I don’t know how much of an anti-Bush guy he is
Wonder no more…
close tag, dumba##!
Oh, the irony. Sharpton tells Imus that he shouldn’t be “unscathed.” When Sharpton made up the whole Tawana Brawley rape resulting in an investigation determining that Sharpton was a liar and should pay millions, what was Sharpton’s penance? Other than speaking at the Democratic National Convention, of course.
And as I said, he’s not exactly pro-Dem. (Why Marty thinks he writes this site and not me, I’ll never know)
I wouldn’t characterize him as either pro-Democrat or pro-Republican. There are just as many Democratic politicians who come on his show as Republicans. It is fair to say that he is not pro-Clinton, but that doesn’t equate to being anti-Dem.
Oliver- I have no interest in writing your site. I just have to chuckle sometimes at your style and priorities which are often quite predictable.
too funny… most of the comments seem focused on attacking Oliver… not the merits of whether or not Imus should go, etc.
The whole Isiah Washington was disgraceful, but the fact that you would pull it out of ____ (insert location)and attempt to use it as a comparable situation is freakin’ hilarious.
Not even going to waste my time addressing some of the other downright silly statements, but thanx for the chuckles Marty and FD
Imus is and always has been a biggoted dildo. He pulls this crap all the time–making racist (or otherwise blatantly offensive) comments followed by insincere apologies. If non-racists can get together to get his ass off the public airwaves, the world will be a better place.
Anyone changing the subject (which gangsta rappers have syndicated radio shows on public airwaves or MSNBC?) let alone defending Imus are guilty of aiding and abetting a known dildo.
Whenever the right is offended, they’re told to “turn it off” or “change the channel”.
But when the left is offended, people must apologize, people must be fired.
Tell it to Eason Jordan.
So Julian Bond can call Bush Hitler and Republicans Nazis but that is ok. Jesse Jackson can call New York City “Hymie Town” and that too, is ok. Sharpton can make up a story about a (false) brutal rape, ruin someone’s career after being falsely accused, support and cause riots, but that too, is ok. But god forbid Imus, who raises millions for charity can say something stupid, apologize, but that isn’t enough?
Do as we say, not as we do. The liberal credo.
Don Imus is funny and entertaining. Chris rock is funny and entertaining.
What the hell have we come to if being offended trumps the right to freedom of expression?
Those that want Imus’s head will want no part of this process when the tide turns (and it will) against their free expression.
The problem is not Imus. The problem is every Washington pundit, reporter and wannabe who is trying so hard to fellate this loser.
Media Matters – Oliver’s employer IIRC, maybe you hit this elsewhere – has a piece up on how Fred Barnes and company have been going out of their way to kiss up to Imus. I really don’t get it. Is Imus the racist id of the punditry? Why isn’t some reporter telling this blowhard to go kill himself, instead of trying to find a new way to give it up to Imus on the first date?
FIRE DON IMUS SHAME ON CBS
I am an Africian-American woman. Who in the 60′s had to deal with the cerfews, segration, and playing second fiddle to my white counterparts and all of that other stuff. I listen to Imus sometimes, and yes what he said was a bit off color. I think that we should have the freedom of speech, but where do we draw the line. We have rappers, who call women “bithes, hoes’ chicken heads,” and Lord knows what else. We cannot have it both ways. Wrong is wrong, but you know as well as I know, as long as it sells CD’s and make the record companies rich it is O.K. The bull#@#@ phrase that I can say it cause I’m black and it don’t mean the same when I say it, is a crock. Right is right, no Imus should not have said what he did, he being fired was justified, but come on now, we need to clean it all up. It is not acceptable. No matter who says it.
I will remember EVERY Democrat who used the Imus situation to grab a cheap soundbite and drop them off my radar — even if it means voting Republican. To go after Imus when Michael Savage is still getting away with “Turd World Nations” is idiotic. Imus may have went too far, but that same edge often allowed him to ask some pretty pointed questions that others couldn’t get away with. Overall, he was a positive force and I despise opportunistic PC nannies who don’t even watch his show dictating what is “acceptable”.