Imus & His Tongue

['Lifer]

Is "I'm sorry" enough?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17999196/?GT1=9246
NEW YORK - After being criticized for his racially charged comments about the Rutgers University women’s basketball team, radio host Don Imus said Monday that he’s a good person who said a bad thing and will check his acid tongue.

“Here’s what I’ve learned: that you can’t make fun of everybody, because some people don’t deserve it,” he said on his nationally syndicated radio show. “Because the climate on this program has been what it’s been for 30 years doesn’t mean it’s going to be what it’s been for the next five years or whatever because that has to change, and I understand that.”

Imus said he was “embarrassed” by the remarks, in which he referred to the mostly black team as “nappy-headed hos.” He said he had made the comments in the course of “trying to be funny,” but he was not trying to excuse them.

[Vegas]

A guy with that many years of experience should know better than "trying to be funny" like that.

[LSU]

Is "I'm sorry" enough?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17999196/?GT1=9246
NEW YORK - After being criticized for his racially charged comments about the Rutgers University women’s basketball team, radio host Don Imus said Monday that he’s a good person who said a bad thing and will check his acid tongue.

“Here’s what I’ve learned: that you can’t make fun of everybody, because some people don’t deserve it,” he said on his nationally syndicated radio show. “Because the climate on this program has been what it’s been for 30 years doesn’t mean it’s going to be what it’s been for the next five years or whatever because that has to change, and I understand that.”

Imus said he was “embarrassed” by the remarks, in which he referred to the mostly black team as “nappy-headed hos.” He said he had made the comments in the course of “trying to be funny,” but he was not trying to excuse them.


I've never listened to Imus. I have no idea in which way he leans, if in fact he does lean. I've only occasionally seen him on MSNBC at times or whatever channel he's on, and as soon as I see him, my first thought is "what a douche".

So this surprises me none.

['Lifer]

I've never listened to Imus. I have no idea in which way he leans, if in fact he does lean. I've only occasionally seen him on MSNBC at times or whatever channel he's on, and as soon as I see him, my first thought is "what a douche".

So this surprises me none.

That's the only time I've heard/seen his as well when treading at the gym. He's never impressed me.

[IBC]

I've only occasionally seen him on MSNBC at times or whatever channel he's on, and as soon as I see him, my first thought is "what a douche".

Yes.

['Lifer]

Yes.


He looks pretty silly in his Cowboy hat too. What does he think he is? From Texas?

[Vegas]

He looks pretty silly in his Cowboy hat too. What does he think he is? From Texas?

Wyoming?

['Lifer]

Wyoming?


Worse than that......

Don Imus was born in Riverside, California. His father, like Don Imus, is an alcoholic and his family moved around the American Southwest a great deal. In high school, he was impeached as class president for behaving like a dictator.[citation needed] His parents finally separated during this time after multiple affairs occured.

Imus served in the Marine Corps from 1957–1959. According to an interview in Vanity Fair, he dropped out of school while living in Prescott, Arizona and joined the Marines, transferring from an artillery unit to play the bugle in the Drum and Bugle Corps. According to the article, Imus received an honorable discharge, despite an incident, when he and a friend stole the stars off a general's jeep and put them on their own vehicle.

Imus subsequently had a series of unsuccessful jobs as a miner, gas station attendant, railway brakeman and aspiring rock star.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Imus

John Donald Imus, Jr. (born July 23, 1940) is an American radio talk show host, best known for his sarcasm and harsh language. His popular radio show, Imus in the Morning, airs daily.

Imus was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1989. In 2002, Talkers magazine ranked Imus as one of the greatest radio talk show hosts of all time.[1]

Imus maintains three residences, one in Manhattan, another in Westport, Connecticut, and one in Ribera, New Mexico.[2]

[LSU]

I was hoping that cowboy hat was just something he had to wear for a week after losing a bet...

['Lifer]

I was hoping that cowboy hat was just something he had to wear for a week after losing a bet...

Hardly.......it's his "signature"

['Lifer]

Two weeks......I'm cool with that. He needs a good wrist slapping. No if the black community would start slapping some of their own with nasty tongues.

[Nixon's Head]

Worse than that......

Don Imus was born in Riverside, California. His father, like Don Imus, is an alcoholic and his family moved around the American Southwest a great deal. In high school, he was impeached as class president for behaving like a dictator.[citation needed] His parents finally separated during this time after multiple affairs occured.

Imus served in the Marine Corps from 1957–1959. According to an interview in Vanity Fair, he dropped out of school while living in Prescott, Arizona and joined the Marines, transferring from an artillery unit to play the bugle in the Drum and Bugle Corps. According to the article, Imus received an honorable discharge, despite an incident, when he and a friend stole the stars off a general's jeep and put them on their own vehicle.

Imus subsequently had a series of unsuccessful jobs as a miner, gas station attendant, railway brakeman and aspiring rock star.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Imus

John Donald Imus, Jr. (born July 23, 1940) is an American radio talk show host, best known for his sarcasm and harsh language. His popular radio show, Imus in the Morning, airs daily.

Imus was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1989. In 2002, Talkers magazine ranked Imus as one of the greatest radio talk show hosts of all time.[1]

Imus maintains three residences, one in Manhattan, another in Westport, Connecticut, and one in Ribera, New Mexico.[2]Quite frustrating that some jag off like him gets a radio/TV show and becomes quite popular, and I assume wealthy, because of it. Kind of like my Pop always getting mad they guys on TV get paid to give their opinion on sports. What makes his/their opinion any more valuable than our's?

['Lifer]

Quite frustrating that some jag off like him gets a radio/TV show and becomes quite popular, and I assume wealthy, because of it. Kind of like my Pop always getting mad they guys on TV get paid to give their opinion on sports. What makes his/their opinion any more valuable than our's?

Open your ears and look around. They're everywhere.

[Nixon's Head]

Open your ears and look around. They're everywhere.I know, but its still rather frustrating. What do I have to do to get my own radio/TV show? I can ramble on about nonsense with the best of them.

[LSU]

I know, but its still rather frustrating. What do I have to do to get my own radio/TV show? I can ramble on about nonsense with the best of them.


Sounds easy. Ever try it? Talk for 3 hours into a microphone 5 days a week? Setting up interviews with people in a wide variety of sports (some in which you may not follow closely, meaning you'd have to research them), knowing which questions are important, being able to fill the time between interviews with whatever...

I think it might be easy for a week.

['Lifer]

I know, but its still rather frustrating. What do I have to do to get my own radio/TV show? I can ramble on about nonsense with the best of them.

Climb the ropes and pay your dues. Not near as easy as it looks.

Never heard much of Imus before all this.....but we all have now. Publicity will only make him more famous. Perhaps a bit negative but the "rebels" will still love him, others will soon forget and many will simply wonder what the big deal was all about.....children fighting amongest themselves once again.

[Nixon's Head]

Sounds easy. Ever try it? Talk for 3 hours into a microphone 5 days a week? Setting up interviews with people in a wide variety of sports (some in which you may not follow closely, meaning you'd have to research them), knowing which questions are important, being able to fill the time between interviews with whatever...

I think it might be easy for a week.Initially it might be a bit overwhelming, but I think that it would get easier as you go along. In that regard its the same as any other job.

[LSU]

Initially it might be a bit overwhelming, but I think that it would get easier as you go along. In that regard its the same as any other job.

Perhaps. But you need to surround yourself with others that can chip in a thought here and there...I haven't listened to radio in a long time, but I used to like the Kornheiser and Patrick shows on ESPN...Kornheiser always had a few guys in studio with him to BS, and Patrick had Dibbs and Salisbury most of the time...co-hosts can take some of the pressure off, and prove someone to just BS with to eat up time.

[Nixon's Head]

Perhaps. But you need to surround yourself with others that can chip in a thought here and there...I haven't listened to radio in a long time, but I used to like the Kornheiser and Patrick shows on ESPN...Kornheiser always had a few guys in studio with him to BS, and Patrick had Dibbs and Salisbury most of the time...co-hosts can take some of the pressure off, and prove someone to just BS with to eat up time.True. I suppose that is where working yourself up the ranks comes in handy. Like they say, its not what you know...its who you know.

['Lifer]

The victims speak......

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17999196/?GT1=9246
PISCATAWAY, N.J - Rutgers women’s basketball team will meet with embattled radio host Don Imus, and their coach on Tuesday called his comments “racist and sexists remarks that are deplorable, despicable and unconscionable.”

Players stopped short of saying whether they thought Imus should be fired.
Teammate Matee Ajavon said: “I could say that we honestly don’t know what to expect from Don Imus and what we will plan on asking him is his reasons and how you could just say things that you have not put any thought to? Right now I can’t really say if we have come to a conclusion of whether we will accept the apology. What I can say I think this meeting will be crucial for us, the state of New Jersey and everybody representing us.”

[MTVike]

The victims speak......

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17999196/?GT1=9246
PISCATAWAY, N.J - Rutgers women’s basketball team will meet with embattled radio host Don Imus, and their coach on Tuesday called his comments “racist and sexists remarks that are deplorable, despicable and unconscionable.”

Players stopped short of saying whether they thought Imus should be fired.
Teammate Matee Ajavon said: “I could say that we honestly don’t know what to expect from Don Imus and what we will plan on asking him is his reasons and how you could just say things that you have not put any thought to? Right now I can’t really say if we have come to a conclusion of whether we will accept the apology. What I can say I think this meeting will be crucial for us, the state of New Jersey and everybody representing us.”

I wonder if any of the Rutger's players have music that refers to them in just this way.

Ironic.

[LSU]

I wonder if any of the Rutger's players have music that refers to them in just this way.

Ironic.



...to fully make a parallel, the music would need to be by a 50+ year old white guy with a radio show that wears an obnoxious cowboy hat. And really, the music wouldn't necessarily refer to "them" directly as Imus did.

[MTVike]

...to fully make a parallel, the music would need to be by a 50+ year old white guy with a radio show that wears an obnoxious cowboy hat. And really, the music wouldn't necessarily refer to "them" directly as Imus did.


I agree the context of the remark served to inflame people about the issue.

However, I think it's hypocritical to come out and say the language is totally demeaning and inappropriate (which it IS) when Imus says it, but OK when I go back to the dorm and slip my 50 Cent CD and listen to music that includes the term "ho" dozens of times. And many more misogynistic messages.

See anyone taking on rap music lyrical content lately? Personally, that may be the "context" from which his and the other idiots on the show got their material. Think they could come up with those terms on their own?

[IBC]

I wonder if any of the Rutger's players have music that refers to them in just this way.

Ironic.
Oh, by all means then, call them whatever you want. After all, it is th esame thing right?

[LSU]

I agree the context of the remark served to inflame people about the issue.

However, I think it's hypocritical to come out and say the language is totally demeaning and inappropriate (which it IS) when Imus says it, but OK when I go back to the dorm and slip my 50 Cent CD and listen to music that includes the term "ho" dozens of times. And many more misogynistic messages.

See anyone taking on rap music lyrical content lately? Personally, that may be the "context" from which his and the other idiots on the show got their material. Think they could come up with those terms on their own?



I've never listened to 50 cent, so I'm not completely familiar with his lyrics. I do doubt, however, that anywhere he referred to the Rutgers women's basketball team as "hos".

Imus singled them out. That's where I see the distinction. If he had simply said "nappy headed hos" or whatever it was without casting said phrase at one particular group, do you think he picks up as much flack as he has? I don't. Shit, white chicks have nappy hair sometimes, and can be hos. In fact, one of the chicks Rutgers trotted out in their press conference today was a white chick...

[IBC]

Think they could come up with those terms on their own?

Yes, yes I do. It is too bad that blacks are asking for it by writing these songs. After all, they are all the same right? By that logic, you and I are racists because Imus is. Sheesh.

[IBC]

I have a couple problems with this scenario.

1. Why in the hell does Al Sharpton accept apologies on behalf of black America?

2. Why in the hell do you all think there is any parallel whatsoever in what rappers say and the rest of black America? You can say, I am not a racist but other whites are. Then say that because blacks use words in there songs it gives whites the license to use them? Oh wait, you are just drawing a parallel? FOR WHAT REASON??? It makes zero sense. They are not analogous!

[LSU]

I have a couple problems with this scenario.

1. Why in the hell does Al Sharpton accept apologies on behalf of black America?




I'll add onto that to ask why anyone demands an apology. If the people are truly sorry, won't the apologize willingly?

[MTVike]

I've never listened to 50 cent, so I'm not completely familiar with his lyrics. I do doubt, however, that anywhere he referred to the Rutgers women's basketball team as "hos". Imus singled them out. That's where I see the distinction. If he had simply said "nappy headed hos" or whatever it was without casting said phrase at one particular group, do you think he picks up as much flack as he has? I don't. Shit, white chicks have nappy hair sometimes, and can be hos. In fact, one of the chicks Rutgers trotted out in their press conference today was a white chick...

No, many rappers often generalize about all women, from what I've heard of some of the music. That would include the Rutgers' team. Black and white players.

He's getting the flack because he's white, has a national audience, and this is a hugely political springboard.

[IBC]

3. Who are the people claiming free speech on this one? He is not being arrested, he is being criticized. He can say whatever he wants, others can bitch about it, and he can get fired for it.

4. Again, in what way does rap music have a damn thing to do with what a racist idiot says about blacks?????? ?

5. Who listens to this jerkoff anyway?

[IBC]

No, many rappers often generalize about all women, from what I've heard of some of the music. That would include the Rutgers' team. Black and white players.

He's getting the flack because he's white, has a national audience, and this is a hugely political springboard.
Oh, the poor whiteguy syndrome. my goodness. You would think the most oppressed people in our country are white males and Christians.

[LSU]

No, many rappers often generalize about all women, from what I've heard of some of the music. That would include the Rutgers' team. Black and white players.

He's getting the flack because he's white, has a national audience, and this is a hugely political springboard.



Right, they generalize. And women's groups have come out against it. Hell, black people (politicians and the average joe) have come out against it. It's not as if a free pass is allowed.

As for the reasons he's getting flack, I agree with the 2nd two. If a black talk show host (or any other ethnicity) said it, I believe the same response would have taken place. I'd even say that if a black or white guest on a radio show with national coverage (maybe national isn't even necessary) had said it, he would've been taken to task.


In fact, my bet would be that if it were a black person that said it, and the media erupted over it, crackas everywhere would be cheering the cause.

[MTVike]

2. Why in the hell do you all think there is any parallel whatsoever in what rappers say and the rest of black America? You can say, I am not a racist but other whites are. Then say that because blacks use words in there songs it gives whites the license to use them? Oh wait, you are just drawing a parallel? FOR WHAT REASON??? It makes zero sense. They are not analogous!

I have a bit of a problem with the double standard. Of course what he said was wrong. What many rappers (including M/M) say is also wrong in my book. That's partly because it belittles women and treats them as second class citizens.

I've been around high school girls who mindlessly accept this music and its messages as cool and appropriate. It disgusts me that it culturally acceptable in this context but no other.

To think that some of these players very likely may have music containing messages like the crap spewed out by Imus and will be demanding an apology from him is delicious irony.

Forgotten by all the politicians who want their day in the spotlight.

[LSU]

3. Who are the people claiming free speech on this one? He is not being arrested, he is being criticized. He can say whatever he wants, others can bitch about it, and he can get fired for it.

4. Again, in what way does rap music have a damn thing to do with what a racist idiot says about blacks?????? ?

5. Who listens to this jerkoff anyway?



I don't think what he said makes him a racist. Stupid maybe...but not a racist. That's a word I think is tossed around too frequently for too little.

[LSU]

To think that some of these players very likely may have music containing messages like the crap spewed out by Imus and will be demanding an apology from him is delicious irony.



Again, the message wasn't personal until it was directed at the players by Imus.

[MTVike]

Oh, the poor whiteguy syndrome. my goodness. You would think the most oppressed people in our country are white males and Christians.

I don't feel sorry for him. He deserves what he'll get.

But you can't convince me that if these words were uttered by a rapper on MTV that the same outcry would ensue.

[IBC]

I have a bit of a problem with the double standard. Of course what he said was wrong. What many rappers (including M/M) say is also wrong in my book. That's partly because it belittles women and treats them as second class citizens.

I've been around high school girls who mindlessly accept this music and its messages as cool and appropriate. It disgusts me that it culturally acceptable in this context but no other.

To think that some of these players very likely may have music containing messages like the crap spewed out by Imus and will be demanding an apology from him is delicious irony.

Forgotten by all the politicians who want their day in the spotlight.

I don't think it is a double standard unless you really believe it doesn't matter who says it. I really don't think the players owning music has anything to do with it.

[IBC]

I don't feel sorry for him. He deserves what he'll get.

But you can't convince me that if these words were uttered by a rapper on MTV that the same outcry would ensue.
And rightfully so. There is a big difference here.

[MTVike]

Again, the message wasn't personal until it was directed at the players by Imus.

How was it personal? He doesn't know any of them. He thought he was being funny and it backfired.

[LSU]

But you can't convince me that if these words were uttered by a rapper on MTV that the same outcry would ensue.


I believe if 50 cent directly called the Rutgers basketball team "nappy headed hos" a similar outcry would occur, and if any of the players owned a 50 cent CD, that wouldn't last long...

Now, whether or not 50 cent would have the same attitude toward the situation that Imus has had, that's another story. He might just say "fuck them nappy ass hos".

[LSU]

How was it personal? He doesn't know any of them. He thought he was being funny and it backfired.



If I called you a cocksucking twinkle-toed communist ass face, is that a personal message? Even though I don't know you?

He directed the comment AT them. Directly. Not Tennessee, Duke, UNC, or any other team.

And for the record, I don't think you're a communist.

[MTVike]

If I called you a cocksucking twinkle-toed communist ass face, is that a personal message? Even though I don't know you?

He directed the comment AT them. Directly. Not Tennessee, Duke, UNC, or any other team.

And for the record, I don't think you're a communist.


Gotcha.

Maybe some of it had to do with the fact that they were the more average looking players, while at least a couple of the players from Tenn were like models. I noticed the camera didn't leave the one player, forget her name.

[ignorant]

pretty good article from ESPN.com regarding it, written by a black woman on their Page 2 section...thing is, I don't know what to make of it really, she is making a lot of excuses...:

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=hill/070410

Take a stand against indecency and cruelty
By Jemele Hill
Page 2

The oversexed Jezebel. The welfare mother. The mammy. And now the latest catch phrase to be added to the lexicon of stereotypes about black women: the nappy-headed ho.

Thank you, Don Imus, for your valuable contribution.

If it were up to me, security would have escorted the longtime radio jock out of his CBS Radio cocoon with belongings in tow days ago. But for now, I'll have to settle for a two-week suspension that doesn't begin until next week. That'll show him.

Days have passed since Imus, executive producer Bernard McGuirk and sports announcer Sid Rosenberg took turns taking cheap shots at the Rutgers women's basketball team, but I'm still boiling because too many people continue to defend Imus behind lame free-speech arguments -- remember, speech is free, but consequences are not -- and the idea that black women just don't know a good joke when they hear one. Tell you what, if this "nappy-headed ho" comment is as harmless as some of you say it is, say that phrase to your wives and girlfriends tonight (or even a woman on the street). If they laugh, I'll write an entire column about how humorless I am.

Imus' comments were harmful to all women -- especially for female athletes who still struggle to gain acceptance in our society -- but they really cut black women deep.

Our looks have been the subject of ridicule for decades. While history has kindly portrayed white women as bastions of purity and decency, black women have been characterized as hypersexed and indecent since the 17th century. So the phrase "nappy-headed" didn't bother me nearly as much as the "ho" part.

In case you're wondering, I would have been equally outraged if Imus were black, Asian, Latino, Portuguese or Italian. The ethnicity or skin color of the perpetrator matters none.

And since some of you -- actually, a lot of you -- have done the predictable thing and used Imus' predicament as a platform to hold African-Americans responsible for hip-hop, I'll briefly address that. Although I hope you know hip-hop didn't become the No. 1 music genre in the world because only black folks support the music.

For the record, I am equally offended by the rappers who make music videos and songs that demean women -- although hip-hop artists didn't invent the concept of objectifying women.

Many African-Americans have been outspoken about those destructive elements of hip-hop. Instead of just taking his lumps, Imus tried to challenge Al Sharpton on his stance on hip-hop when Imus appeared on Sharpton's radio show Monday. I don't stick up for Al Sharpton often because I consider him an agitator, but Sharpton's views on "gangsta" rap have been consistent and clear.

Last week, Sharpton and hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons held a public protest against rapper Tony Yayo -- who is associated with 50 Cent -- for his alleged assault of the 14-year-old son of a rival record company executive. Sharpton even called for a 90-day, FCC-mandated ban on all gangsta music.

But that doesn't air on CNN and Essence magazine's Take Back the Music crusade -- a nationwide campaign that promotes up-and-coming hip-hop artists with positive values -- and it doesn't make the front pages of newspapers.

But none of this has anything to do with Imus, whose apology I can't accept or take seriously. Imus has become a Hall of Fame broadcaster using race-baiting, offensive tactics. He is routinely offensive to people of color and women, and if he needs to lose his job to understand that there is no place for that, so be it.

As a society, there are times when we need to stand together against indecency and cruelty.

[LSU]

Gotcha.

Maybe some of it had to do with the fact that they were the more average looking players, while at least a couple of the players from Tenn were like models. I noticed the camera didn't leave the one player, forget her name.


Candace Parker? I don't watch much women's, but for an 8 foot chick, she's not bad. Better than LSU's 9 footer.

[i_hate_righties]

I think he should be fired for what he said, and not just given a two week suspension...however Jessie Jackson and other operation push members have been protesting outside the NBC office all day. Jackson was on the today show this morning and Merideth Viara asked him, "I know this was a Racial slur that was uncalled for, and he did apologize for offending these women, but how is it and different when you were running for president and you called New York city, Heimie (sp) town?"....Jackson quickly changed the subject...I am glad that the Rutgers players are now responding to the comment...Jessie Jackson should STFU!

[LSU]

I think he should be fired for what he said, and not just given a two week suspension...however Jessie Jackson and other operation push members have been protesting outside the NBC office all day. Jackson was on the today show this morning and Merideth Viara asked him, "I know this was a Racial slur that was uncalled for, and he did apologize for offending these women, but how is it and different when you were running for president and you called New York city, Heimie (sp) town?"....Jackson quickly changed the subject...I am glad that the Rutgers players are now responding to the comment...Jessie Jackson should STFU!


Praise Jesus!

[i_hate_righties]

Praise Jesus!


Can I get a witness?

[ryr8828]

Can I get a witness?

Amen sister.

[Potomac Yank]

Worse than that......

Don Imus was born in Riverside, California. His father, like Don Imus, is an alcoholic and his family moved around the American Southwest a great deal. In high school, he was impeached as class president for behaving like a dictator.[citation needed] His parents finally separated during this time after multiple affairs occured.

Imus served in the Marine Corps from 1957–1959. According to an interview in Vanity Fair, he dropped out of school while living in Prescott, Arizona and joined the Marines, transferring from an artillery unit to play the bugle in the Drum and Bugle Corps. According to the article, Imus received an honorable discharge, despite an incident, when he and a friend stole the stars off a general's jeep and put them on their own vehicle.

Imus subsequently had a series of unsuccessful jobs as a miner, gas station attendant, railway brakeman and aspiring rock star.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Imus

John Donald Imus, Jr. (born July 23, 1940) is an American radio talk show host, best known for his sarcasm and harsh language. His popular radio show, Imus in the Morning, airs daily.

Imus was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1989. In 2002, Talkers magazine ranked Imus as one of the greatest radio talk show hosts of all time.[1]

Imus maintains three residences, one in Manhattan, another in Westport, Connecticut, and one in Ribera, New Mexico.[2]

*
*

Back in the 1960's, I had the pleasure of working with Don in a soap opera called The Doctors, at NBC's 30 Rock.
He had just signed on with NBC, and they did a promo with Don working a cameo week on that show.

He's a decent man, and outside of the girls team, nobody can feel worse about his thoughtless remarks than he does.

It's hit home, he's very unhappy with himself, and he's willing to go to whatever firing squad wants to take a shot at him.
When I say , It's hit home, I don't mean his pockets.
The man is ready to retire if he wanted to.
I mean it has hit his heart, he knows it was wrong, and he's willing to face the music from the people he wronged like a man.

What he said, was as wrong as Hymietown.
Hopefully, I hope the one who spoke the words of Hymietown, has learned a lesson from it.

Imus show, is geared mostly towards the more diversified inner cities.
The banter on it, is sharp, quick, tough and harsh sounding to anyone that's raised away from the streets of a larger diversified city.
Having said that, Don's thoughtless lapse, hits him even harder.

[Vegas]

*
*

Back in the 1960's, I had the pleasure of working with Don in a soap opera called The Doctors, at NBC's 30 Rock.
He had just signed on with NBC, and they did a promo with Don working a cameo week on that show.

He's a decent man, and outside of the girls team, nobody can feel worse about his thoughtless remarks than he does.

It's hit home, he's very unhappy with himself, and he's willing to go to whatever firing squad wants to take a shot at him.
When I say , It's hit home, I don't mean his pockets.
The man is ready to retire if he wanted to.
I mean it has hit his heart, he knows it was wrong, and he's willing to face the music from the people he wronged like a man.

What he said, was as wrong as Hymietown.
Hopefully, I hope the one who spoke the words of Hymietown, has learned a lesson from it.

Imus show, is geared mostly towards the more diversified inner cities.
The banter on it, is sharp, quick, tough and harsh sounding to anyone that's raised away from the streets of a larger diversified city.
Having said that, Don's thoughtless lapse, hits him even harder.

I think Imus may have learned a lesson from this. I don't think Jessie Jackson learned anything from the Hymietown remark. He didn't have to face any consequences for it.

[Potomac Yank]

I think Imus may have learned a lesson from this. I don't think Jessie Jackson learned anything from the Hymietown remark. He didn't have to face any consequences for it.

*
*

I hope we're both wrong.

Anything that I dislike more than a party parrot, from any side of the aisle, is a hypocrite.

I hope we're both wrong.

[ignorant]

what kinda surprises me is that Charles Barkley is siding with Imus, saying he should not lose his job over this while the rest of the black community is calling for his head.

I think Jesse Jackson wrote the Rutgers coach's speech by the way, it sounded like his vocabulary. He gets his hand in more cookie jars than anyone in the business. He needs to stay out of stories that don't involve him, even though he has appointed himself as the leader of the black community, probably sees himself as an equal to MLK Jr.

[Nixon's Head]

what kinda surprises me is that Charles Barkley is siding with Imus, saying he should not lose his job over this while the rest of the black community is calling for his head.

I think Jesse Jackson wrote the Rutgers coach's speech by the way, it sounded like his vocabulary. He gets his hand in more cookie jars than anyone in the business. He needs to stay out of stories that don't involve him, even though he has appointed himself as the leader of the black community, probably sees himself as an equal to MLK Jr.I thought that was Al Sharpton.

[ignorant]

I thought that was Al Sharpton.

don't they take turns?

also, why does the sign for the Rainbow Push Coalition have a $ for the s in Push?

(can we not post pictures?)

[Nixon's Head]

don't they take turns?

also, why does the sign for the Rainbow Push Coalition have a $ for the s in Push?

(can we not post pictures?)You should be able to. Just copy the link for the picture, click http://www.thepartisanpatriot.com/forums/images/editor/insertimage.gif
and then paste the link into the box that pops up.

[BambinoBear]

So lets see if someone else can say something and it take almost a week to see the light of day?

[LSU]

They're talking about Imus on Today right now. They have Spike Lee, Whoopie Goldberg, and some random white guy professor from somewhere. And doing this whole segment is not Matt Lauer...not Meredith Vieira...not even Ann(oying) Curry. Nope. The weatherman...Al Roker...is leading this commentary.

Token?

[BambinoBear]

They're talking about Imus on Today right now. They have Spike Lee, Whoopie Goldberg, and some random white guy professor from somewhere. And doing this whole segment is not Matt Lauer...not Meredith Vieira...not even Ann(oying) Curry. Nope. The weatherman...Al Roker...is leading this commentary.

Token?

Isn't that special

[hannitykillspuppies]

I wonder if any of the Rutger's players have music that refers to them in just this way.

Ironic.

how the hell is it ironic? does don imus, a 67 year old white man listen to rap?

[hannitykillspuppies]

I agree the context of the remark served to inflame people about the issue.

However, I think it's hypocritical to come out and say the language is totally demeaning and inappropriate (which it IS) when Imus says it, but OK when I go back to the dorm and slip my 50 Cent CD and listen to music that includes the term "ho" dozens of times. And many more misogynistic messages.

See anyone taking on rap music lyrical content lately? Personally, that may be the "context" from which his and the other idiots on the show got their material. Think they could come up with those terms on their own?


how the hell does this become a debate about rap lyrics? imus doesn't listen to rap. and even if he did, rap didn't make him say the things that came out of his mouth.

[hannitykillspuppies]

Oh, the poor whiteguy syndrome. my goodness. You would think the most oppressed people in our country are white males and Christians.

some people truly believe that.

[BambinoBear]

how the hell is it ironic? does don imus, a 67 year old white man listen to rap?

So its ok for a rapper to say it but not Imus?

Got it

[MTVike]

how the hell is it ironic? does don imus, a 67 year old white man listen to rap?


Ironic meaning that many/some of the young ladies supposedly morally outraged at being referred to in this manner (actually they're being used as politcal pawns at the moment), likely have paid for and own hip/hop music that uses these very same terms about them.

[ignorant]

how the hell is it ironic? does don imus, a 67 year old white man listen to rap?

no, he listens to country.

I don't think he meant "Ironic" I think it should be more of a hypocrite kinda thing because they accept it in their rap music when the rappers call girls hoes, bitches, etc.

I do take back my comment about the slim possibility of none of them knowing who Don Imus was, that was presumptious of me.

[BambinoBear]

Ironic meaning that many/some of the young ladies supposedly morally outraged at being referred to in this manner (actually they're being used as politcal pawns at the moment), likely have paid for and own hip/hop music that uses these very same terms about them.

Exactly. The only think I can think of is when they are listening to rap they think the rapper is talking about other girls, not them.:rolleyes:

[ignorant]

Exactly. The only think I can think of is when they are listening to rap they think the rapper is talking about other girls, not them.:rolleyes:

Imus did single them out.

I blame Spike Lee.

[IBC]

So its ok for a rapper to say it but not Imus?

Got it
Good, now you understand. I know you are one of those people that doesn't see things as black and white.

[MTVike]

no, he listens to country.

I don't think he meant "Ironic" I think it should be more of a hypocrite kinda thing because they accept it in their rap music when the rappers call girls hoes, bitches, etc.

I do take back my comment about the slim possibility of none of them knowing who Don Imus was, that was presumptious of me.

I think the chances the Rutger's players knew who Imus was are about the same as his coming up with "nappy-headed hoes" on his own.

Slim to none.

[IBC]

Exactly. The only think I can think of is when they are listening to rap they think the rapper is talking about other girls, not them.:rolleyes:
Yes, one of my favorite 50Cent songs is called Rutgers bitch a nappy headed ho. You guys should check it out.

[hannitykillspuppies]

So its ok for a rapper to say it but not Imus?

Got it

who said it is ok for a rapper to say it? you seem to be implying that since rappers say it it's ok for don imus to say it.

[LSU]

So its ok for a rapper to say it but not Imus?

Got it



Are you insinuating people don't or haven't come out against rap lyrics? Particularly women's groups? Or even Sharpton for that matter?

[LSU]

Ironic meaning that many/some of the young ladies supposedly morally outraged at being referred to in this manner (actually they're being used as politcal pawns at the moment), likely have paid for and own hip/hop music that uses these very same terms about them.


About "them" or about "bitches and hos"?


I would imagine these ladies would have a pretty low opinion of themselves if they thought when rappers talked about bitches and hos, they meant them.

The assumption is also there that these girls have that music. Why the assumption, because they're black? You can listen to rap and hip-hop and not have lyrics dealing with bitches and hos...

[BambinoBear]

who said it is ok for a rapper to say it? you seem to be implying that since rappers say it it's ok for don imus to say it.

I'm not saying its ok. What I am saying is a 70 year old white male says it and shit hits the fan. Rappers say it multiple times on an album and no one raises a concern. Thats my problem. This is a race issue and it shouldn't be. If you don't want Imus to say it, then start objecting to 50 cent and any other rapper out there who says it.

[MTVike]

Are you insinuating people don't or haven't come out against rap lyrics? Particularly women's groups? Or even Sharpton for that matter?

They are now. Since this expression was popularized by that genre of music.

That is the good part of all this.

[LSU]

Exactly. The only think I can think of is when they are listening to rap they think the rapper is talking about other girls, not them.:rolleyes:



I don't see why that's out of the question, or why they shouldn't think that. The rappers haven't directly called them 'nappy headed hos'.

[BambinoBear]

Are you insinuating people don't or haven't come out against rap lyrics? Particularly women's groups? Or even Sharpton for that matter?

If they have there wasn't a big deal made about it. Why now? Because Imus is white. Thats why.

[LSU]

I'm not saying its ok. What I am saying is a 70 year old white male says it and shit hits the fan. Rappers say it multiple times on an album and no one raises a concern. Thats my problem. This is a race issue and it shouldn't be. If you don't want Imus to say it, then start objecting to 50 cent and any other rapper out there who says it.


That is a flat lie.

[BambinoBear]

Good, now you understand. I know you are one of those people that doesn't see things as black and white.

Not sure if this is sarcastic but your right, I don't view things in color.

[MTVike]

About "them" or about "bitches and hos"?


I would imagine these ladies would have a pretty low opinion of themselves if they thought when rappers talked about bitches and hos, they meant them. The assumption is also there that these girls have that music. Why the assumption, because they're black? You can listen to rap and hip-hop and not have lyrics dealing with bitches and hos...


Who, pray tell, are the rappers referring to if not ALL women? Degrading and objectifying ALL women?

I think the players belong to this class.

[hannitykillspuppies]

I'm not saying its ok. What I am saying is a 70 year old white male says it and shit hits the fan. Rappers say it multiple times on an album and no one raises a concern. Thats my problem. This is a race issue and it shouldn't be. If you don't want Imus to say it, then start objecting to 50 cent and any other rapper out there who says it.

so you're under the impression that no groups or people have come out aginst rap lyrics.

this whole argument of "black rappers say it, so white people should be able to say it" is pretty lame.

[BambinoBear]

I don't see why that's out of the question, or why they shouldn't think that. The rappers haven't directly called them 'nappy headed hos'.
I can understand being upset when its you directly they are talking about. But why not be upset when they generalize about all women?

[LSU]

If they have there wasn't a big deal made about it. Why now? Because Imus is white. Thats why.



No, because the sensationalist media decided this was worthwhile...perhaps because Imus is on nationwide? Do a little research on Sharpton and his views about rap...read a story the other day about him coming out against one of 50 cent's comrades that said or rapped something about harming the teenage son of a rival...Sharpton came out against it and called for a ban on rap, or 50 cent or something like that.

Just because the media doesn't report it doesn't mean it's not happening.

[hannitykillspuppies]

They are now. Since this expression was popularized by that genre of music.

That is the good part of all this.

yes only rappers use the term ho. are you serious?

[LSU]

They are now. Since this expression was popularized by that genre of music.

That is the good part of all this.


I call BS. It's not just now, if you mean since the Imus stuff...there's been talk about this since the mid to late 90s when Dr. Dre became popular...I remember the outcry of the demeaning lyrics back then...in fact, I read or saw something where Dre said he basically stopped those lyrics because his wife made him...

[BambinoBear]

so you're under the impression that no groups or people have come out aginst rap lyrics.

this whole argument of "black rappers say it, so white people should be able to say it" is pretty lame.

I'm not saying that at all. BTW, I have never once said black rappers. I know there are white rappers as well whom have not been called out like Imus.

Its not right for either person to say it. By problem is we hear it on a rap album and we don't care. We here Imus say it and WW3 breaks out and people are calling for his job

[LSU]

If they have there wasn't a big deal made about it. Why now? Because Imus is white. Thats why.



And who's making this a big deal? The media? Imus' peers. How else do you hear about it?

The reason you haven't heard about the outcry is not because people aren't complaining, it's because the media doesn't cover it...particularly, the black outcry against demeaning rap lyrics...

I agree, the media covers it because it's a white guy, but the outcry is more than that...

[LSU]

Who, pray tell, are the rappers referring to if not ALL women? Degrading and objectifying ALL women?

I think the players belong to this class.



If I say men are fucking dicks, do you get upset?

If I say YOU'RE a fucking dick, does that make a difference?

[BambinoBear]

No, because the sensationalist media decided this was worthwhile...perhaps because Imus is on nationwide? Do a little research on Sharpton and his views about rap...read a story the other day about him coming out against one of 50 cent's comrades that said or rapped something about harming the teenage son of a rival...Sharpton came out against it and called for a ban on rap, or 50 cent or something like that.

Just because the media doesn't report it doesn't mean it's not happening.

True.

What it comes down to is people say shit all the time that is not right. We has Joe Public have the right to listen or not. To complain or not. IF people are really offended by what Imus said it will show in his ratings and when his sponsers pull their money.

[MTVike]

I call BS. It's not just now, if you mean since the Imus stuff...there's been talk about this since the mid to late 90s when Dr. Dre became popular...I remember the outcry of the demeaning lyrics back then...in fact, I read or saw something where Dre said he basically stopped those lyrics because his wife made him...

Outcry? If there's was a lasting outcry, this music wouldn't be as popular and as mainstream as it is with young people.

These terms have become mainstream in much of the youth culture because of the music. They exchange these words with each other all the time, especially in the black community.

[LSU]

I can understand being upset when its you directly they are talking about. But why not be upset when they generalize about all women?



Because it's a generalization and that's much easier to look past. It's like me saying Bears fans are stupid. Do you take that seriously? Or if I call Yankees fans bandwagonners...


Now, if I flat out say YOU are stupid or you are on a bandwagon, it's a little more direct, no?

There are levels of being upset, and that still operates on the assumption that these chicks actually do have loads of rap containing demeaning lyrics.

[MTVike]

If I say men are fucking dicks, do you get upset?

If I say YOU'RE a fucking dick, does that make a difference?

No. Not unless I know and respect you.

I'm not sure the girls themselves are that "upset" either. I saw an excerpt from a program last night where more than 90's of young black women had been referred to as "hos" by their peers.


This issue has become a political football, but maybe some good will come of it.

[LSU]

I'm not saying that at all. BTW, I have never once said black rappers. I know there are white rappers as well whom have not been called out like Imus.

Its not right for either person to say it. By problem is we hear it on a rap album and we don't care. We here Imus say it and WW3 breaks out and people are calling for his job


WE?

[LSU]

True.

What it comes down to is people say shit all the time that is not right. We has Joe Public have the right to listen or not. To complain or not. IF people are really offended by what Imus said it will show in his ratings and when his sponsers pull their money.


I think I heard that Staples has pulled sponsorship, but I wasn't listening intently to that convo (spike was talking about something with Staples on Today).

[hannitykillspuppies]

Outcry? If there's was a lasting outcry, this music wouldn't be as popular and as mainstream as it is with young people.
These terms have become mainstream in much of the youth culture because of the music. They exchange these words with each other all the time, especially in the black community.

complete BS right there. it's probably fair to say that it is more popular because of the outcry.

are you black? do live in a black community? if not i fail to see how you can make a comment like that.

[BambinoBear]

I think I heard that Staples has pulled sponsorship, but I wasn't listening intently to that convo (spike was talking about something with Staples on Today).


And a tea company as well.

[BambinoBear]

WE?

I'm generalizing...:D

[LSU]

Outcry? If there's was a lasting outcry, this music wouldn't be as popular and as mainstream as it is with young people.

These terms have become mainstream in much of the youth culture because of the music. They exchange these words with each other all the time, especially in the black community.



Lasting outcry? Wasn't rock and roll the devil's music back in the 50s?

And again, here lies the assumption that ALL hip hop/rap uses these lyrics.

As for the terms in the mainstream and kids using them...keep the context in mind...if people are friends, they give each other shit (hell, we hardly know each other and we do that...).

I don't think you can equate what happens between friends/acquaintances and what happens between a guy on the radio and/or a rapper and a basketball team...the 2 entities don't know each other, there's no friendly ribbing there.

[hannitykillspuppies]

No. Not unless I know and respect you.

I'm not sure the girls themselves are that "upset" either. I saw an excerpt from a program last night where more than 90's of young black women had been referred to as "hos" by their peers.

This issue has become a political football, but maybe some good will come of it.

i'm sure your peers growing up never had a disparaging thing to say to you.

[LSU]

No. Not unless I know and respect you.

I'm not sure the girls themselves are that "upset" either. I saw an excerpt from a program last night where more than 90's of young black women had been referred to as "hos" by their peers.


This issue has become a political football, but maybe some good will come of it.


I watched pieces of the PC yesterday, and the chick that I saw talking (a white chick) didn't seem too happy about the situation.

[MTVike]

complete BS right there. it's probably fair to say that it is more popular because of the outcry.

are you black? do live in a black community? if not i fail to see how you can make a comment like that.

I said mainstream because it is now. Though it originated in the 90's as black "street" music and had some legit social and political commentary, much of it degenerated into "gangsta" type lyrics with the content we're now discussing. Black, whilte, Asian, purple...all types of kids listen to it. It's a multi-million dollar industry.

[MTVike]

Lasting outcry? Wasn't rock and roll the devil's music back in the 50s?

And again, here lies the assumption that ALL hip hop/rap uses these lyrics.

As for the terms in the mainstream and kids using them...keep the context in mind...if people are friends, they give each other shit (hell, we hardly know each other and we do that...). I don't think you can equate what happens between friends/acquaintances and what happens between a guy on the radio and/or a rapper and a basketball team...the 2 entities don't know each other, there's no friendly ribbing there.

You need to listen to some of these lyrics. There's nothing friendly about them. The shame is that many kids have become desensitized to them, and middle America is now discovering that.

[ignorant]

I watched pieces of the PC yesterday, and the chick that I saw talking (a white chick) didn't seem too happy about the situation.

you don't think that was set up by Sharpton?

[LSU]

You need to listen to some of these lyrics. There's nothing friendly about them. The shame is that many kids have become desensitized to them, and middle America is now discovering that.


I've heard the lyrics. I'm not defending them. I'm talking about the kids using them. I would bet if some guy is calling a girl a ho and the girl just laughs it off, it's taking as a ribbing...and if the girl doesn't like it, she'll get up in the guys face and tell him about it...or perhaps she really is a ho.

I don't defend the lyrics. My contention is that there has been outcry against both the lyrics and Imus, so to say that Imus can say it because the lyrics are accepted is just wrong.

[LSU]

you don't think that was set up by Sharpton?


The PC or what the player said?

[ignorant]

The PC or what the player said?

all of it. He has to play his cards right to get the response he wants. Right now, the Rutgers players and their coach are his puppets.

[MTVike]

I've heard the lyrics. I'm not defending them. I'm talking about the kids using them. I would bet if some guy is calling a girl a ho and the girl just laughs it off, it's taking as a ribbing...and if the girl doesn't like it, she'll get up in the guys face and tell him about it...or perhaps she really is a ho.

I don't defend the lyrics. My contention is that there has been outcry against both the lyrics and Imus, so to say that Imus can say it because the lyrics are accepted is just wrong.

Totally agree. A line was crossed. One that everyone can see.

[LSU]

all of it. He has to play his cards right to get the response he wants. Right now, the Rutgers players and their coach are his puppets.


So, Sharpton wrote the comments the girl made? I think this is leaning more towards the conspiracy theory forum...


And after all this talk about disrespecting women, to have you insinuate that these women have no mind of their own and are just doing what the big man says...well...doesn't sound to respectful of the women. Now, I'm not disagreeing the Sharpton isn't asking these girls to talk...but I do not believe that they would do it if they didn't want to.

[BambinoBear]

I agree what Imus said was wrong. BUt if we go around saying everyone who says something that is personal or not PC should be fired could you imagine what the unemployment rate would be?

[LSU]

I agree what Imus said was wrong. BUt if we go around saying everyone who says something that is personal or not PC should be fired could you imagine what the unemployment rate would be?


It's all relative. Not everyone has a national stage to say such things. With great power comes great responsibility. Most people in everyday life don't get publicity for saying outrageous things. So I wouldn't imagine the unemployment rate would skyrocket.

[ignorant]

So, Sharpton wrote the comments the girl made? I think this is leaning more towards the conspiracy theory forum...


And after all this talk about disrespecting women, to have you insinuate that these women have no mind of their own and are just doing what the big man says...well...doesn't sound to respectful of the women. Now, I'm not disagreeing the Sharpton isn't asking these girls to talk...but I do not believe that they would do it if they didn't want to.

not saying he wrote the entire thing for each of them, but I am sure he proofed it and made sure the white girl on the team was part of the focus, as well as making sure they dressed in a way that wouldn't be considered "nappy"

it is all politics and it is all about strategy and what will make his case look best.

[hannitykillspuppies]

I said mainstream because it is now. Though it originated in the 90's as black "street" music and had some legit social and political commentary, much of it degenerated into "gangsta" type lyrics with the content we're now discussing. Black, whilte, Asian, purple...all types of kids listen to it. It's a multi-million dollar industry.

orignated in the 90s? stop talking about rap music, it's pretty clear you have no idea what you're talking about.

[hannitykillspuppies]

You need to listen to some of these lyrics. There's nothing friendly about them. The shame is that many kids have become desensitized to them, and middle America is now discovering that.

or maybe you could listen to the likes of talib kweli, common, mos def, the roots, and krs-one to name a few, before you start making moronic comments based solely on generalizations.

[MTVike]

or maybe you could listen to the likes of talib kweli, common, mos def, the roots, and krs-one to name a few, before you start making moronic comments based solely on generalizations.

Moronic comments? Which ones? Maybe I misspoke about the origins of rap...gangsta rap, which is what were referring to, was popularized in the 90's, right?

I don't care about the rest of the music since it's not relevant here.

[hannitykillspuppies]

Moronic comments? Which ones? Maybe I misspoke about the origins of rap...gangsta rap, which is what were referring to, was popularized in the 90's, right?

I don't care about the rest of the music since it's not relevant here.

what is gangsta rap?

[MTVike]

what is gangsta rap?

I see you made it over to the site, Ashey.

[hannitykillspuppies]

Moronic comments? Which ones? Maybe I misspoke about the origins of rap...gangsta rap, which is what were referring to, was popularized in the 90's, right?

I don't care about the rest of the music since it's not relevant here.

gangsta rap is what who is referring to? there are 6 posts in this thread that contain the word gangsta, only one came from the post above, and it wasn't from anyone posting on the site.

[IBC]

It's all relative.
Like a redneck wedding?

[Nixon's Head]

I said mainstream because it is now. Though it originated in the 90's as black "street" music and had some legit social and political commentary, much of it degenerated into "gangsta" type lyrics with the content we're now discussing. Black, whilte, Asian, purple...all types of kids listen to it. It's a multi-million dollar industry.
Rap started much earlier than the 90's, and a lot of the early groups were gang members.

[Nixon's Head]

Lasting outcry? Wasn't rock and roll the devil's music back in the 50s?

And again, here lies the assumption that ALL hip hop/rap uses these lyrics.

As for the terms in the mainstream and kids using them...keep the context in mind...if people are friends, they give each other shit (hell, we hardly know each other and we do that...).

I don't think you can equate what happens between friends/acquaintances and what happens between a guy on the radio and/or a rapper and a basketball team...the 2 entities don't know each other, there's no friendly ribbing there.Still is, according to Unknown Hinson (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGsxCscY_nk) it still is.

['Lifer]

I have a bit of a problem with the double standard. Of course what he said was wrong. What many rappers (including M/M) say is also wrong in my book. That's partly because it belittles women and treats them as second class citizens.

I've been around high school girls who mindlessly accept this music and its messages as cool and appropriate. It disgusts me that it culturally acceptable in this context but no other.

To think that some of these players very likely may have music containing messages like the crap spewed out by Imus and will be demanding an apology from him is delicious irony.

Forgotten by all the politicians who want their day in the spotlight.

I think you make a very valid point.

['Lifer]

I believe if 50 cent directly called the Rutgers basketball team "nappy headed hos" a similar outcry would occur, and if any of the players owned a 50 cent CD, that wouldn't last long...

Now, whether or not 50 cent would have the same attitude toward the situation that Imus has had, that's another story. He might just say "fuck them nappy ass hos".

Hmmm.....you don't think those ladies would say "hey look at us, we're famous!"

[LSU]

Hmmm.....you don't think those ladies would say "hey look at us, we're famous!"



So, are you saying these girls would welcome that comment from a black man, but shun it from a white man?

[LSU]

I don't know about the rest of you, but the first time I can remember hearing "hos" it was from Too Short. And Too Short is about as far from a "gangsta" as I can think of...and the whole thing with Too Short was that he was about being a "pimp", and the glorification of the pimp happened (from what I know) in the 70s with movies and such...and some music maybe...not rap. So, I'm just putting 2 and 2 together here, and thinking that the term "ho" was born much earlier than the gangster rap era.

[Nixon's Head]

I don't know about the rest of you, but the first time I can remember hearing "hos" it was from Too Short. And Too Short is about as far from a "gangsta" as I can think of...and the whole thing with Too Short was that he was about being a "pimp", and the glorification of the pimp happened (from what I know) in the 70s with movies and such...and some music maybe...not rap. So, I'm just putting 2 and 2 together here, and thinking that the term "ho" was born much earlier than the gangster rap era.Blowjob Betty?

['Lifer]

So, are you saying these girls would welcome that comment from a black man, but shun it from a white man?

I prefer the word "might".

[LSU]

I prefer the word "might".


Oh. So then "might not" is also just as possible, if not more likely?

['Lifer]

Yes, one of my favorite 50Cent songs is called Rutgers bitch a nappy headed ho. You guys should check it out.

Latent lyrics, right? I've seen 'em.

['Lifer]

Oh. So then "might not" is also just as possible, if not more likely?

I made my point.

Go find some other yo-yo to play with my friend.

[LSU]

I made my point.

Go find some other yo-yo to play with my friend.



But you're the yo-yo I cherish.

[giddyup4]

So, are you saying these girls would welcome that comment from a black man, but shun it from a white man?


This is what i dont understand. Why arent these women as well as the head figures in the black community all up in arms about the derogatory remarks about black women in rap songs? Isnt double standards what minorities have been fighting against all these years?

[ignorant]

I don't know about the rest of you, but the first time I can remember hearing "hos" it was from Too Short. And Too Short is about as far from a "gangsta" as I can think of...and the whole thing with Too Short was that he was about being a "pimp", and the glorification of the pimp happened (from what I know) in the 70s with movies and such...and some music maybe...not rap. So, I'm just putting 2 and 2 together here, and thinking that the term "ho" was born much earlier than the gangster rap era.

I was gonna try to find its origin and its earliest known use on google, but I get a lot of Ho Chi Mihn kinda responses. I do know that it derives from the word "whore", most likely a slang derived from a mispronunciation.

I know it goes back to before gangsta rap of the 70s/80s, but i am also not sure how far back jive talk goes back.

the thing is, it doesnt matter where the word came from, Imus obviously meant disrespect by calling the girls "nappy headed hos". he could have called them "White trash mamajammas" and the consequeces would be just as brutal since he really has no right to call them out like that.

I think the women's rights groups should be rising up against him more than the black community. I don't like the fact that Al Sharpton is trying to hog the spotlight here with the Rainbow/PU$H Coalition

[LSU]

This is what i dont understand. Why arent these women as well as the head figures in the black community all up in arms about the derogatory remarks about black women in rap songs? Isnt double standards what minorities have been fighting against all these years?



We've been talking about this all morning...and the fact is that Sharpton has been up in arms over rap lyrics...just the media doesn't cover it like it does with Imus...so if anyone is being hypocritical, it's the people shoveling this down your throat on TV and in the papers.

['Lifer]

yes only rappers use the term ho. are you serious?

He said "popularized"...not solely used. Big difference. You're twisting his statement.

[LSU]

I was gonna try to find its origin and its earliest known use on google, but I get a lot of Ho Chi Mihn kinda responses. I do know that it derives from the word "whore", most likely a slang derived from a mispronunciation.

I know it goes back to before gangsta rap of the 70s/80s, but i am also not sure how far back jive talk goes back.

the thing is, it doesnt matter where the word came from, Imus obviously meant disrespect by calling the girls "nappy headed hos". he could have called them "White trash mamajammas" and the consequeces would be just as brutal since he really has no right to call them out like that.

I think the women's rights groups should be rising up against him more than the black community. I don't like the fact that Al Sharpton is trying to hog the spotlight here with the Rainbow/PU$H Coalition


I won't disagree with this...pretty good assessment.

And I agree about the women's rights stuff...but who's a big name out there the media will glom onto in women's rights? I can't think of any, so the next best thing is to tap the loudmouths...Jackson and Sharpton.

The loudest voice is heard in the media, not the most sensible.

['Lifer]

But you're the yo-yo I cherish.


Cool.....and you've my favorite faux Cajun.

['Lifer]

I see you made it over to the site, Ashey.

Bingo......what's "gangsta rap" was a dead giveaway.

Busted.

['Lifer]

We've been talking about this all morning...and the fact is that Sharpton has been up in arms over rap lyrics...just the media doesn't cover it like it does with Imus...so if anyone is being hypocritical, it's the people shoveling this down your throat on TV and in the papers.

Could be worse.....being forced to listen to more Anna Nicole Smith BS.

[giddyup4]

We've been talking about this all morning...and the fact is that Sharpton has been up in arms over rap lyrics...just the media doesn't cover it like it does with Imus...so if anyone is being hypocritical, it's the people shoveling this down your throat on TV and in the papers.

I agree with ya on the media coverage issue. But does Sharpton want all the rappers music taken off the market? make them apologize? quite? IMO, it just seems that when a white person uses a derogatory remark against a minority all hell breaks loose. But when a minority says something derogatory about white people its ok.

[LSU]

I agree with ya on the media coverage issue. But does Sharpton want all the rappers music taken off the market? make them apologize? quite? IMO, it just seems that when a white person uses a derogatory remark against a minority all hell breaks loose. But when a minority says something derogatory about white people its ok.


I'm not going to disagree about the last part...but regarding sharpton, what I've heard is that he's been against a lot of the "gansta" rap music for quite awhile, it just doesn't get a lot of press.

And really, I've heard comedians make jokes about minorities...Nick DiPaolo comes to mind...he's not a minority unless you consider Italians minorities.

And for the record, I'm in favor of making stereotypical jokes legal for all ethnicities. Jokes...not derogatory remarks. And it will be my judgment that determines which is which.

[hannitykillspuppies]

He said "popularized"...not solely used. Big difference. You're twisting his statement.

surely wasn't popularized by fictional characters such as iceberg slim.

[ignorant]

Jason Whitlock has a very good article on AOL Sports about the whole Jesse Jackson/Al Sharpton involvement that hits the nail on the head.

http://sports.aol.com/whitlock/_a/time-for-jackson-sharpton-to-step-down/20070411111509990001

Time for Jackson, Sharpton to Step Down
Pair See Potential for Profit, Attention in Imus Incident
By JASON WHITLOCK
AOL
Sports Commentary

I’m calling for Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, the president and vice president of Black America, to step down.
Their leadership is stale. Their ideas are outdated. And they don’t give a damn about us.

We need to take a cue from White America and re-elect our leadership every four years. White folks realize that power corrupts. That’s why they placed term limits on the presidency. They know if you leave a man in power too long he quits looking out for the interest of his constituency and starts looking out for his own best interest.

We’ve turned Jesse and Al into Supreme Court justices. They get to speak for us for a lifetime.

Why?

If judged by the results they’ve produced the last 20 years, you’d have to regard their administration as a total failure. Seriously, compared to Martin and Malcolm and the freedoms and progress their leadership produced, Jesse and Al are an embarrassment.

Their job the last two decades was to show black people how to take advantage of the opportunities Martin and Malcolm won.

Have we at the level we should have? No.

Rather than inspire us to seize hard-earned opportunities, Jesse and Al have specialized in blackmailing white folks for profit and attention. They were at it again last week, helping to turn radio shock jock Don Imus’ stupidity into a world-wide crisis that reached its crescendo Tuesday afternoon when Rutgers women’s basketball coach Vivian Stringer led a massive pity party/recruiting rally.
Hey, what Imus said, calling the Rutgers players "nappy-headed hos," was ignorant, insensitive and offensive. But so are many of the words that come out of the mouths of radio shock jocks/comedians.

Imus’ words did no real damage. Let me tell you what damaged us this week: the sports cover of Tuesday’s USA Today. This country’s newspaper of record published a story about the NFL and crime and ran a picture of 41 NFL players who were arrested in 2006. By my count, 39 of those players were black.

You want to talk about a damaging, powerful image, an image that went out across the globe?

We’re holding news conferences about Imus when the behavior of NFL players is painting us as lawless and immoral. Come on. We can do better than that. Jesse and Al are smarter than that.

Had Imus’ predictably poor attempt at humor not been turned into an international incident by the deluge of media coverage, 97 percent of America would’ve never known what Imus said. His platform isn’t that large and it has zero penetration into the sports world.

Imus certainly doesn’t resonate in the world frequented by college women. The insistence by these young women that they have been emotionally scarred by an old white man with no currency in their world is laughably dishonest.

The Rutgers players are nothing more than pawns in a game being played by Jackson, Sharpton and Stringer.

Jesse and Al are flexing their muscle and setting up their next sting. Bringing down Imus, despite his sincere attempts at apologizing, would serve notice to their next potential victim that it is far better to pay up than stand up to Jesse and Al James.

Stringer just wanted her 15 minutes to make the case that she’s every bit as important as Pat Summitt and Geno Auriemma. By the time Stringer’s rambling, rapping and rhyming 30-minute speech was over, you’d forgotten that Tennessee won the national championship and just assumed a racist plot had been hatched to deny the Scarlet Knights credit for winning it all.

Maybe that’s the real crime. Imus’ ignorance has taken attention away from Candace Parker’s and Summitt’s incredible accomplishment. Or maybe it was Sharpton’s, Stringer’s and Jackson’s grandstanding that moved the spotlight from Tennessee to New Jersey?

None of this over-the-top grandstanding does Black America any good.

We can’t win the war over verbal disrespect and racism when we have so obviously and blatantly surrendered the moral high ground on the issue. Jesse and Al might win the battle with Imus and get him fired or severely neutered. But the war? We don’t stand a chance in the war. Not when everybody knows “nappy-headed ho’s” is a compliment compared to what we allow black rap artists to say about black women on a daily basis.

We look foolish and cruel for kicking a man who went on Sharpton’s radio show and apologized. Imus didn’t pull a Michael Richards and schedule an interview on Letterman. Imus went to the Black vice president’s house, acknowledged his mistake and asked for forgiveness.

Let it go and let God.

We have more important issues to deal with than Imus. If we are unwilling to clean up the filth and disrespect we heap on each other, nothing will change with our condition. You can fire every Don Imus in the country, and our incarceration rate, fatherless-child rate, illiteracy rate and murder rate will still continue to skyrocket.

A man who doesn’t respect himself wastes his breath demanding that others respect him.

We don’t respect ourselves right now. If we did, we wouldn’t call each other the N-word. If we did, we wouldn’t let people with prison values define who we are in music and videos. If we did, we wouldn’t call black women bitches and hos and abandon them when they have our babies.

If we had the proper level of self-respect, we wouldn’t act like it’s only a crime when a white man disrespects us. We hold Imus to a higher standard than we hold ourselves. That’s a (freaking) shame.

We need leadership that is interested in fixing the culture we’ve adopted. We need leadership that makes all of us take tremendous pride in educating ourselves. We need leadership that can reach professional athletes and entertainers and get them to understand that they’re ambassadors and play an important role in defining who we are and what values our culture will embrace.

It’s time for Jesse and Al to step down. They’ve had 25 years to lead us. Other than their accountants, I’d be hard pressed to find someone who has benefited from their administration.

[BambinoBear]

For once, I agree with Jason Whitlock

[BambinoBear]

Is free speech only for those that are not white?


http://apfte.net/Pages/Racism/page593950.htm

I think the media is condoning it--but again that wouldn't have anything to do with who runs the media,,or would it??

Now after reading a recent article regarding this,,here's what pushed my last button...

Rutgers coach--Stringer claims--"The girls are God's representatives in every sense of the word."

I learned about a couple of the girls--one is going to be a lawyer and one can play the piano without sheet music..etc.. I didn't see where any of the girls were going to become nuns/sisters---those are who I call representatives of God..not a future lawyer..I found that statement insulting to real nuns/sisters...

A comment made by one of the players--"All of our accomplishments were lost,,we were stripped of this moment by the degrading comments made by Mr. Imus"..

If they are so weak,,,that one comment stripped them of their accomplishments--then they aren't winners after all...

[hannitykillspuppies]

Is free speech only for those that are not white?


http://apfte.net/Pages/Racism/page593950.htm

I think the media is condoning it--but again that wouldn't have anything to do with who runs the media,,or would it??

Now after reading a recent article regarding this,,here's what pushed my last button...

Rutgers coach--Stringer claims--"The girls are God's representatives in every sense of the word."

I learned about a couple of the girls--one is going to be a lawyer and one can play the piano without sheet music..etc.. I didn't see where any of the girls were going to become nuns/sisters---those are who I call representatives of God..not a future lawyer..I found that statement insulting to real nuns/sisters...
A comment made by one of the players--"All of our accomplishments were lost,,we were stripped of this moment by the degrading comments made by Mr. Imus"..

If they are so weak,,,that one comment stripped them of their accomplishments--then they aren't winners after all...


that is quite simply one of the dumbest things i have ever read.

[BambinoBear]

that is quite simply one of the dumbest things i have ever read.

Thanks

[Reagan Smash]

For once, I agree with Jason Whitlock

Me too, I'm afraid.

[pnkpanther]

We have more important issues to deal with than Imus. If we are unwilling to clean up the filth and disrespect we heap on each other, nothing will change with our condition. You can fire every Don Imus in the country, and our incarceration rate, fatherless-child rate, illiteracy rate and murder rate will still continue to skyrocket.

A man who doesn’t respect himself wastes his breath demanding that others respect him.

We don’t respect ourselves right now. If we did, we wouldn’t call each other the N-word. If we did, we wouldn’t let people with prison values define who we are in music and videos. If we did, we wouldn’t call black women bitches and hos and abandon them when they have our babies.

If we had the proper level of self-respect, we wouldn’t act like it’s only a crime when a white man disrespects us. We hold Imus to a higher standard than we hold ourselves. That’s a (freaking) shame.

We need leadership that is interested in fixing the culture we’ve adopted. We need leadership that makes all of us take tremendous pride in educating ourselves. We need leadership that can reach professional athletes and entertainers and get them to understand that they’re ambassadors and play an important role in defining who we are and what values our culture will embrace.

never been so on board with a statement

[IBC]

Is free speech only for those that are not white?


http://apfte.net/Pages/Racism/page593950.htm

I think the media is condoning it--but again that wouldn't have anything to do with who runs the media,,or would it??

Now after reading a recent article regarding this,,here's what pushed my last button...

Rutgers coach--Stringer claims--"The girls are God's representatives in every sense of the word."

I learned about a couple of the girls--one is going to be a lawyer and one can play the piano without sheet music..etc.. I didn't see where any of the girls were going to become nuns/sisters---those are who I call representatives of God..not a future lawyer..I found that statement insulting to real nuns/sisters...

A comment made by one of the players--"All of our accomplishments were lost,,we were stripped of this moment by the degrading comments made by Mr. Imus"..

If they are so weak,,,that one comment stripped them of their accomplishments--then they aren't winners after all...

How was Imus' free speech infringed upon? There is absolutely no argument there.

[IBC]

that is quite simply one of the dumbest things i have ever read.

Well, he was arrested and there is free speech. I guess I can just go say whatever I want in my office right now. Every racial slur and homophbic thing I can, and I can't be fired because of free speech.

[ignorant]

I find this whole topic really interesting, but now the whole Imus situation is being viewed as a tipping point:

http://passtheword.wordpress.com/2007/04/11/nappy-headed-imus-viii-next-target-bet/

This is fascinating. What began as a simple, caustic and repugnant remark by a wrinkled radio host has evolved into one of the most intriguing experiences of my career. This isn’t about Don Imus anymore. It isn’t even about the noble young women who put remarkable faces on the ugly words Imus uttered.

Right now, it’s about how we got here and where we go now to ensure - as much as humanly possible - that we never go here again. It’s being referred to as a “tipping point,” a time when our collective consciousness simply said, Enough. No longer would the language of hate be tolerated. No longer will the words we’ve become densitived to be tolerated.

Not from Imus.

Not from anyone.

Enough.

“Imus in the Morning” is a wrap. Maybe not tomorrow. Maybe not in two weeks. But the show is toast - later if not sooner. Long before that happens, though, the calls will be made to those who helped lay the groundwork for the ugly language that got us here - among them, the music industry.

And one of the first calls I make is to Debra Lee, CEO of BET.

Why? Because for decades now the network has been ground zero for the language and terms that had become so pervasive a wrinkled white man thought it was okay it use them on national radio and television. In the wake of recent revelations, how can the network - along with its new siblings, MTV and VH-1 -still justify airing videos that glorify “bitches” and “hos?”

BET Founder Bob Johnson, in an interview on MSNBC, offered the same lame response he offered a decade ago in the midst of criticism about the network’s content. He said he’d long ago gone to the music labels and said BET would air cleaner, less offensive videos if they’d produce them.

In the same breath Johnson said Imus should be fired, he said he was not accountable for the content in the videos that ran on BET.

That may have flown for many years. But it ain’t flying any more.

If BET is reading the winds of change, Lee will announce soon that the network will not longer glorify misogyny and refused to air music videos and programming that degrade black women.

As I said, this is fascinating.

This is what I mean: A Philadelphia radio DJ as fired today for being stupid. Last week, this might have been considered funny.

Ghettonation author Cora Daniels: “I’m a Nappy Headed Ho.”

[LSU]

Well, CBS caved...and that I don't agree with. Imus may be a tool, but he didn't deserve to be fired. This just fuels Sharpton and Jackson to go after more people for less offenses...not a good precedent.

[ryr8828]

Free at last, free at last.

[ignorant]

Well, CBS caved...and that I don't agree with. Imus may be a tool, but he didn't deserve to be fired. This just fuels Sharpton and Jackson to go after more people for less offenses...not a good precedent.

He is only fired from television, still has his radio show in NY. I only catch him when I get sick of hearing sportcenter kissing someones ass non stop, but it is something to watch that hits all the subjects i care about.

Hopefully he gets a boost from fans in the charities he supports.

[ryr8828]

He is only fired from television, still has his radio show in NY. I only catch him when I get sick of hearing sportcenter kissing someones ass non stop, but it is something to watch that hits all the subjects i care about.

Hopefully he gets a boost from fans in the charities he supports.

CBS was the radio show. They fired him.

The tv show was on msnbc.

[ignorant]

CBS was the radio show. They fired him.

The tv show was on msnbc.

well then, thats bullshit.

how long did Michael Irvin keep his job after saying a white football player "must have some black in him". No one asked if that player was insulted by that.

[i_hate_righties]

Well, he was arrested and there is free speech. I guess I can just go say whatever I want in my office right now. Every racial slur and homophbic thing I can, and I can't be fired because of free speech.


We are all guaranteed the right of free speech, however we are not guaranteed that there are no consequnces for what we say. Be it having others not agreeing with us, getting fired, or even getting killed, there always may be consequences!

[MTVike]

"While we’re fixated on a bad joke cracked by an irrelevant, bad shock jock, I’m sure at least one of the marvelous young women on the Rutgers basketball team is somewhere snapping her fingers to the beat of 50 Cent’s or Snoop Dogg’s or Young Jeezy’s latest ode glorifying nappy-headed pimps and hos."

http://www.kansascity.com/182/story/66339.html



Guess I'm not the only person who thought this.

[ryr8828]

Don's Day:

IMUS: 'WHEN WILL SHARPTON APOLOGIZE TO DUKE PLAYERS'?
Thu Apr 12 2007 10:02:02 ET

Patrick Gavin with FISHBOWLDC reports on Imus's radio show this am...

Barely 12 hours after being fired from MSNBC...

6:12 AM: On Imus' radio program (no longer simulcast on MSNBC) this morning, Chris Carlin, who covers sports for the program, discussed yesterday's dismissal of charges against the Duke lacrosse players.

(rough transcript)

DON IMUS: When will Al Sharpton be apologizing to them?

(LAUGHTER)

CARLIN: I'm unaware of such a press conference.

IMUS: I'll be darned...

UPDATE 6:28 AM: After a station break, Imus came back to discuss MSNBC's decision. He said he was recently chatted with "another big time broadcasting executive" who was "complaining that [MSNBC] had cancelled the simulcast twelve hours before we were getting ready to conduct this radio-thon for these three charities."

Imus: "My position on all of this is not whining about the hideously hypocritical coverage from the newspapers -- from everybody -- or the lack of support, say, from people like Harold Ford, Jr. who I had my life threatened over supporting and all these kind of things. It all began, and it doesn't make any difference -- like [James] Carville said -- stop talking about the context, it doesn't make any difference. If I hadn't have said it I wouldn't be here. So let's stop whining about it...You gotta stop complaining. I said a stupid, idiotic thing that desperately hurt these kids. I'm going to apologize but we gotta move on."

UPDATE 7:37 am. IMUS: "The hypocrisy is absurd...Everybody knows what the deal is. And this is not over. This story does not end here."

Imus also gave a shout-out to Opie & Anthony (http://www.opieandanthony.com/), who support Imus on this issue.

UPDATE 7:57:

Imus says he spoke with MSNBC Senior VP Phil Griffin and said "some of the stuff that MSNBC has done this morning is frankly unethical and I've asked them to stop doing it."

But also said, "I'm not whining about the coverage. I'm not whining about any aspect of this."

"I've said 100 times: I said it and if I hadn't said it, we wouodn't be sitting here talking about it. And that's the bottom line."

Imus also said that losing television (via MSNBC) isn't as big as losing radio. "The big part of the program is radio. There's millions of people listening to the radio. At best a few hundred thousand are watching television."

On MSNBC's decision: "I understand the pressure they were under. I'm not stupid."

UPDATE 8:15am: Speaking with an African-American woman, whose son had spent time at the Imus Ranch, Imus said, "And I want to say to you as an African-American woman, I'm sorry for what I said...I want to apologize to all African-American women." The woman said, "Okay, I accept that."

UPDATE 8:19AM: Imus said that one of the "sad ironies of my stupidity" is that, at his ranch, "we sent six kids home because they couldn't stop calling girls bitches and hos."

UPDATE 8:21AM: "I want to thank Opie & Anthony...I love them and I love what they do. I know they offend people perhaps more than I do. They're good loyal guys...Even Howard [Stern] hasn't been horrible." (Although if you read this Stern show summary (http://www.marksfriggin.com/news.htm#wed), seems like Stern still has his claws out against his longtime nemesis.) UPDATE 8:28AM: Imus says that he's had "a lot of big people in the media" calling him "whining about the hypocrsity in the coverage. We understand that. You just turn on the cable channels or read the newspaper, trying to portray me as some vicious racist or whatever and there's not one person talking about the other things I've done...There's a difference between premeditated murder and a gun going off...But you've got to take your medicine. I'm not whining about it."

"Don't tell me that context isn't important. Context is importnat in everything we do in our lives. But it's not an excuse."

UPDATE 8:38AM: Despite the controversy, Imus says contributions for The Tomorrows Children Fund and the Imus Ranch are "way, way up" compared to this time in the show last year, which is significant because "the money's more important this year than ever."

He added: "These bastards went after me. They got me. But they didn't catch me asleep."

UPDATE 8:44AM: MSNBC's Imus webpage (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036713/) is still up, with a statement and link to Imus' charities.

UPDATE 8:45am: "One day you've got a radio and tv show and one day you don't...Ordinarily we need to raise $3 million, this year we need to raise $100 million -- just in case (Laughter)."

UPDATE 8:57AM: Tells his friends, "Don't call me telling me that the coverage is unfair...If I hadn't said it, there'd be no coverage...Shut up about it...I've been dishing it out for a long time, and now it's my turn...I'm not going to whine about it."

Imus also lets readers know that he's doing today's show in the MSNBC studio.

UPDATE 9:01AM: Charlie McCord says that they've raised over $400,000.

UPDATE 9:10AM: On MSNBC:I understand their decision." "I appreciate them letting us use their studio this morning."

To "all of my friends in the media, out of the media: You can't whine about this...We wouldn't have been there if I hadn't said it."

He again called media coverage "outrageously hypocritical."

"Harold Ford, Jr. has been disgraceful in his lack of support. I endured death threats to endorse him...It's unfortunate that he has no courage."

"I'm not surprised by any of this. I'm not surprised at the hypocrisy of Al Sharpton, of Jesse Jackson or any of these people. But you can't whine about it."

"We can talk about all the good work that I've done forever, but I still said that. I'm not making any excuses. Everybody's got to stop whining and quit talking about it."

UPDATE 9:25AM: "I've dished it out for a long time and now it's my time to take it. That's fine. Bring it on."

UPDATE 9:28AM: After one guest said "kick ass," then followed that with "can I say that?" Imus said, "I think today you can say anything."

UPDATE 9:37: "We've never done this well before" (regarding the radiothon)

UPDATE 9:38: On meeting with the Rutgers basketball players: "I can't go through the rest of my life -- nor can they -- without us having this conversation and me telling them how I feel and, more importantly, them telling me how they feel."
http://www.drudgereport.com/flash3im.htm

[Potomac Yank]

Don's Day:

IMUS: 'WHEN WILL SHARPTON APOLOGIZE TO DUKE PLAYERS'?
Thu Apr 12 2007 10:02:02 ET

Patrick Gavin with FISHBOWLDC reports on Imus's radio show this am...

Barely 12 hours after being fired from MSNBC...

6:12 AM: On Imus' radio program (no longer simulcast on MSNBC) this morning, Chris Carlin, who covers sports for the program, discussed yesterday's dismissal of charges against the Duke lacrosse players.

(rough transcript)

DON IMUS: When will Al Sharpton be apologizing to them?

(LAUGHTER)

CARLIN: I'm unaware of such a press conference.

IMUS: I'll be darned...

UPDATE 6:28 AM: After a station break, Imus came back to discuss MSNBC's decision. He said he was recently chatted with "another big time broadcasting executive" who was "complaining that [MSNBC] had cancelled the simulcast twelve hours before we were getting ready to conduct this radio-thon for these three charities."

Imus: "My position on all of this is not whining about the hideously hypocritical coverage from the newspapers -- from everybody -- or the lack of support, say, from people like Harold Ford, Jr. who I had my life threatened over supporting and all these kind of things. It all began, and it doesn't make any difference -- like [James] Carville said -- stop talking about the context, it doesn't make any difference. If I hadn't have said it I wouldn't be here. So let's stop whining about it...You gotta stop complaining. I said a stupid, idiotic thing that desperately hurt these kids. I'm going to apologize but we gotta move on."

UPDATE 7:37 am. IMUS: "The hypocrisy is absurd...Everybody knows what the deal is. And this is not over. This story does not end here."

Imus also gave a shout-out to Opie & Anthony (http://www.opieandanthony.com/), who support Imus on this issue.

UPDATE 7:57:

Imus says he spoke with MSNBC Senior VP Phil Griffin and said "some of the stuff that MSNBC has done this morning is frankly unethical and I've asked them to stop doing it."

But also said, "I'm not whining about the coverage. I'm not whining about any aspect of this."

"I've said 100 times: I said it and if I hadn't said it, we wouodn't be sitting here talking about it. And that's the bottom line."

Imus also said that losing television (via MSNBC) isn't as big as losing radio. "The big part of the program is radio. There's millions of people listening to the radio. At best a few hundred thousand are watching television."

On MSNBC's decision: "I understand the pressure they were under. I'm not stupid."

UPDATE 8:15am: Speaking with an African-American woman, whose son had spent time at the Imus Ranch, Imus said, "And I want to say to you as an African-American woman, I'm sorry for what I said...I want to apologize to all African-American women." The woman said, "Okay, I accept that."

UPDATE 8:19AM: Imus said that one of the "sad ironies of my stupidity" is that, at his ranch, "we sent six kids home because they couldn't stop calling girls bitches and hos."

UPDATE 8:21AM: "I want to thank Opie & Anthony...I love them and I love what they do. I know they offend people perhaps more than I do. They're good loyal guys...Even Howard [Stern] hasn't been horrible." (Although if you read this Stern show summary (http://www.marksfriggin.com/news.htm#wed), seems like Stern still has his claws out against his longtime nemesis.) UPDATE 8:28AM: Imus says that he's had "a lot of big people in the media" calling him "whining about the hypocrsity in the coverage. We understand that. You just turn on the cable channels or read the newspaper, trying to portray me as some vicious racist or whatever and there's not one person talking about the other things I've done...There's a difference between premeditated murder and a gun going off...But you've got to take your medicine. I'm not whining about it."

"Don't tell me that context isn't important. Context is importnat in everything we do in our lives. But it's not an excuse."

UPDATE 8:38AM: Despite the controversy, Imus says contributions for The Tomorrows Children Fund and the Imus Ranch are "way, way up" compared to this time in the show last year, which is significant because "the money's more important this year than ever."

He added: "These bastards went after me. They got me. But they didn't catch me asleep."

UPDATE 8:44AM: MSNBC's Imus webpage (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036713/) is still up, with a statement and link to Imus' charities.

UPDATE 8:45am: "One day you've got a radio and tv show and one day you don't...Ordinarily we need to raise $3 million, this year we need to raise $100 million -- just in case (Laughter)."

UPDATE 8:57AM: Tells his friends, "Don't call me telling me that the coverage is unfair...If I hadn't said it, there'd be no coverage...Shut up about it...I've been dishing it out for a long time, and now it's my turn...I'm not going to whine a