Fire Imus?

[#1LiddyBuckFan]

NEW YORK - CBS fired Don Imus from his radio show Thursday, the finale to a stunning fall for one of the nation's most prominent broadcasters.

Imus initially was given a two-week suspension, to start Monday, for calling the Rutgers women's basketball team "nappy-headed hos" on the air last week, but outrage continued to grow and advertisers bolted from his programs.

"There has been much discussion of the effect language like this has on our young people, particularly young women of color trying to make their way in this society," CBS President and Chief Executive Officer Leslie Moonves said in announcing the decision. "That consideration has weighed most heavily on our minds as we made our decision."

Rutgers women's basketball team spokeswoman Stacey Brann said the team did not have an immediate comment on Imus' firing but would be issuing a statement later Thursday evening.

Time Magazine once named the cantankerous broadcaster as one of the 25 Most Influential People in America, and he was a member of the National Broadcaster Hall of Fame.

But Imus found himself at the center of a storm after his comments. Protests ensued, and one by one, sponsors pulled their ads from Imus' show. On Wednesday, MSNBC dropped the simulcast of Imus' show.

The Rev. Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson met with Moonves to advocate Imus' removal, promising a rally outside CBS headquarters Saturday and an effort to persuade more advertisers to abandon Imus.

Sumner Redstone, chairman of the CBS Corp. board and its chief stockholder, told Newsweek that he had expected Moonves to "do the right thing," although it wasn't clear what he thought that was.

The news came down in the middle of Imus' Radiothon, which has raised more than $40 million since 1990 for good causes. The Radiothon had raised more than $1.3 million Thursday before Imus learned that he lost his job.

"This may be our last Radiothon, so we need to raise about $100 million," Imus cracked at the start of the event.

[Sarah]

Originally Posted by #1LiddyBuckFan

The news came down in the middle of Imus' Radiothon, which has raised more than $40 million since 1990 for good causes. The Radiothon had raised more than $1.3 million Thursday before Imus learned that he lost his job.

But none of that matters, because he's a baaaaad, baaaad, evil, hate-mongering person. Right?

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by Sarah

But none of that matters, because he's a baaaaad, baaaad, evil, hate-mongering person. Right?

None of that matters when the race card is played - and he was dumb enough to play it.

Interestingly, CBS and NBC would have ignored this until his largest sponsors yanked their support. Money talks and Imus walks. Again, he has no one to blame but himself because anyone with half a brain cell knows that a white guy calling a black person a nappy headed ho is going to cause trouble.

[Sarah]

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

None of that matters when the race card is played - and he was dumb enough to play it.

I'll agree with you that he was dumb enough to play it, but I don't think that this SHOULD overshadow the charity work. it will, but it shouldn't.

I like being American, but we are a crazy bunch of people. We want handouts. We want free speech. But then, we want to chastise and tell each other to shut up. F-ing crazy.

[The Tower]

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

None of that matters when the race card is played - and he was dumb enough to play it.

Interestingly, CBS and NBC would have ignored this until his largest sponsors yanked their support. Money talks and Imus walks. Again, he has no one to blame but himself because anyone with half a brain cell knows that a white guy calling a black person a nappy headed ho is going to cause trouble.

I'm guessing that there wouldn't have been an uproar if he had called some nappy-headed 'ho's "nappy-headed ho", instead of upstanding college ladies.

Originally Posted by Sarah

F-ing crazy.

That's ****ing crazy, dear. Even though you can't say ****, you can still say ****ing or ****ed or I think even mother****er and it still works.

[ELIUD]

Originally Posted by Sarah

I'll agree with you that he was dumb enough to play it, but I don't think that this SHOULD overshadow the charity work. it will, but it shouldn't.

I like being American, but we are a crazy bunch of people. We want handouts. We want free speech. But then, we want to chastise and tell each other to shut up. F-ing crazy.

Exactly why this is some scary ****. He and his producers said some really stupid remarks, they were offensive to women in sports in general and of course African Americans and just anybody, I was offended and outta my respect for Howard Stern - I just plain hate the guy. But what this confirms is that we really do live in a country that is enforcing politcal correctness and making it unsafe for broadcasters who have opinion shows to say very much at all.

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by The Tower

I'm guessing that there wouldn't have been an uproar if he had called some nappy-headed 'ho's "nappy-headed ho", instead of upstanding college ladies . . . .

Amen on that!

[Rickypt]

Originally Posted by Sarah

But none of that matters, because he's a baaaaad, baaaad, evil, hate-mongering person. Right?

Very few people are saying he's a bad, evil, hate-mongering person. In fact, if you watch the nearly non-stop coverage of this story (as I have, being stuck in a hotel room), you would see that most people are going out of their way to talk about his charity work.

It still doesn't change the fact that he made an awful, racist remark. And he was called on it and he's being held accountable. Strand is right, he did this to himself. I don't feel remotely sorry for someone who obviously has enough racism inside him to easily spew out the comments that he did.

And I'll repeat: free speech doesn't mean you have the right to a multi-million contract to say whatever you want. Imus can say anything he wants--no one's going to put him in jail.

[Rickypt]

Originally Posted by Sarah

And, I think we should remember that white girls can have nappy hair, too.

Imus wasn't referring to white girls with nappy hair. He was singling out black women--what he was saying specifically is "these are some really tough, really black, and really ugly women". That is precisely what he meant by his so-called joke.

[ELIUD]

Originally Posted by Rickypt

Imus wasn't referring to white girls with nappy hair. He was singling out black women--what he was saying specifically is "these are some really tough, really black, and really ugly women". That is precisely what he meant by his so-called joke.

...AND if anyone has heard the comments made by the producer after Imus' remarks, he actually used the word "JIGGABOOS". The whole crew is probably all around stupid. And his dumb wife, whom he met in a radio contest, added nothing to the show.

[Dreamz19]

Originally Posted by ELIUD

...AND if anyone has heard the comments made by the producer after Imus' remarks, he actually used the word "JIGGABOOS". The whole crew is probably all around stupid. And his dumb wife, whom he met in a radio contest, added nothing to the show.

I never knew much about Imus but I decided to look some stuff up. He has said some pretty mean hateful things about different groups in the past. Therefore, I can see how some people aren't just taking this as a little joke.

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by Rickypt

. . . for someone who obviously has enough racism inside him to easily spew out the comments that he did . . . .

Do you equate what he said with hate speech. In other words, do you automatically infer intentional hate in that speech. I am just curious. I do not. I think he was joking and had no hate in his heart. The reason I ask is because I think if most people could sep. the two, then there might not be such an uproar. I think this is an interesting point - does a white person using those words (and not ever ni**er) in jest automatically equate to hate speech. Clearly, the same standard does not apply to black people saying the same thing.

Does racism inside of him equate to hate.

I hinestly do not know the answer. I tend to say it does not. But, want to hear other peoples' thoughts.

[Rickypt]

Originally Posted by sparky

It is my opinion that giving him any credence whatsoever is giving him power. Why anyone cares what a shriveled old shock jock thinks of them is beyond me. He isn't even funny. He's a fool, and treating him as such is a response coming forom a place other than victimhood. I know, victimhood is the new black. Victimhood is the new religion. But it doesn't advance anyone.

I get this....good point. I'm not sure that the women were coming from a place of victimhood. I think they were (1) forced into a situation of making a public comment and (2) trying to speak on behalf of black women. I think they were under enormous pressure to serve as representatives. And I think they did a remarkable job. I agree with you, thought, that in ideal circumstances, people should just blow off stupid comments, no matter how racist, homophobic, etc. because it reduces the power of the statements.

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by ELIUD

...AND if anyone has heard the comments made by the producer after Imus' remarks, he actually used the word "JIGGABOOS". The whole crew is probably all around stupid. And his dumb wife, whom he met in a radio contest, added nothing to the show.

He was referring to that Spike Lee movie. I think that is why he tought nothing of it.

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by Dreamz19

I never knew much about Imus but I decided to look some stuff up. He has said some pretty mean hateful things about different groups in the past. Therefore, I can see how some people aren't just taking this as a little joke.

He is a so called shock jock - just like Howard Stern - only Imus' deal is more about politics and current events than Stern's love of the labia.