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Topic: Should Imus Be Fired For 'Nappy 'Hos' Comment?
| Author | Message |
| Dylan | Posted – 4/6/2007 11:47:01 AM | show profile | email poster On yesterday's Imus in the Morning radio program simulcast on MSNBC, Don Imus referred to the Rutgers women's basketball team as "nappy-headed 'hos" after the show's producer, Bernard McGuirk, called the team "hardcore 'hos." Late Thursday, MSNBC issued a statement distancing itself from the show: "While simulcast by MSNBC, Imus in the Morning is not a production of the cable network and is produced by WFAN Radio." Imus deflected criticism, urging critics to "not worry about some idiot saying something meant to be amusing." Guest Sid Rosenberg's comparison of Rutgers' to the Toronto Raptors recalled a 2001 on-air incident in which Rosenberg said African American tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams would have a better chance of appearing in National Geographic than Playboy. BACKGROUND HERE:  Imus Calls Rutgers' Women's Basketball Team 'Nappy-Headed 'Hos' As MSNBC Distances Itself (FishbowlNY)VIDEO HERE: Media Matters Should MSNBC drop Imus? Should he be suspended and/or fired? Or does his "humor" fall under the category of entertainment and makes him therefore untouchable? ------ Dylan Stableford managing editor, media news |
| RockinRonD | Posted – 4/6/2007 12:06:41 PM | show profile | email poster Fire Imus? Don Imus is one of the most courageous men in broadcasting and a truly giving and kind human being; under the scruffly exterior lies a caring, honest human being who has done a great deal for so many without seeking attention . Anyone who take offense at anything he says needs to upgrade their medication. Don Imus is a hero to New York and beyond. Ron |
| kdavis02 | Posted – 4/6/2007 12:45:21 PM | show profile Imus Wow. I had not heard about this until this morning. And I must say that I am shocked and appalled at these comments. As an African-American woman and an athlete myself, it's disgusting that these two white men of extreme privilege would get away with something like this. Not only did Imus and Rosenburg insult the appearance of these young women, who are to be admired for their accomplishments, these two men also denigrated them as "hos," for no other reason than to get a cheap laugh. I think, sometimes, that we forget that words have power. Imus should know better. |
| kdavis02 | Posted – 4/6/2007 12:45:51 PM | show profile Imus Wow. I had not heard about this until this morning. And I must say that I am shocked and appalled at these comments. As an African-American woman and an athlete myself, it's disgusting that these two white men of extreme privilege would get away with something like this. Not only did Imus and Rosenburg insult the appearance of these young women, who are to be admired for their accomplishments, these two men also denigrated them as "hos," for no other reason than to get a cheap laugh. I think, sometimes, that we forget that words have power. Imus should know better. And he should be made to make an apology and suspended at the very least. |
| lladkins | Posted – 4/6/2007 12:55:31 PM | show profile Comments about Rutgers team smack of racism This is an absolute outrage. As a Rutgers alum and black woman, I cannot stand by and let those pieces of trash on Imus disrespect the Rutgers women's basketball team like this. To call them hardcore hoes, nappy-headed hoes and jigaboos, smacks of racism. They're aggressive women used to winning, why not leave it at that? If the Rutgers team were all white, I know they wouldn't have been called hoes. Imus and his people obviously get their views about black women from music videos and rap songs, which is unfortunate. I'd love for them to get the boot, but I'm old enough to know that's not going to happen. So the best I can do is express my anger and hope for the best. |
| brookeadelman | Posted – 4/6/2007 1:27:03 PM | show profile | email poster Racists have no business spreading ... ... their poison on the airwaves. These DJs get out of control with their fame and notoriety. FIRE HIM NOW!!! |
| A~ | Posted – 4/6/2007 2:23:40 PM | show profile The final question bothers me. We have something called freedom of speech. Period. If you don't like it, don't listen. If you want to shut down people who say things you don't like, then start a campaign to get advertisers to stop endorsing the program. Money talks, too, in the marketplace of ideas. Perhaps MSNBC considers his provocative comments profitable. If that's true, then it's a sad commentary on American culture. Shutting up Don Imus doesn't get rid of the demand for him and in fact emboldens his supporters to perpetuate the myth that the country is teetering on irredeemable liberalism (when, in fact, that's far from the case). Let him spew, and let Americans see themselves though the demand for his consciously provocative commentary. Ignoring it all is the best situation, unfortunately the media feeds off the controversy as much as MSNBC feeds of racism in America. Read a book, turn off MSNBC and let the peanut gallery bicker away. |
| Litzz11 | Posted – 4/6/2007 3:21:53 PM | show profile he shouldn't have been hired to begin with Imus was only hired because of his outrageous comments like this one. MSNBC is the forgotten network and they were desperately hoping something like this might put them on the radar. Shame on them for this kind of pathetic exploitation. The joke's on them, they got more ratings and more exposure out of Keith Olberman! Not only should Imus be fired, he should never have been hired to begin with! |
| DHernandez | Posted – 4/6/2007 3:32:21 PM | show profile >>We have something called freedom of speech. Period. << Let's remember that Imus works in media. Yes, media people have freedom of speech. However, freedom of speech doesn't give imply the absolute right to say anything about anybody at any time. Whatever Imus says in his private life is his business; his denegration of these women on-air was beyond irresponsible to the public. A person with such abysmally poor judgment doesn't belong on the air in a showcase position. Had this happened to another broadcaster, he'd be out the door as I'm writing this. |
| seeattleme | Posted – 4/6/2007 3:45:00 PM | show profile belinda is right: if this had been anyone else, some no-know, he'd be fired on the spot. I also agree that, in his heartfelt, personable reporting of the Katrina aftermath, Anderson Cooper, son of Gloria Vanderbilt, got away with a lot that you or me while reporting a story would have never gotten away with. It's a sad state of journalism that fame determines our profession's professional and ethical behavior. Which is what happens when you have mega-millionaire journnalists--but that's a different thread. |
| Chamsah | Posted – 4/6/2007 3:58:52 PM | show profile Howard Cosell did the same thing... ....back in 1983 when he referred to a fast-running black football player as a monkey. Way too many people jumped to his defense, claiming he called ALL fast players monkeys... What BS. It was a racist comment. And it tarnished his career. As it should have. This is the same thing, but worse. First, the word HO is derogatory to all women, no matter the color. It is just not acceptable slang. But apply it to a minority group and that just heats it up even more. I am pissed off by that comment alone. But the nappy hair? Oh. My. God. That is just wrong, wrong, wrong. (If you don't see why, try a another minority group, and it becomes more clear. I won't do it here because that only perpetuates this crap.) For the record, I am white. And absolutely appalled. I am all for free speech. But this is HATE speech and that is not protected by the first amendment. I don't care if he was trying to be funny. He should be fired, period. |
| dribbledrive1 | Posted – 4/6/2007 4:35:47 PM | show profile But all means he should be fired. While we're at it we should sanitize the radio, TV and all publications, removing any comment that might offend anyone.. There should be an office of political correctness which has to approve every public utterance in advance or any email you or I write before it can be sent. |
| seeattleme | Posted – 4/6/2007 4:54:16 PM | show profile I'm not certain he should be fired (i think that would be too dangerous; the last thing I want is for Chris Rock of Mind of Mancia to be censored), or needs to be--the public can speak. Quit tuning in. Other athletes/celebs can take a stand -- refuse interviews with him. Don't appear on his show to peddle your wares. Families can take a stand, look up who advertises on the Imus show and boycott their products, write letters, etc. Most important, demand that the media go back to doing it's job: reporting and analyzing the news and pertinent topics of the day. Quit tuning in to hear the media big namers call people hos and tramps and faggots (that goes for all you Howard Stern fans, too)--for thoseWHO CHOOSE NOT TO TUNE IN. Let's start demanding more from our journalists. You wanna be a commedian or a er, "MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER"??? Fine. Do that. but don't call yourself a journalist. The public needs to demand more from their media and demonstrate that when lines are crossed there will be not just free publicity but ethical and professional consequences as a result. |
| mitchell.owens | Posted – 4/6/2007 5:14:21 PM | show profile Imus's Comment Stupid? Yes. Reprehensible? You betcha. A lame attempt at shock-jock humor? That's his job, unfortunately. However, here's one approach to disciplining him. Why don't his WFAN producers invite Rutgers team members on the show to discuss Imus's offensive choice of words? |
| DHernandez | Posted – 4/6/2007 6:51:49 PM | show profile >>Stupid? Yes. Reprehensible? You betcha. A lame attempt at shock-jock humor? That's his job, unfortunately. However, here's one approach to disciplining him. Why don't his WFAN producers invite Rutgers team members on the show to discuss Imus's offensive choice of words?<< The only problem with this approach would be the jackasses who'd call it "politically correct," and who don't have a clue about the connection among language, thought and culture and the damaged caused by the use of derogatory language in reference to population groups. It is sad how many Americans will call this a freedom-of-speech issue, apparently without understanding what the constitutional guarantee of free speech means. |
| aalan009 | Posted – 4/6/2007 7:45:44 PM | show profile No time for old fashioned Bigots... Imus has proven over time to be a true bigot. He made Anti-Semitic remarks regarding management, and never apologized. Now in 2007, he insults the African American community. Imus has the opportunity to express himself daily, but why should he be allowed to have a forum to create racial tension and spread hate. Imus has deep seated issues which revolve around his racist overviews and he deserves to be shown the door instead of being allowed to continue. Replace him with someone who knows it is 2007. Imus has to know that the public will not tolerate bigots on the public airwaves. Imus is pathetic and does not deserve to be given the responsibility of talking to America. Hatred should never be mistaken for free speech. There is consequences to stupid comments. |
| DHernandez | Posted – 4/6/2007 7:50:02 PM | show profile Here is what the First Amendment means: http://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/index.php/First_amendment As you can see, it's about government interference in expression. Obviously, the Imus dealie isn't a First Amendment issue. Is it then a censorship issue? Employees in general are subject to their employers' censorship. I submit that Imus was and always has been paid to get ratings. He did his job. It doesn't make it right; it is what it is, and the best we can do is ignore him and continue to write off MSNBC for its lack of integrity. |
| lavickim | Posted – 4/6/2007 8:32:00 PM | show profile This has taken the wind out of my sails I've got to be Don Imus's biggest fan of the African American female persuasion. Until a few months ago, I watched "Imus In the Morning" religiously for... I don't know. A decade or longer? A few years ago I wrote the "Imus" show to register a complaint about an extremely shocking and hurtful on-air exchange between his producer, Bernie, and a female, MSNBC news anchor who was new to "Imus" as a news bumper person. Bernie and she engaged in painfully stereotypical banter about a foul odor that "all black men have." I was so incensed I didn't watch the show again for nearly a year -- after rarely missing it for a decade straight. The point is that in my email to the "Imus" show -- and other heavy-hitters at NBC -- I defended Don for being sensitive or smart enough not to have made such an offensive comment. And I believed his character developed enough to ensure his people made some type of on-air retraction of their racist remarks. Further, I expressed that I didn't believe that Don was above 'feeling' something racially hurtful, but certainly smart enough to keep a telling comment off-air... Having said that, I'm too familiar with the impressive number of cancer-stricken children -- many of them African American -- whom he and his wife, Diedre, have helped through their medical ranch in New Mexico. I've also heard Don many times hold in earnest, high esteem certain African American ministers, and gospel and blues artists. He enjoys certain African American pop stars, too, such as Snoop Dogg and Shaggy. So I can't easily accept his recent faux pas as having come from the absolute ugliest place. But I really need him to show the maturity of somehow addressing the current controvery. He owes those young women on the basketball team a public apology! Trust me, that was an terribly hurtful thing to say. And I don't care that Mr. Equal Opportunity Hater calls no less than Dick Cheney "Buffalo Butt!" If an apology isn't forthcoming, I'm through with Don Imus. The lack of an apology will tell l me that he isn't nearly as "evolved" as I'd believed. I hope that he's big enough to finesse this so we can all move on. His political voice is necessary, but I can live without it. |
| lavickim | Posted – 4/6/2007 8:41:36 PM | show profile PS See http://southsidestar.blogspot.com for more Imus rants I'll be posting more on Imus at my blog, and hope you'll come check it out! |
| choc_ap | Posted – 4/6/2007 9:12:11 PM | show profile | email poster He should be fired As a Rutgers alum and an African American female, I was appalled when I watched the video of this person make these disparaging remarks. Yes, there is such a thing as freedom of speech, but that wasn't it. That was a full out attack in the pursuit of ratings. This sort of behavior should not be tolerated and there needs to be some type of consequence to his actions. The apology was flimsy at best, and if left unchecked he will attack another group sooner than later. |
| ckw92170 | Posted – 4/6/2007 10:20:47 PM | show profile | email poster FIRE HIM ASAP I agree with the person who said he should have never been hired in the first place. Slavery IS ALIVE. Wake up people!!! It's a new form of slavery that exists and racism is fueled each and every day throughout the world!!! |
| Vox-o | Posted – 4/6/2007 10:51:34 PM | show profile Turn the channel (dial) folks and get on with your lives. If enough people do so, he will be gone. I would never let this sort of thing get me riled up. poof! Good bye Imus. No power to piss me off, which really is the point. Anger the masses, get press, ger ratings. |
| olegna joven | Posted – 4/7/2007 5:22:29 AM | show profile -- But this is HATE speech and that is not protected by the first amendment == Not true. Obviously MSNBC has reason to believe that Don Imus attracts ad revenue. If this is true, Imus is just a symptom of the American culture. Stamping out the messenger is a form of fascism. If the American culture can convince MSNBC that Don Imus doesn't attract viewers and ad revenue, then the cause will have been addressed in a democratic fashion -- the culture would have proven that MSNBC isn't reflecting its views in a fair way and MSNBC would lose ad revenue and viewers, get it?. Outraged Americans need to be larger in numbers and more proactive than the people MSNBC is targeting to show MSNBC that there aren't enough Don Imus People to make Don Imus profitable. (Me like many others don't care enough to start a letter-writing campaign because all television and a great chunk of all other media is a form of mental corruption in which I indulge at times like everyone else. I don't take it seriously enough but obviously some people do and believe Don Imus to have some kind of mental prowess to control and manipulate the minds of the plebeians. If this is true, please refer to my previous comment on American culture.) A few years ago on his radio program he went off some other misogynist (the NBA surely has nappy-headed pimps, right? so why target women?) rant about abortion in cases of rape and how so many women ask for it by acting and dressing like whores, really nasty stuff. So why do people continue to buy products that are sold during MSNBC commercial break? But. Using fascism to stamp out the symptom will return to bite you some day. |
| minty409 | Posted – 4/7/2007 10:04:02 AM | show profile I agree with Dribbledrive - he should not be fired. We don't live in a PC totalitarian world.... yet anyway. |
| minty409 | Posted – 4/7/2007 10:07:47 AM | show profile I agree with Dribbledrive - he should not be fired. We don't live in a PC totalitarian world.... yet anyway. |
