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Topic: Should Imus Be Fired For 'Nappy 'Hos' Comment?
| Author | Message |
| basenji | Posted – 4/12/2007 6:00:55 PM | show profile Just curious ... Imus comment was stupid, insensitive, etc. But how is what he said any different than the horse manure that spews forth from the mouths of other insensitive loons like Rush Limbaugh and Howard Stern? Networks hire cavemen like these to stir the pot by saying controversial things (even though the knuckles continue dragging on the floor). It seems that yahoos like these are only cancelled when there's a public backlash. Otherwise, the networks enjoy the ratings, the revenue, and the hullabaloo these jerks create by polluting the airwaves with their filth. Fact is, the Imus, Limbaughs and Sterns of the world are able to continue with their verbal diarrhea because people continue to tune in! I don't support any of these fools or networks by tuning in. If others do, that's their business. IMHO. |
| Bleak Spouse | Posted – 4/12/2007 6:14:09 PM | show profile Sharpton I couldn't care less about Imus losing his job. Good riddance to a creepy guy. What's more disturbing to me about all this is once again seeing Al Sharpton front and center as the self-imposed spokesperson for African Americans. Could it be more obvious that what he's constantly doing is just trying to bring attention to himself? I think Sharpton strengthens racism because he's such a lying, manipulative, self-centered tool that when he presents himself as a leader of African Americans he makes the entire African American community look bad. The crazy thing is, Sharpton is aware of what an idiot he is, and doesn't care about the damage he's doing to African Americans. |
| Nikongirl | Posted – 4/12/2007 7:22:54 PM | show profile >>What's more disturbing to me about all this is once again seeing Al Sharpton front and center as the self-imposed spokesperson for African Americans. Could it be more obvious that what he's constantly doing is just trying to bring attention to himself?<< For once, just this once, I agreee with you Bleak. Al Sharpton is all about promoting Al Sharpton. |
| mzzblount | Posted – 4/12/2007 7:53:55 PM | show profile | email poster Whats' the difference? I just heard the news that don imus has been fired for his comments about the rutgers team, now as an african american woman I'm curious why everyone is outraged for his one comment, but none of these people come out in force against these rappers. No one is asking for their sponsorship to be revoked, and their albums to be pulled if anything the the more degrating the song is the hotter the album and more sales , now I'm not saying what he did was right but he's apologized and to my knowledge the team has accepted it why ruin this mans career over a comment that our own figures in the industry uses towards us everyday. |
| mzzblount | Posted – 4/12/2007 7:54:01 PM | show profile | email poster Whats' the difference? I just heard the news that don imus has been fired for his comments about the rutgers team, now as an african american woman I'm curious why everyone is outraged for his one comment, but none of these people come out in force against these rappers. No one is asking for their sponsorship to be revoked, and their albums to be pulled if anything the the more degrating the song is the hotter the album and more sales , now I'm not saying what he did was right but he's apologized and to my knowledge the team has accepted it why ruin this mans career over a comment that our own figures in the industry uses towards us everyday. |
| immeltingtoo | Posted – 4/12/2007 8:48:49 PM | show profile | email poster Don Imus remarks I am not an Imus afficianato (sp?), however I am offended by his remarks. On the other hand, who started the ruckus but Imus's own producer with his also offensive reference? Why is he immune to firing by "the powers-that-be"? |
| gumbogaga | Posted – 4/13/2007 1:53:24 AM | show profile "Jackson called the firing "a victory for public decency. No one should use the public airwaves to transmit racial or sexual degradation." First off, like Jackson has the right to judge decency, that's funny but OK, I'm always up for a good laugh ... OK, fine ... Then does this mean we will start going after rap artist, musicians and comedians and others in the entertainment/ political world every time a racist or degrading remark is made toward women or Caucasians, Latinos, Asians and African Americans, too? ... The list could go on for nationalities, I'm just using examples (covering my rear) ... If we can do this, then we would have no TV, radio, internet, or newspapers ... Wow, think about it, no expression what so ever ... Hmmm, last time I checked there was this thing in our country, the United States of America called freedom of speech, whether we like it or not, but I guess it's OK, because we aren't really much of a country anymore ... Little by little we are becoming more and more like other countries that are too afraid to stand up to what's right ... Maybe we ought to adopt other foreign countries laws, like if you speak your opinion, you're put to death ... All right, yeehah, we're on our way! ... Sincerely, an American Citizen that wishes America would wake the F*ck Up! |
| bergdorfblonde | Posted – 4/13/2007 5:48:38 AM | show profile | email poster It must be a slow newsday It's amazing to me how much media attention is being paid to Imus and his lame attempt at telling a joke. There are a million worse things said by overt racists and nobody bats an eyelash. Michael Richards saying the N word and Mel Gibson's anti-semitic tirades were overtly racist and they didn't elicit half this much backlash. Imus was trying to make a joke. I don't think he intended to offend the entire african american community. His job is to satire. Howard Stern, Opie and Anthony, Dave Chappel and South Park say much worse then he did, on a daily basis. Also, it's amazing how many bigoted people are coming out and calling Imus a bigot (remember Jesse Jackson calling NY hymietown anyone?) Personally, I don't care for Imus. I have watched his show and the worst crime Imus committed is that he's boring. He wears cowboy hats and plays god aweful country music. However, I think the fact that everyone is going nuts over a lame attempt at humor is overreacting. I don't think we should have thought police monitoring our speech and Al Sharpton as the arbiter of good taste. |
| PIKACHU30305 | Posted – 4/13/2007 8:53:54 AM | show profile Looks like someone is out of a job.... Some people on this forum seem to forget that Imus has attempted this sort of joke before (Gwen Ifill, anyone?) and in 2001, in an interview w/ Mike Wallace, it was revealed that Imus hired his current staff to make "nigger jokes". In addition to black women, he has also slurred muslims and homosexuals. Now the difference b/t, say South Park or a Dave Chappelle and old farts like Imus is that, the former tend to be funny and satirical, while the latter just wasn't funny. I liked his radio show, though and I'm sad that it's gone. Lots of people seem to think this is all about free speech...and it is. You can say what you want, no one is going to legally prosecute you for it. But you say incendiary things like Imus or O'Donnell or Hannity, etc, etc, etc, there are still consequences. Duh, just ask Gibson or Isaiah Washington or Kramer. They f***ed up. And as for rap music, I, as a black woman, do not live, listen, support or even associate myself with that reprehensible gangsta culture. But the market speaks and people of all races buy that shit, not just some black folks, so if people really wanted that sort of crap to end, then everyone -black, white, asian etc.- would have to boycott that stuff. |
| jaylbird55 | Posted – 4/13/2007 10:07:29 AM | show profile Full Censorship Now!! This is what a lot of you want. Hell. it would be nice if nobody was ever offended again! If I call my black neighbor a name, it is an argument, if I call my white neighbor a name it is a hate crime. Keep it up morons, worrying about your poor little feelings will give the power-hungry politicians more reasons to impose new laws on all of us. Next, there will be "we thought by the tone of your voice the comment was racially motivated" laws. The "Thought Police" will make a visit when we frown at people, if they make a complaint. Think this is crazy, wait till the powermongers make their next moves. There will be laws to pass now. Free speech good-bye. All because your wimpy butts are so thin-skinned you cannot take in insult, a joke or criticism at all!! OOOPS, did I insult you, too bad;call a cop. |
| themediaelite | Posted – 4/13/2007 10:19:50 AM | show profile Note to all the players and you know who you are! Hey Mel, Hire Imus! Bet you don't have the B***s I for one would buy 20 subscriptions plus equipment and give them out to all my friends. Not that Imus is such a talent, but to prove a point that our rights to say and print what we want are now under fire from the Whitehouse to the activists. God help the media, no one else will. Do the right thing Mel, hire Imus! A special note to Rush, Al and Howard... your next, better start fighting now, why not interview the old jerk and let him say what we all know is true? Imus is not a racist, just an idiot. One last note to Imus , WHY did you aplogize for doing your job? We should all boycot CBS,NBC American Express etc... and to everyone in this iidustry......next time you have to think about what you are saying, writing or shooting and change something/anything because your afraid of ending up like Imus....well do I have to say any more. |
| nekalit | Posted – 4/13/2007 10:49:31 AM | show profile Regardless of how I feel about Imus and rap music, I don't see how people use these two things as a comparison. Like, seriously, because a rapper talks about smacking hoes or whatever, then this would be ok in like a senate hearing? Actually, let's even take this outside of rap, since "smack my b*tch* up" was a popular tech song in the 90s, then it would be ok for Tim Russert to use the term in referencing Hillary Clinton? Since I generally don't hear the actual lyrics to songs until I go to an actual night club, then I must say that cable television and radio tends to clean (or beep) out this foul language. Unless you buy the cd or go to an uncensored club, then you would never have to actually hear ho or bitch in a song. I own few rap cds --despite being a young fan-- and mainly because I don't want to hear about hoes and bitches. So, um, again, why should anyone have to endure Imus because of this rap excuse? Not that they will because the public has spoken. |
| eternal | Posted – 4/13/2007 11:52:07 AM | show profile the professional I have to say that i'm very disturbed by the posts on this topic. If this is where the media's best and brightest come to dialouge then we all are screwed. And btw, Sharpton nor Jess makes all Black people look bad. Anyone who thinks that or states that has an obvious inferiority complex and may in fact be racist and/or intellectually challenged (seriously, that wasn't a joke. Something is realy wrong). Also making a connection to hip-hop music and trying to put the blame on that shows not only a misunderstanding cf context but supreme hypocrisy since most of you who love Snoop Dog and download all his songs. Point is, Imus was wrong and the days of white men getting over are done. This is 2007 peoples. |
| themediaelite | Posted – 4/13/2007 12:08:41 PM | show profile Jess and Al take note See below from AP I think.... Jess and Al missed a chance to use Imus and this incdent to spark a real debate instead what they did was divde even further.... Take note from the "kids" you tried to lead and LEAN from them. See below: NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. ? The Rutgers women's basketball team accepted radio host Don Imus' apology Friday for insulting them on the air, saying that he deserves a chance to move on but that they hope the furor his word caused will be a catalyst for change. "We, the Rutgers University Scarlet Knight basketball team, accept ? accept ? Mr. Imus' apology, and we are in the process of forgiving," coach C. Vivian Stringer read from a team statement a day after the team met personally with Imus and his wife. "We still find his statements to be unacceptable, and this is an experience that we will never forget," the statement read. "These comments are indicative of greater ills in our culture. It is not just Mr. imus, and we hope that this will be and serve as a catalyst for change. Let us continue to work hard together to make this world a better place." |
| mgeylin | Posted – 4/13/2007 12:47:47 PM | show profile | email poster Imus's firing Should Imus be fired? Not if CBS is concerned about its reputation and financial well being, especially after the two-week suspension was announced. The firing by CBS is proof 1. the network can be swayed by outside special-interest groups, which puts the credibility of its entire operation, including news, in question (considering one of the prime motivators, Al Sharpton, has publicly used ethnic slurs on several occassions, yet gets a pass) 2. the network's execs take a short view on life. Imus was the big economic draw on WFAN and the radio network. Advertisers pulled out for now, but they would be back (or others in their place) when the storm died down and the ratings/demographics of the listeners remained the same (or were stronger). Any replacement will pale in comparison and not be the same advertising draw. As Colin Cowherd has been saying on ESPN Radio today. If Les Moonves believed what he put out in the statement, he would have fired Imus right away, and not suspended him. In essence, Moonves lied; the retreat of the advertisers and fear of reprisals motivated the firing (if not, why the two-step response). The CBS eye is blackened by this entire episode, especially the reaction by the executives. |
| wescon59 | Posted – 4/13/2007 4:31:40 PM | show profile | email poster imus being fired I think what they did to Mr. Imus stinks It truly stinks. what he said was truly meant in a joking manner and people like that trouble maker Sharpton are just looking for a way to get in the news Well Mr. imus if by some chance you see this i want you to know that your 100 times the man that ignorant lieing piece of GARBAGE Sharpton will ever be. I know youll be back sooner than later and ill be there to tune in you can bet your life on that.i have never written a letter or anything like this in my 47 years but this is how ticked off this has made me good luck and im sure ill HEAR you soon Bill Sands |
| wescon59 | Posted – 4/13/2007 4:31:47 PM | show profile | email poster imus being fired I think what they did to Mr. Imus stinks It truly stinks. what he said was truly meant in a joking manner and people like that trouble maker Sharpton are just looking for a way to get in the news Well Mr. imus if by some chance you see this i want you to know that your 100 times the man that ignorant lieing piece of GARBAGE Sharpton will ever be. I know youll be back sooner than later and ill be there to tune in you can bet your life on that.i have never written a letter or anything like this in my 47 years but this is how ticked off this has made me good luck and im sure ill HEAR you soon Bill Sands |
| kdavis02 | Posted – 4/14/2007 12:41:44 AM | show profile K-Star/Whitlock piece I am so fascinated by the fact that MB via fishbowlNY decided that Jason Whitlock's piece was the "fresh perspective" that we on the mediabistro site needed. A Black middle-class male, mid-30s, with the privilege of having a forum for his views, commenting on the fact that we as Black people shouldn't be offended and neither should the women from Rutgers. Give me a break. Who is he to tell the young women (half of them freshmen) from Rutgers how they should feel? It's called shifting the blame and analogizing. And it won't work. There's no either/or when it comes to Imus and hip-hop. It's both/and. What Mr. Whitlock fails to realize (or maybe he does) is that Black men weren't the first people in America to call Black women whores (which is what 'ho means, by the way) and neither were Black men the first to tell us our hair was nappy. When we have internalized these statements and attitudes for centuries, why would it not spill over into hip-hop? And has he been under a rock for the past few years, or did he miss Essence magazine's excellent series on "Taking Back the Music," the protests against Nelly at Spelman College, Oprah's dustup with Ludacris over his not appearing on her show as a rapper or even EBONY VP/NABJ Prez Monroe's recent column on the problems in hip-hop? As for mediabistro and fishbowlNY, maybe they missed a couple of refreshing perspectives, so I'll give them a couple of ideas, these from two excellent black female journalists whose experience and emotion must also be articulated. How about this one from Cynthia Tucker in Time http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1609770,00.html or the NY Times piece by Gwen Ifill, whom Imus called a "cleaning lady." If her perspective isn't fresh, then whose is? She's never publicly commented on it. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/10/opinion/10ifill.html |
| medianewbie16 | Posted – 4/14/2007 1:56:11 AM | show profile Entertainers and members of the media have a responsibility when it comes to using public airwaves. I like what Wendy Williams said, when you have been on air for as long as Imus has (30+ years) and you reach the pay grade he has you know what should and should not come out of your mouth...even as a "shock jock." His comments were racist and sexist and unacceptable. they didn't just degrade black women they degraded all women. Also, the argument that he should not have been fired because SOME rap lyrics also degrade women is also unacceptable. Yes, SOME rap music does have degrading lyrics and that should change but two wrongs do not make it right. Imus' comments are not any less wrong because rap artists use degrading language. And I think it is interesting that people like to make light of his comments but I wonder if the same attitude would be taken if the roles were switched. Should MSNBC and CBS have fired Imus? Yes absolutely. He is not untouchable and his comments were not meant to be humorous. He has a history of degrading people, mainly African- Americans and women. I love a good joke but his comments were not even in the same ballpark, city, state, country, as funny. |
| safecruise | Posted – 4/15/2007 11:27:10 AM | show profile | email poster NBC Fires Imus-They also Fire Royal Caribbean Now posted at www.safecruise.blogspot.com NBC Fires Imus for Bad Joke But Will They Cancel Royal Caribbean Ads because of Threat Aimed at Sexual Assault Victim Who Testified before Congress NBC News dropped Don Imus yesterday, canceling his talk show on its MSNBC cable news channel a week after Mr. Imus made a racially disparaging remark about the Rutgers University women?s basketball team. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/12/business/media/12dismiss.html?ref=sports By BILL CARTER and LOUISE STORYPublished: April 12, 2007We agree that the comment made by Imus was atrocious and unacceptable. If NBC has the balls to fire Imus, then they should also refuse to run advertising from media or record companies that make a profit from the sale of degrading comedy and music albums and CD's. Will NBC refuse to run ads for "Girls Gone Wild" which is Immensely more degrading? They should also refuse to run advertising for the Cruise Lines who actually do harm to people. This is based in part on evidence submitted during the hearing entitled: "Crimes Against Americans on Cruise Ships," held by the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation. http://transportation.house.gov/hearings/Testimony.aspx?TID=599 They tried to prevent a sexual assault victim from testifying before Congress and were a party to a threat made against her. http://safecruise.blogspot.com/2007/03/speaking-with-enemy-royal-caribbean.html http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicsasusual/2007/03/nightmare_on_th.html There have been no convictions of sexual predators on cruise ships for the last four decades. http://safecruise.blogspot.com/2007/04/perfect-recor-not-one-single-conviction.html They have understated the number of sexual assaults. http://www.sacbee.com/111/story/147483.html Their crewmembers work under sweatshop conditions. http://www.waronwant.org/?lid=2900 Safe Cruise: Florida Today Exposes Carnival "Sweat Ships": The Under Belly of the Cruise Ship Industry Corporate fees paid to Liberia by Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines helped finance the armies of Charles Taylor, one of the worst war criminals in history. http://safecruise.blogspot.com/2006/04/did-royal-caribbean-and-celebrity.html Please listen to the compelling interview on public radio with Laurie Dishman. She is a sexual assault victim who testified on 3/27/07 during the hearing entitled: "Crimes Against Americans on Cruise Ships," held by the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation. http://www.capradio.org/programs/insight/default.aspx?showid=3136&programid= Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines RCCL were so desperate that they tried to bar her from testifying and also agreed that they would like to "nail this woman and her support group the www.internationalcruisevictims.org " See the series of RCCL emails at the end of her written testimony at http://transportation.house.gov/hearings/Testimony.aspx?TID=599 This is an important human-interest story that would be a helpful investigative report. We are also contacting Chris Hansen of "To catch a Predator" and Mira Sorvino to get involved. Ms. Sorvino is in a unique position to get the Cruise Lines to cooperate in prosecuting sexual predators. She is the godmother of Carnival's "Liberty" Cruise Ship and a spokesperson for www.rainn.org The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network is the nation's largest anti-sexual assault organization |
| skirklan | Posted – 4/15/2007 12:32:21 PM | show profile Cancel or Allow Don Imus and dinosaurs like him need to be reminded that an annual razing of debasing viewpoints should be de riguer, especially for people in the media. Gone the way of excessive drinking, it is no longer hip to disrespect for a laugh. Titled "Cancel or Allow," in honor of our friends working on the new Vista Operating System, Imus is only the tip of the iceberg. We need to gather our senses and come to terms with sexism in all its forms, cute or otherwise. Excerpt: "When I was just starting to show my portfolio, one middle aged male art director was shocked that I included male nudes. He said my work was beautiful, but he thought the subject I had chosen was most distasteful. ?Would you feel that way if they were female nudes?? I asked. He took a moment to consider, said no and gave me my first freelance assignment." http://blogs.graphicdesignforum.com/skirkland Thanks, ------ Susan Kirkland author of Start and Run a Creative Services Business--2 FREE POD cartoons for a giggle at www.sdkirkland.com |
| skirklan | Posted – 4/15/2007 12:35:21 PM | show profile Cancel or Allow Don Imus and dinosaurs like him need to be reminded that an annual razing of debasing viewpoints should be de riguer, especially for people in the media. Gone the way of excessive drinking, it is no longer hip to disrespect for a laugh. Titled "Cancel or Allow," in honor of our friends working on the new Vista Operating System, Imus is only the tip of the iceberg. We need to gather our senses and come to terms with sexism in all its forms, cute or otherwise. Excerpt: "When I was just starting to show my portfolio, one middle aged male art director was shocked that I included male nudes. He said my work was beautiful, but he thought the subject I had chosen was most distasteful. ?Would you feel that way if they were female nudes?? I asked. He took a moment to consider, said no and gave me my first freelance assignment." http://blogs.graphicdesignforum.com/skirkland Thanks, ------ Susan Kirkland author of Start and Run a Creative Services Business--2 FREE POD cartoons for a giggle at www.sdkirkland.com |
| skirklan | Posted – 4/15/2007 12:35:44 PM | show profile Cancel or Allow Don Imus and dinosaurs like him need to be reminded that an annual razing of debasing viewpoints should be de riguer, especially for people in the media. Gone the way of excessive drinking, it is no longer hip to disrespect for a laugh. Titled "Cancel or Allow," in honor of our friends working on the new Vista Operating System, Imus is only the tip of the iceberg. We need to gather our senses and come to terms with sexism in all its forms, cute or otherwise. Excerpt: "When I was just starting to show my portfolio, one middle aged male art director was shocked that I included male nudes. He said my work was beautiful, but he thought the subject I had chosen was most distasteful. ?Would you feel that way if they were female nudes?? I asked. He took a moment to consider, said no and gave me my first freelance assignment." http://blogs.graphicdesignforum.com/skirkland Thanks, ------ Susan Kirkland author of Start and Run a Creative Services Business--2 FREE POD cartoons for a giggle at www.sdkirkland.com |
