NEW YORK, April 9, 2007
CBS, MSNBC Suspend Don Imus For 2 Weeks
Move Follows Radio Host's Racially Charged Comments; Al Sharpton, Others Call For His Ouster
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Play CBS Video Video Imus On The Hot Seat Radio host Don Imus admitted he went too far when he made racially-charged remarks about a women's college basketball team. As Richard Schlesinger reports, he's spent days having to apologize for it.
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Video Imus Apologizes For Remarks Don Imus apologized on the Rev. Al Sharpton's radio show for racially insensitive remarks he made about the Rutgers women's basketball team. Sharpton says he should resign. Claire Leka reports.
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Video Imus To Sharpton: I'm Sorry CBS News RAW: Radio host Don Imus appeared as a guest on Rev. Al Sharpton's radio show and apologized for making derogatory remarks about a women's basketball team.
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Don Imus is under fire for remarks he made about Rutgers University's women's basketball team. (CBS)
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Radio personality Don Imus, left, and the Rev. Al Sharpton appear face-to-face on Rev. Sharpton's radio show in New York on April 9, 2007. (AP)
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On his show Monday, Imus called himself "a good person" who made a bad mistake.
"Here's what I've learned: that you can't make fun of everybody, because some people don't deserve it," he said. "And because the climate on this program has been what it's been for 30 years doesn't mean that it has to be that way for the next five years or whatever because that has to change, and I understand that."
New Jersey Gov. Jon S. Corzine spoke to Rutgers players Monday and said later that he strongly condemned Imus' words.
"There is absolutely no excuse for his conduct, and he is right to apologize," Corzine said. "Only the Rutgers women's basketball team, however, can decide to accept his apology. If Mr. Imus really wants to go and learn from this, he should watch how these young ladies carry themselves. He might just learn from their example."
Rutgers players said they planned to make a public statement on Tuesday.
Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain, whose presidential candidacy has been backed by Imus on the air, said he would still appear on Imus' program.
"He has apologized," McCain said. "He said that he is deeply sorry. I'm a great believer in redemption. Whether he needs to do more in order to satisfy the concerns of people like the members of that team, that's something that's between him and them. But I have made many mistakes in my life ... and I have apologized, and most people have accepted that apology."
Imus' radio show originates from WFAN in New York City and is syndicated nationally by Westwood One, both of which are managed by CBS. The show reached an estimated 361,000 viewers on MSNBC in the first three months of the year, up 39 percent from last year. That's the best competitive position it has ever achieved against CNN (372,000 viewers).
Imus' fate could ultimately rest with two of the nation's most prominent media executives: CBS Corp. chief Leslie Moonves and Jeff Zucker, head of NBC Universal.
"He will survive it if he stops apologizing so much," said Michael Harrison, publisher of Talkers. Imus clearly seems under corporate pressure to make amends, but he's nearly reached the point where he is alienating the fans who appreciate his grumpy outrageousness.
Even if he were to be fired, he's likely to land elsewhere in radio, Harrison said.
The Rev. Jesse Jackson and about 50 people marched Monday outside Chicago's NBC tower to protest Imus' comments. He said MSNBC should abandon Imus and MSNBC should hire more black pundits.
Julian Bond, chairman of the NAACP board of directors, said it is "past time his employers took him off the air."
"As long as an audience is attracted to his bigotry and politicians and pundits tolerate his racism and chauvinism to promote themselves, Don Imus will continue to be a serial apologist for prejudice," Bond said.
Imus was mostly contrite in his appearance with Sharpton, although the activist did not change his opinion that Imus should lose his job. At one point Imus seemed incredulous at Sharpton's suggestion that he might walk away from the incident unscathed.
"Unscathed?" Imus said. "How do you think I'm unscathed by this? Don't you think I'm humiliated?"
© MMVII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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- Freedom of Speech. It's in the constitution. Ever heard of it? Imus has been entertaining people for years. He's funny. Since when is "Nappy Headed Ho" a racial slur? He didn't say "the N-Word." Let's all be adults. If you don't like what he said, then don't listen to him. It's as easy as changing the station. But don't ruin my entertainment for me. No one gripes about the All in the Family reruns on Nick at Nite when Archie Bunker is saying "*******." I rarely watch CBS as it is, although there are a few shows I like. But if they drop Imus over "Nappy Headed Ho" then I will stop watching. But hopefully if Imus does get dumped, Sirius Satellite radio will pick him up where free speech is not forgotten. Quit ******** and crying over Nappy Headed Ho's. There plenty of poverty and destruction in the world. Focus your efforts there.
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- Check this link out:
http://www.realchange.org/sharpton.htm - Reply to this comment
- I want to know if Imus was a BLACK man, would he have been fired? I doubt it. It%u2019s ok for a Black person to say these things about one another, but as soon as any other race says it; watch out! You%u2019re racist. Boo hoo! Get over it. A lot of us living today had nothing to do with the slavery issues from the PAST and on top of that some of us came from other countries. Imus was treated unjustly just because of a remark that may have been rude to women in general. People make money in comedy by making fun of others. This is general and well known. Hey, if you don't like it change the channel, turn off your TV set and walk away. Those other people getting involved just have to stay in the spotlight. It%u2019s not good enough to say your peace and then leave. You have got to be in the middle of it. What bothers me is that you%u2019re supposed to be a Christian, right? Didn%u2019t JESUS say to forgive and forget? The man apologized. What more do you want, his head on a platter? Some Christian you are! Get over it!!! Move on!!! Get a life!!!
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- I want to know if Imus was a BLACK man and had said the same thing, would he have been fired? I seriously doubt it! This is another example of people trying to thrust the past into the future. Some of us had nothing to do with slavery or anything else. I am tired of seeing that brought up again and again. Get over it and move on!
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- No more lawn darts
No more good KFC
No more booze in the bosses office
No more ashtrays
No more plastic bags.
No more IMUS%u2026
Hey want to stitch the divide in this country let%u2019s all get drunk and call each other names and have a good laugh. Let%u2019s lighten up and take the power away from these words. Good people say stupid things all the time. We need to laugh%u2026 Now more then ever!
Louie Manno - Reply to this comment
- How ignorant to fire Imus! There are too many thin skinned people who can't take a joke. Comedy IS making fun of people,places,things. Do I get mad over dumb blonde jokes(I am blonde), or Jeff Foxworthy jokes(I married a hillbilly and have hillbilly children)? I am also of Irish descent,but can still laugh over drunken Irishman jokes. Imus is by no means predjudice, and one day one of the people who are condemning him may need to receive some of the services that his charitable work has funded. Look at Don Imus the man as a whole. Nobody with an ounce of intelligence would believe that Imus really believes the girls from Rutgers are prostitutes. I hope he goes back on the air, I will certainly listen to him. I might add, Jesse Jackson is a fine one to talk, where are his morals? He must think having extramarital affairs and *** children make you a better person than a radio shock jock . People should do what I do when I don't like a radio or TV show, TURN IT OFF!
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- The world is suffering from a pandemic of indigence. People seem to get horrified at the drop of a hat. It use to be you actually had to accomplish things to gain social status%u2026 Now all you have to do is pontificate about what disgusts you.
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- I will miss the Imus show - it livened up the early morning airwaves with a blend of news, satire and witt.
His considerable contributions to broadcasting and special charities over the years more than balance any imagined harm from some poorly chosen words regarding the Rutgers Female Basketball team.
His apologies and suspension from MSNBC were enough punishment.
Once again the gutless Sions of Media rolled over and licked the boot of political pressure groups.
If anything, this circus brings to the fore, the more serious subject of the current plague of coarse and degrading language in the public arena.
Look no farther than the rap lyrics that daily contaminate the airwaves with degrading and dehumanizing language.
I think its safe to say that the detrimental effects of rap on the formation and attitudes of young people is far more potent than the commentary of a long-haired Senior Citizen mumbled on the airwaves at an hour when most young people are still in bed!
Francisco de la Cruz - Reply to this comment
- CBS if you let go of IMUS I will do to you what I did to FOX along time ago DELETE that station, and YESTERDAY I DELETED MSNBC. He has appolgised move on. He did not RAPE one of them. ENOUGH is ENOUGH! GET OVER IT! I HAVE THE POWER TO DELETE!
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- This an email that I sent to MSNBCI frankly never understood why Imus was on MSNBC in the first place. I am a fan of Imus but never thought it was appropriate for your network. Of course, your network was sucking wind so you put the show on to get your ratings up as well as your ad revenue. Now you cut and run as Imus would say " like the sniveling weasels and empty suits that you are and always will be....your network will continue to be as embarrassing as it was before Imus got there and at some point you will return to this type of programming...because at the end of the day it is all about covering your backside....
I am a professional comedian and I am sincerely disappointed that you did not stand up for a guy that has lined your pockets for a long time... but look on the bright side..more people are probably watching msnbc than ever before....but this will pass like bad gas and then you will lose your self righteousness and probably show the early AM version of Deal or No Deal
Tom Drake - Reply to this comment
- CBS can do what they want, but I will not listen to this show, ever. I also support all of the sponsers who are pulling their ads and MSNBC for cancelling the show. These kinds of comments should have consequences and they simply cannot be tolerated anymore. Sorry or not, Imus is guilty of spreading hate and he should be punished.
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- Picture this, lights are on, Big AL and jessie are on their way! Social injustice! They must fight for the "LITTLE PEOPLE" I would like to address this to all, but I would like Jwalkerjax to really hear this! You dont want your boy or girl hearing this man! Question is do you or your kids listen to the rhetoric that al or jessie has to say? Scary thing is they call themselves "REVERENDS" lol And all they preach is hate. But even scarier, white people listen! And are to afraid to say anything for fear of "OFFENDING" someone! Scared of riots! hell Rodney king was in L.A. and atlanta and other cities burned,,,and al and jessie were where? In front of the camera, talking ***! Ms. Bradley,,,ring a bell? Fat A** al still hasnt apoligized for that one! But hey, He's a "REVEREND" right? People like al, jessie and those who think like them are the cause of the problems we have in America today! The ones always looking for excuses to explain their Dumb-A** behavior! The ones always looking for the camera.
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- People who call themselves christian, but do not
forgive someone who appoligises, has forgotten
they were forgiven by just asking.
" should you have not shown mercy to you brother,
as I have shown you mercy?"
Do you really want to be put out with the hippricrits? - Reply to this comment
- Give me a break. He may think he is a GOOD PERSON but he is a RACIST/SEXIST "good person". He promotes racist language and sexist language and CBS should fire his ***. NOW. What part of that is so hard to understand? Give him a 2 week vacation ? What a Joke. I don't care if he helpled CBS's CEO when he lost a kid and I don't care if he has a ranch for kids with Cancer. It's not relevant. What is relevant is people now think if HE can say it THEY can. Racism begins with Language and ends in Actions.
- Reply to this comment
- Give me a break. He may think he is a GOOD PERSON but he is a RACIST/SEXIST "good person". He promotes racist language and sexist language and CBS should fire his ***. NOW. What part of that is so hard to understand? Give him a 2 week vacation ? What a Joke. I don't care if he helpled CBS's CEO when he lost a kid and I don't care if he has a ranch for kids with Cancer. It's not relevant. What is relevant is people now think if HE can say it THEY can. Racism begins with Language and ends in Actions.
- Reply to this comment
- Give me a break. He may think he is a GOOD PERSON but he is a RACIST/SEXIST "good person". He promotes racist language and sexist language and CBS should fire his ***. NOW. What part of that is so hard to understand? Give him a 2 week vacation ? What a Joke. I don't care if he helpled CBS's CEO when he lost a kid and I don't care if he has a ranch for kids with Cancer. It's not relevant. What is relevant is people now think if HE can say it THEY can. Racism begins with Language and ends in Actions.
- Reply to this comment
- Give me a break. He may think he is a GOOD PERSON but he is a RACIST/SEXIST "good person". He promotes racist language and sexist language and CBS should fire his ***. NOW. What part of that is so hard to understand? Give him a 2 week vacation ? What a Joke. I don't care if he helpled CBS's CEO when he lost a kid and I don't care if he has a ranch for kids with Cancer. It's not relevant. What is relevant is people now think if HE can say it THEY can. Racism begins with Language and ends in Actions.
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- I agree Don Imus should be punished, loose his job for what he said. Just as Jimmie the Greek did and just as Micheal Irvin should have.
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- I echo the views of ksj54. I will also stop using Proctor & Gamble, Staples and Bigelow Tea products. I also think that Jackson and Sharpton should concentrate their efforts on protesting these actions from the Hip Hop community. They should also stop being such hipocrites and start practicing what they preach. Why isn't the Rev. Sharpton with the Duke Lacrosse players right now?? Why isn't he asking for justice for the 3 young victims in that case?? Their lives were distroyed for over a year. Rev. Sharpton was their in the beginning he should be their now calling for justice as a true Reverend would!
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- You should have FIRE that Don Imus immediately! . What a RUDE, unintelligent thing to say. You should have stood up at the first of this and fired him! Give him the boot! He is to old to learn new things! And this is coming from a mature white family man with 4 kids. I don't want my boy or girl's hearing this man . EVER! How do I screen this kind of stuff! I can't! Fire him, move on!
Johnny Walker - Reply to this comment
