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.
Michelle Obama tells how her role as the First Lady has changed her perspective.
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See all 989 Commentshttp://www.realchange.org/sharpton.htm
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
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
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
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?
Johnny Walker
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