not much to say except he needs to just go.

Being badgered and double-teamed by Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson sure produces some tiny measure of  residual sympathy in me.

Yeah, Imus is  an ass, but he's been that way for years now. And the comments in the link made by Imus and his producer and nothing different from what I've overheard 1000s of times year in and year out, for a hugh chunk of my adult life, very often by african-american men themselves.  and most tof these fellows thought that they were the soul of wit for giving voice to these thoughts.

Is what was said by Imus any worse because it was on the public airwaves?   I dunno.

Was his intent to hurt and to be hateful?  Or was it just another lame shock-jock dialogue gone wrong?

This type of half-assed commentary is nothing new on the part on radio "personalities" as they dredge deeper and deeper with each passing day to hit new depths of coarseness and stupidity.  And again, it's nothing different from what's being mouthed in the general populace at large, with very little self-consciousness and even less sense of embarassment.

Last year Star [another NYC radio personality] was fired for making comments that were construed as a criminal threat  against a  radio rival's child.  I think once you're accepted this as "entertainment" you've made your little deal with the devil.

Anyway, I'm almost ashamed to bring this up, it's so damned tired [and tireseome] :

JJ - "Hymietown" ;

AS - "white interlopers" [this comment was several days later followed by a firebombing of a store in Harlem in which several persons were killed.  All of them minorities].  It's not AS' fault of course, but he's really no one to criticize anyone for intemperate speech.  

-- Modified on 4/9/2007 7:22:10 PM

if I called someone at my job a "nappy headed ho'" I'd be fired so fast my head would spin.

shock jocks.

If you live in pretty much any large-sized city in the Us, you will, at some point or another, heard stuff just this bad, or worse.

plenty of shock jocks. A big problem is that Imus has a lot of mainstream politicians and journalists on his show as regulars. People like John McCain, John Kerry, Tim Russert and Chris Matthews are on all the time. Those guys don't make a habit of appearing on Howard Stern's or Bubba the Love Sponge's show too often.

As far as hearing something worse, the problem with his comment was that it was just a racist insult. It was not funny. There was no irony or satire involved. All he was doing was calling a group of black, college women athletes "nappy-haired hos." The comment was meant to insult them.

-- Modified on 4/9/2007 10:56:49 PM

maybe we can stop the other stuff... Recently I called NPR - they - on a sunday afternoon.... aired a show detailing in very graphic language, the details of homosexual sex.  And while I have nothing against gays, and even if this were descriptive of heterosexual sex, I would have found this offensive... kids have open access to NPR!  especially on a Sunday afternoon... so to start here?  is that OK by me? sure- and at long last - a very constructive use of Al and Jesse's time... That's all!

from a non PC point of view. Don Imus has insulted all groups over the years and has survived mainly because he is a liberal

. . . living in fear during the Liberal Inquisition.  I can't speak out about the fraud of global warming without endangering me and my family.  I can't insult any inferior ethnic group while all the liberals can do it all the time.  I live in fear of PC, or of any etiquette at all.  

Oh, woe to us conservatives seeking to overthrow the liberal establishment, and to conserve the real establishment that hasn't been established since 1850.  



-- Modified on 4/10/2007 3:23:34 PM

Al and Jesse, as well as many other African-American notables with greater appeal/credibility, to their credit DO talk about a need to be more mindful of the increasing coarseness of public speech and behavior in the A-A community and the wider society.


Apparently, it's gotten little traction against the "free market" demand of the many who want to "consume" this sort of thing.  And let's face it -- beating up on a pasty old white guy like Imus is way more fun, and probabbly brings them more support within the A-A community, than taking to task fellows like 50-Cent or DMX.

And the irony definitely is not lost on me, that we bemaon some of this on a message board maintained by a website devoted to the pursuit of commercial, recreational  sex.  

I'm not sure about the homosexuality discussion you heard on NPR.  It's safe to assume that the purpose was not purely to shock and offend [as apparently was the case with DI's comments].  There, i'd rather err on the side of permissiveness and trust any kids who heard it to ask their parents about it.  Not the greatest solution, but preferable I think to not having that topic discussed at all.


Oh well, next outrage please.

The comparisons between the racist remarks that Imus made and rappers and hip hop culture are pathetic simply invalid.

The point that so many have forgotten is that when Imus used the phrase "nappy headed ho's" he was speaking SPECIFICALLY about  10 innocent, educated young ladies on the Rutgers basketball team.

In  rap music  ....rappers rarely if ever have used the term Ho's when speaking about a specific individual or group. It is not a PERSONAL attack. Forget the fact that none of these rappers have ever gone on a nationally syndicated radio show that is aired live on a morning TV show and called anyone a "ho".


The idea that Imus even referenced the fact that the term Ho's may have originated in the black community. Speaks volumes on the sincerity of his apology.

For all of you that think a simple apology is justice. Try this...... Imagine if Imus had called your daughter or wife a ugly whore on national TV.  Without any provocation.....

Or better yet I wonder how many of us could expect to get away with a slap on the wrist for such actions. I ave been hearing you cant take away the mans way of living by firing him. Please....... the man has made over 60 million dollars over the last decade.  forgive me if I don't break out the violins.

We love them here.

Yeah, espescially those of us who have to manage our hair when we play basketball.