Imus Shouldn’t Speak… It’s Not His Field
Shock-jock Don Imus callously referred to the Rutgers women’s basketball team as ”nappy-headed hos.” Why? Because they’re black and some of them have tattoos.
Good Lord. Talk about abject stupidity.
Unfortunately, Imus didn’t stop there. He said the Tennessee women’s basketball team looked “cute,” and then someone off-camera chimed in with this little gem vis-a-vis the Rutgers - Tennessee game: “jiggaboos vs. wannabes.”
Imus apparently thought this would all blow over. Instead he’s found himself in the position of having to apologize repeatedly, albeit to little avail. The National Association of Black Journalists is unimpressed by his half-assed acts of contrition and is continuing to call for Imus to be fired.
When are people going to wake up to the fact that North American society has evolved to the point where you simply can’t say such jackassed things with impunity? Make no mistake: Imus was well within his First Amendment rights. But the First Amendment merely prohibits the government from restricting speech. It doesn’t guarantee freedom from societal disapprobation.
I only hope that MSNBC does the right thing and fires Imus. My fear, however, is that they will see the controversy as a positive if it doesn’t diminish the the show’s ratings. My fear is grounded in a recognition that for all our society has evolved, it hasn’t evolved nearly far enough.
By the way, Imus of all people shouldn’t be criticizing anyone’s hair.
April 7th, 2007 at 4:48 pm
I’ve long thought Imus should be off the air, but mostly because he’s unintelligible, looks like he’s taken too much Nyquil, and deep throat’s his mike constantly.
Now, any time I hear about a case like this, be it Imus, Hannity, Stern, whoever, I smell ratings scam. As much as you and I might find his entire speech distasteful, there are those that’ll tune in because A)they agree, B) they want to hate him more, or C) they’re curious. So I can’t see Universal being TOO upset at Donny Chia Pet. At most, he might get a slap on the wrist but behind closed doors before his mike is hot, I’m sure the suits’ll give him a thumbs up.
April 8th, 2007 at 12:58 am
I’m not sure this is a ratings scam. Imus has had several little slips like this in the last few years. This one was just bigger because he managed to hit so many minority flashpoints in one stroke. This firestorm may actually get him booted from MSNBC. They like their ratings, but even they know when to fold their cards. Look at Savage and his brief run with TV on their network. He got them some of their best ratings and he still got canned after calling someone on air a sodomite and telling them something like they should just get aids, choke on a sausage and die.
Bye-bye network.
Imus may be looking at that now. Won’t miss him. I’ve got better ways to find information, get news or pass the time then to listen to guys who’s stock and trade is making shock statements or by demeaning and insulting minorities, women or even us “privileged” white guys because they think that it’ll get them hot ratings or because they just plain believe that garbage that they’re peddling.
April 8th, 2007 at 10:23 pm
It’s funny, sort of, that THIS is what got Imus in trouble–trust me, he said FAR worse when I used to listen to him a few years back during what was then an hour long morning commute.
Unlike Stern, who does not pretend to be any kind of intellectual, Imus has made his name by having politicians on and playfully “hammering” them with “tough” questions. It’s a farce and the act has grown thin.
I’m reluctant to call for his firing, however. It was a stupid, ugly joke but if we start firing people for every ugly joke where do we stop? It’s all fine to say let’s get rid of Imus–we all find the joke offensive. But what about Margarette Cho? Or Dennis Miller? or whoever; most comedians at some point make jokes taht are farly characterized as offensive to the right, left, handicapped, mentally challanged, whatever.
April 8th, 2007 at 10:29 pm
Okay, Margaret Cho, I cn go with. Imus I’ve already explained. But Miller–that’s a whole ‘nother story. His Weekend Updates were hysterical.
Now I’d like to never hear from him again. Not because of his politics, or his condescending I’m-so-much-smarter-than-you-noms attitude, or his odd habit of bringing up Kierkegaard during his MNF gig.
Nope. I’d like to never hear him again because, put as quickly as I can, he’s no longer funny.
April 9th, 2007 at 3:41 am
Bill Mulligan: “I’m reluctant to call for his firing, however. It was a stupid, ugly joke but if we start firing people for every ugly joke where do we stop?”
It’s a valid point. Constitutionally guaranteed Freedom of Speech means little if societal or corporate pressure stamps out all fringe views. On the other hand, the Supreme Court has held that Freedom of Speech includes the right not to say things you don’t want to say. MSNBC has every right to refuse to be a conduit for certain messages.
Besides, if MSNBC were to fire Imus it’s not like they’d be silencing him. If the man wanted to do so, he could set up a Web site and offer his vitriol to people via streaming audio. MSNBC is unlikely to take a stand on principle, though. If they believe Imus continues to be a financial asset, they’ll keep him. If he’s become a liability, they’ll give him the axe.
April 9th, 2007 at 11:50 am
The worst part about the joke was that it was not at all funny. Chappelle shows that you can actually get laughs from racism, so it isn’t like the subject matter must be off limits. It’s just that Imus hasn’t the wit or skill to make it work.
He’s going on Al Sharpton’s show today. Boy, THAT should be a lot of laughs!
April 10th, 2007 at 9:34 am
I’m not going to petition for his firing either, but I have no problem with his suspensions or a heavy fine slapped on him. The one problem I have with all of the above examples of all the other people is that none of them do their full acts on FCC regulated radio or TV. Even non-FCC regulated non-pay cable channels edit them (unless it’s 3 AM) when they air them.
Imus, while best known to most these days for his morning spot on MSNBC, is carried on regular radio. People do tend to look at the standards they hold for what can be broadcast on that at a slightly higher level then they do for cable and pay cable. Imus has also put himself in an odd position by creating an image of himself as a serious news maker and interviewer. Were he simply a comedian or a shock jock, his comment might have been met more with “what did you expect” eye rolling then this level of outrage.
Imus has tried to give himself an image as a credible news and commentary source and as an interviewer that power players must visit. He can’t be that and a shock jock and not expect trouble to follow.
“He’s going on Al Sharpton’s show today. Boy, THAT should be a lot of laughs!”
Yeah, there’s another guy that needs to have his comments blow up in his face.