MsJacquiiC

STORY HIGHLIGHTS NEW: Rutgers coach says meeting with Imus "productive" CBS pulls plug on "Imus in the Morning" radio show Sharpton calls Imus firings a "first-round victory" Imus says he will not go on "some talk show tour"

NEW YORK (AP) -- MSNBC and CBS have decided to suspend Don Imus for two weeks following his reference last week to members of the Rutgers women's basketball team as " nappy-headed hos."

MSNBC first announced it would suspend telecasting Imus' radio program for two weeks, beginning next Monday.

A short time later, CBS announced it will suspend its broadcast of Imus' radio program for two weeks.

MSNBC said Imus' regret at making the inappropriate comment and his stated dedication to changing the show's discourse made it believe this was the appropriate response.

"Our future relationship with Imus is contingent on his ability to live up to his word," the network said.

Imus, who has made a career of cranky insults in the morning, was fighting for his job Monday following the joke that by his own admission went "way too far."

He continued to apologize Monday, both on his show and on a syndicated radio program hosted by the Rev. Al Sharpton, who is among several black leaders demanding his ouster.

Imus could be in real danger if the outcry causes advertisers to shy away from him, said Tom Taylor, editor of the trade publication Inside Radio.

"Everyone is on tenterhooks waiting to see whether it grows and whether the protest gets picked up more broadly," Taylor said.

Imus isn't the most popular radio talk show host -- the trade publication Talkers ranks him the 14th most influential -- but his audience is heavy on the political and media elite that advertisers pay a premium to reach. Authors, journalists and politicians are frequent guests -- and targets for insults.

He has urged critics to recognize that his show is a comedy that spreads insults broadly. Imus or his cast have called Colin Powell a "sniffling weasel," New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson a "fat sissy" and referred to Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell of Colorado, an American Indian, as "the guy from `F Troop."' He and his colleagues also called the New York Knicks a group of "chest-thumping pimps." --- Quoted From CNN


IN THE NEWS

• CBS fires shock jock Don Imus
  CBS fired Don Imus from his radio program Thursday, the finale to a stunning fall for one of the nation’s most prominent broadcasters.

AN APOLOGY

• From Friday's show:
  DON IMUS: "Want to take a moment to apologize for an insensitive and ill-conceived remark we made the other morning regarding the Rutgers women's basketball team.
  
  It was completely inappropriate, and we can understand why people were offended. Our characterization was thoughtless and stupid, and we are sorry."
  
  
• MSNBC TV released this statement in response to the comments: "While simulcast by MSNBC, 'Imus in the Morning' is not a production of the cable network and is produced by WFAN Radio. As Imus makes clear every day, his views are not those of MSNBC. We regret that his remarks were aired on MSNBC and apologize for these offensive comments."

So..... I'm sure most Americans have heard this story - I assume most of people around the world have heard about this story...

Question: What do you think? The poll question of course is about his IMUS' firing from MSNBC and CBS - Should his comments towards the Rutgers Womens Basketball Team have warrented such action?

Discussion is cool! Keep it clean if you can

Jacquii.

MsJacquiiC

Personally - I've used the phrase "nappy-headed hoes" And if ever I see someone whom fits the description - I'm sure I'll use it again LOL ---- At anyrate - I actually watched that particular basketball game - As I'm from Tennessee I was naturally cheering for the Tennessee Girls

Anyway - I'm sure many of us have used such terminology and words - And that's just it - For me it's just a word terminology - I think it's been blown waaaay out of proportion. Of course I'm from the school of "sticks and stones..."

So.... Discussion if you want

Jacquii.

mangodroplet

Well......also, Rev. Al Sharpton blew it out of the water by getting very mad at Imus for saying "You people" when referring to his race. The Rev. promised to keep it clean and he didn't and was basically apparently attacking him. Imus apologized dozens of times...and yes, what he said was wrong, but you don't see other people getting as fired up. Nothing against the African race, I have dozens of friends who are African and I ask them what they think about those African-Americans who basically pull out the RACISM card out every time something is said that they do not like. And my friends say that it's stupid.

So, I agree with Ms Jacquii, in that it was blown way too out of proportion. What happened to free speech? I don't think it says "You have free speech" but then in tiny italics, "But only if you aren't racist." And I don't think Imus was even being racist....he's just ignorant. words are words. they did no permanent damage. At least in this case. So everything's been made way too big.

MsJacquiiC

FREE SPEECH!

Jacquii.

erikestabrook

about Imus I watched the whole story,

he's said things allot worse than that but if its all in joking then what's the big deal,
I think the main fact is people don't think he's funny,
seriously if he was Dave Chapelle talking bout white guys peopel would be nodding there heads saying he's keeping it real,

the guy got caught in one idiotic blunder
seriously do that to every celebrity Mel Gibson perhaps and no one would have a career,
seriously racisms been dead for years its the fact that no one can laugh at our differences in race that provides a barrier and keeps it alive,

as a white guy I almost fear talking anymore, I don't sya racist things never have but
if anything can be construed as racist then really how far is this going, its ridiculous to me,

MsJacquiiC