Don Imus, a member of the National Broadcasters Hall of Fame and one of America’s most-known radio personalities, surprised millions of WFAN Radio and MSNBC syndicated listeners April 4 by calling the Rutgers University women’s basketball team “nappy-headed hos.” Imus — a legendarily acid-tongued personality who has, in the past, been accused of racism, sexism, and homophobia — soon found himself in hot water with countless rights groups, much of the American public, and Rev. Al Sharpton, who demanded his immediate termination.
Yesterday (April 9), as MSNBC and WFAN were deciding to suspend Imus’ show, the radio host attempted to calm raucous responses by issuing not one, but two on-air apologies, including one during a guest appearance on Sharpton’s radio show.
Now Watch This: Don Imus’ original remarks
https://www.youtube.com/embed/RF9BjB7Bzr0
Here’s what bloggers have to say about Imus’ comments:
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“Just admit you’re an alcoholic and check into rehab and your career will be fine. After all look at Mel Gibson, Michael Richards, and Isiah Washington…they seem to be doing ok now.” — Halosfan, halosfan.livejournal.com
“Even if it was said just to be funny or stimulate discussion, it was distasteful and showed the dark workplace humor that fills most offices…but should Don Imus be forgiven? YES. ” — Bryansbunch, imforgiven.wordpress.com
“If I have to listen to one more white dude call in to a local radio show and complain about how if Chris Rock had said this, or Eddie Murphy had said that — I’m going to pop a vein in my forehead.” — CLD, soapboxblog.com
“If you’re going to call him out on making a racist comment about black people/black women (which he publicly apologized for — that doesn’t mean much, it was a stupid thing he shouldn’t have said in the first place, but at least he acknowledged wrongdoing on his part and said he was sorry), then why not call out people like Steve Harvey, whose shows are ALSO built on misogyny and racist comments about other ethnicities (whites)? I don’t understand how the hell you can condemn one man for doing the EXACT SAME THING another man does, and yet, this other man is totally cool with everyone.” — Handsomepeck, handsomespeck.livejournal.com
“Please, somebody help me! I have been searching the U.S. Constitution and have yet to find where we as Americans are promised the right to not be offended. Does anyone know where it is? I can find where we are given the Freedom of Speech, but I can’t find where it says, “only so long as the speech does not offend.” — getsfb.wordpress.com
“When we, as a society, start accepting insult-hurling as a substitute for well-written comedy and humor, we set the wheels in motion for this kind of thing. It’s okay to call overweight celebrities fat pigs, and Muslims raghead terrorists or whatever, but then the whole nation gets up in arms with a “nappy headed ho” comment. Insults are insults, and if it’s not acceptable to insult blacks or Jews or gays — it should not be acceptable to insult any group in the name of humor.” — Kathyk, laryngitis.blogspot.com
Talk: Should Imus’ apology be accepted?
