The Shock (DJ) Heard Round the World

On-air personalities (especially those of the "shock jock" genre) are really raising the bar in crossing the line this month. While there's been some high-profile stupid DJ behavior in the past - Hot 97's Tsunami Song, Opie & Anthony broadcasting a couple having sex at St. Patrick's, DJ Star asking listeners for information where a radio rival's young daughter goes to school so he could ejaculate and pee on her - the last week has been a doozy.

First the 92.3 Doghouse DJs called New York band A Brief Smile: "faggots" (amongst other things). Then last Wednesday Don Imus called the Rutgers' women "nappy-headed hos" during his morning show (which airs to millions of listeners on more than 70 stations nationwide as well as the MSNBC television channel). The remark went something like this:

"That's some rough girls from Rutgers," Imus said. "Man, they got tattoos ..."

"Some hardcore hos," said [producer Bernard] McGuirk.

"That's some nappy-headed hos there, I'm going to tell you that," Imus said.

After the furor, Imus apologized saying, “I 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.”

Many are calling the apology "too little, too late". Reverend Al Sharpton is among those not turning a deaf ear. He stated on Saturday, "I accept his apology, just as I want his bosses to accept his resignation." He promised to picket Imus's New York radio home, WFAN-AM, unless Imus is gone within a week. CBS, which owns WFAN, the station that broadcasts Imus, and MSNBC say they are "reviewing" and "monitoring" the situation, but haven't made any moves to fire him. And yesterday, Reverend Jesse Jackson said his Rainbow Push Coalition would picket outside the Chicago NBC affiliates. However, Imus has been around forever - and is actually gaining new listeners.

According to the NY Times, last year he increased his (MSNBC) viewers by 100,000, for an average daily total of 358,000, per Nielsen estimates - and this is hardly the first time Imus has used racist or sexist slurs in his broadcast. In fact, in 2001 he took a pledge, guided by the Chicago Tribune columnist Clarence Page, to refrain from making further racist comments on his program (he reportedly called Gwen Ifill "a cleaning lady" - though this morning he denied making the comment). Jackson also noted the sexist nature of Imus's words, "Women ought to protest, and men who have a mother, daughter or wife ought to protest." Interestingly, Imus recently criticized Katie Couric's performance on the CBS Evening News; while that's nothing new, Imus said, "Doing little stupid chit-chat stuff on an idiotic morning show on NBC has nothing to do with sitting down and doing the news. That's big-boy television." Which makes us think Couric should go out and interview the Rutgers women's basketball team.

Today, Imus apologized again on his broadcast. From the AP:

Here's what I've learned: that you can't make fun of everybody, because some people don't deserve it," he said on his nationally syndicated radio show Monday morning. "And because the climate on this program has been what it's been for 30 years doesn't mean it's going to be what it's been for the next five years or whatever."

Imus said he was "embarrassed" by the remarks, in which he referred to the mostly black team as "nappy-headed hos." He said he had made the comments in the course of "trying to be funny," but he was not trying to excuse them.

"I'm not a bad person. I'm a good person, but I said a bad thing. But these young women deserve to know it was not said with malice," he said.

He added that he was appearing on Al Sharpton's radio show and was grateful for that opportunity. Is it too much to hope that Sharpton will rip him a couple new ones?

Imus's onetime sports-update announcer, Sid Rosenberg, was fired when he said about Kylie Minogue, who was fighting breast cancer, she "ain't gonna be so beautiful when the bitch got a bald head and one titty." And in 2004 Imus, who has a ranch in New Mexico, fired his son's nanny labeling her "as dangerous and a 'terrorist,'" after she gave his son a cap gun to play with while on vacation there (the Brooklynite promptly sued).

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Carlson in Arts & Entertainment, Miscellaneous on April 9, 2007 10:31 AM

Comments [rss]

Scott

This is getting ridiculously out of control. Imus' comments may have been stupid and insensitive (for a radio personality who should know better), but they weren't racially motivated. Have you even heard the comments? Go listen to it again...he was talking about ironic it was that Tennessee beat Rutgers when the Rutgers girls look rough and tough while the Tennessee girls are all pretty and look as if they'd be more concerned about breaking a nail than getting a rebound. No, this isn't a fact, but I bet you'd agree with him if you took a look at the teams yourself. Since when is a 'ho' a racial slur...it's derogatory of women - with that I'd agree - but it's not racial. So I guess everyone is upset with the use of the phrase 'nappy-headed'... Give me a break... there are just as many black women on the UT team. He was using 'nappy-headed' as opposed to 'pony-tailed', in an attempt to further describe their 'rough' appearance. And 'pony-tailed' may sound "white", but five of the black women on UT had them that night. Go look at the pictures...he's right! The UT girls are all attractive while the Rutgers women are tatted up. Go google some pics and see for yourself.

Can we please stop looking for a reason to pull out the race card!? Imus is paid to be funny. He didn't say anything you wouldn't joke about with your friends. If you don't think he's funny, don't listen to him. But if the race card continues to get played (by idiots like Al Sharpton who are just looking for camera time and soundbites), especially in circumstances like this where it's inappropriate, soon folks will see it 'wolf-crying' and the argument will have less meaning when it really counts.

Oh, and by the way, I'm black.

Old school brooklyn

Black folks need to get a grip. Is our self-esteem and racial pride so fragile that a stupid comment by some old dried and wrinkled cracker generates all of this hysteria? Who gives a fuck what this 1960’s relic says anymore.

Further, I still cannot understand how Rev. Al Tawana-Brawley-Sharpton is the arbitrator of all things black. He is just a processed wearing media whore and knucklehead. If he is the go-to man in the black community then we are in sad shape. This “Don Imus Gate” is the perfect chance for him to do his minstrel show for the TV cameras.

When the advertisers on Imus’ program start to lose revenue because of his childish comments and racism, his saggy old butt will be shown the door.

fish piss

squidfly: "I'm just responding to the article....I didn't know I saw the world in monochrome."

squidfly: "We people of color are mouthblocking you...white men."

well, now you know. your comments make it clear you are delusional, racist and resort to personal attacks when you lack a coherent point, but i'd think you at least have enough self-awareness to realize it. instead of denying yourself, maybe you could be proud of yourself and how proficient you are at spreading negativity and racism. alas, you've got no pride left for yourself after donating it all to your race.

if this thread doesn't drive it home, you can do a search and review your hate-filled racist posts on gothamist comments. it is sad, but don't hate yourself... if you're not going to wake up to humanity, at least you could be a proud racist and live up to your monochrome world view.

Get Over It.

Do any of you realize that the Rutgers Women's basketball Team has two white women on it? Because it seems to me that a comment can only be racist if it is referring to a race... which this comment wasn't as it was referring to the team, which is comprised of both black and white women. If anything the comment was sexist, not racist. And FYI, not everything a white person says is a racial slur, and overreactions like this just serve to strengthen racism and prejudice.

Still Not Amused

Who cares what "Anus" has to say . It makes no difference to the players at Rutgers so why should it matter to the general public . He said some moronic things on the air and should be suspended for them . If you don't like what was said then don't listen to the guys show . That's how you get back at him and his employers . You hit them in the ratings where it hurts .

squidfly

Tom stop whining, get over it, get that chip off your shoulder, you think the wrold oews you something.

You to Frank the Mook. Get off your lazy ass and get a job, let go of the food stamps, Frank. Frank pay your child support you deadbeat.

squidfly

[29] Posted by: Tom | April 9, 2007 9:19 PM DUH!!! Tommy boy.

Amazing you still don't get it do you Tom...We people of color are mouthblocking you...white men. Imus was under no pressure, unlike Michael Richards in the comedy club, he had a racsist meltdown, Imus was cool and calculating. You appear to be a bully Tom, white people who choose to lambast Blacks are cowards. Would Imus have called Bloomberg a Hook nosed Kike? Answer me that...TOM!!!!!!!!!!

Tom

It's just that now, Blacks, Asians, even your own women are correcting you, and you can't take it...what a bunch of panty liners

If you honestly don't see the difference between "correcting someone" and "calling for their job because you don't like what they said" then there's really no conversation left to have, is there?

squidfly

[24] Posted by: frank mook | April 9, 2007 6:46 PM

...Now white folks does Frank speak for all of ya?!

And Frankie as a Euro Ethnic, because your not really white, what's your opinion on Affirmative Action?

sarah

The Opie and Anthony reference you mention happened several years ago. The article makes it seem like it happened this month.

squidfly

[24] Posted by: frank mook | April 9, 2007 6:46 PM

...Your Mother...as Churchill would say

still waiting

wow, all the al sharpton haters are here.

I'm just waiting for one more.

Al sharpton never said a racial derogatory remark and he dared anyone to find it when he was on Howard Stern. He invited HS to dinner at his place.

Unlike Rev. Jackson with his hymietown remark.

Rev Al must be doing something right if he's angering all these white racists. in the closet racists.

frank mook

These monkeys need to go back to africa,take your crime,ignorance and nappy headed hos with em

Toby

Why is Al Sharpton still relevant?

Haven't we all learned that he is not credible after the whole Tawana Brawley thing?

Sharpton is a hate monger and nothing more.

He gets his perceived power from race baiting and needs to be ignored.

I am firmly convinced that Sharpton is mentally ill and has a perverse need to be in the spotlight, the truth be damned. There is a special place in Hell for bigots like him.

squidfly

[17] Posted by: horsefly | April 9, 2007 3:46 PM

Hmmmm...I'm just responding to the article. Are you that sensitive young fella!!! Thanks for deconstructing my comments, I didn't know I saw the world in monochrome. And all I have to say to you is "Get that chip of your Shoulder, mister whitey"

rschnabel

I think everyone should read Shelby Steele's book, The Conetent of our Character.

bob

Ignoring the racial part, obviously calling the women's basketball team "hos" is inappropriate and sexist enough for him to be fired.

Funny that the men's basketball teams are probably much more whore-ish than the Rutgers ladies.

Kaet

This race talk is worse than craigslist.

Frawley

As if the black community needs to be looked out for by the likes of Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson. Be proud! They are there to look after you because they somehow know what's best.

What a load of hypocritical crap this situation is.

horsefly

are stossel and p&t racists? no, they are libertarian. the pillar of their ideology: live and let live. such whiners.

i love squidfly. he sees the world in nothing but black and white. you're either with him, or you're against him. and he even makes the decision for you... if you're a white male, you're not welcome. he'll list all the scumbags in the current cabinet, but overlook everyone of color sitting right next to them speaking the same words, doing the same deeds. see, he's trembling at the fact that his race produces scum just like that of the whites. he's clinging to the victimhood of race as it grows more and more irrelevant.