April 9, 2007
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 ..."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.”"Some hardcore hos," said [producer Bernard] McGuirk.
"That's some nappy-headed hos there, I'm going to tell you that," Imus said.
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."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 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.
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).
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It was a stupid thing to say for sure, but should he be kicked off the air? No. If you don't like it, turn it off. His show sucks anyway, don't give him any free publicity.
fuck al sharpton, WHO CARES?
To be honest, I don't even know why people go on his show. Is he that much of a Washington power broker?
Remember Alfonse D'amato making fun of Judge Ito on his show?
My problem with Imus's remarks is that while he's a dumb shock jock, he's a dumb shock jock who expects to be taken seriously at other times during his show. When he talks about his Imus Ranch or his line of cleaning products, or when he talks to politicians, he's trying to make a point and really hopes his listeners will take his opinions into consideration.
If Ludacris or Chris Rock had said it it would be funny as hell.
Imus isn't relevant.
Al Sharpton has made racist comments as well. Antisemitic remarks like "bloodsucking Jews" and "Jew bastards".
Where the hell does he get off calling for Imus to be fired.
I am no Imus fan but Sharpton is a tool.
Sharpton should have no say in the matter, he is a race baiting moron. With a track record of stupidity and his own racist remarks.
I call for Sharpton to be canned from his cheesy Reverend status.
That Sharpton is the idiot that needs to shut up.
I still remember the Twana Brawley fiasco.
How Sharpton has even the slightest shred of credibility is amazing.
I'm not sure if Imus deserves to lose his job over this, but it's one more incident that should be used by people to conclude that Imus is not someone to be taken seriously, rather and simply a logorrheaic jerk with the respect-worthiness of critics like Sharpton, i.e. very feeble.
Imus hasn't been relevant since the 70's. He's unlistenable and the ratings prove that.
where's john liu?????
Al Sharpton, now there is a piece of work.
This is America!!!! What happened to "Freedom of Speech".
[7] Posted by: OKtoBashWhiteyDoubleStandard | April 9, 2007 12:13 PM[11] Posted by: mrc | April 9, 2007 1:10 PM
You know guys, we people of color, have to teach you American Euro-Ethnics how to conduct yourselves like civilized humans, otherwise you would actually believe that your skin privelege gives you the right to say anything you want. I love the whole "Fredom of speech" Gabola, that's become the "Angry whiteman whine" my "Freedom of Speech!!! Tell me when in History have white men never had the freedom to say what they want? 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. Oh white people, white people...we're saving a seat for you in "Get the chip off your shoulder class"
I love white folks you can always count on them to be so predictable...Hilarious...
Well it looks like Al "the asshole" Sharpton is back in action, yeah he found another way to stir up some racial tension again. Well anybody with a brain, is not buying it, if these comments were made by a black radio host, America at large would have heard nothing on the issue. I'm so sick of these racist assholes, and by that I mean Al Sharpton, thinking they get to have it both ways. Flip the channel over to BET and listen, you'll find the N-word a plenty and the word "hoe" as the ONLY way they describe women. Go rent any black comedian's dvd and listen, as white people are the punchline of 90% of their jokes. Oh by the way, if the roles were reversed, you'd have Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson heading up a lynch mob against white racists. This is America, and white people are not going to be held to a different standard on what they can and cannot say than blacks. If you assholes want this to change, you need to start with black America, if you can't change the trends there, then don't expect to have any credibility. One more thing Al, on the lines of calling for Imus's resignation, I want to call for your resignation for your involvement with the Tawana Brawley lie (if not familiar check it out). Here's another bit of hard truth for you, the only reason that people like Al Sharpton have any support at all, is because their supporters are so blinded with racism toward white people that they refuse to accept facts and truths about the world we live in, and think someone owes them something. Al Sharpton you are an ignorant ASSHOLE!
As far as apologies go for pseudo-racist jokes go Imus' is one of the best I've ever seen. He actually acknowledges that people were offended, something that might have been appropriate once is now inappropriate, and he's ashamed of saying something that people found hurtful.
Look at Adam Carolla or Rosie O'Donnell's response to public outrcy when they pulled similar crap. Their "apologies" basically derride the offended parties for not having thicker skin, and have this underlying attitude of "We didn't know it was offensive but now that we know, we think you minorities should really lighten up. You might find it racist but I don't. You just don't get my edgy humor."
Whether or not Imus really means it is still in question, but at least the PR machine behind him has taken his apology one step further than most media figures usually do.
I see the Al sharpton folks are back.
when it comes to whining, the white man has a monopoly on that. hands down.
Without whining, what will the white man do?
All you do is whine, from John stossel to penn and teller to lobbyist groups and think tanks.
And don't forget the white man whiner mantra.
"get over it"
[13] Posted by: Will Andrews | April 9, 2007 2:03 PM
My my my you have a lot to say and you seem so overly obsessed with Al and Jesse or are you just obsessed with Black people.
What a big baby you are, "The can say it why can't I"
You seem to have the white man's disease misdirected rage, focus all that energy on Rummesfald, Wolfowitz, Cheney, Kristol, Bush, Sean Hannitay, Annn Coulter, O'Reilly, Limbaugh, they're one's who are taking advantage of you angry white Euro ethnic.
And for the record, Jesse Jackson as a private citizen helped to secure the release of several hostages, when the US government was impotent in acting.
When three U.S. soldiers serving as part of NATO's forces in Yugoslavia were captured by the Yugoslav army in March of 1999, Jackson, along with an interfaith delegation, embarked on a diplomatic mission to negotiate their release.
Throughout his career as a political and social activist, Jackson has also been a prominent figure in international diplomacy. In 1979 he traveled to South Africa to speak out against apartheid and to the Middle East to try to establish relations between Israel and the Palestinians. In January of 1984 he returned to the Middle East to negotiate the release of Lieutenant Robert Goodman, a black Navy pilot who had been shot down and taken hostage in the region. Later that year he traveled to Cuba to negotiate the release of several political prisoners held there and to Central America, where he spoke out for regional peace. In 1990 Jackson was the first American to bring hostages out of Iraq and Kuwait.
Berger also warned that Jackson's safety could not be guaranteed. Despite these warnings, Jackson, confident that he could persuade Milsocovic to release the prisoners as a gesture of goodwill, set off on his diplomatic mission. Jackson's confidence was not unfounded and when Jackson returned it was with the three soldiers at his side. The U.S. Senate recognized Jackson's efforts with a commendation.
In May of 1999, Jackson traveled to war-torn Sierra Leone, where he negotiated a cease-fire agreement between Tejan Kabbah, the country's president, and rebel Foday Sankoh. Jackson also negotiated for the release of more than two thousand prisoners of war. One year later, he returned to Sierra Leone to assist once more in the country's peace process.
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.
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.
This race talk is worse than craigslist.
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.
I think everyone should read Shelby Steele's book, The Conetent of our Character.
[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"
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.
These monkeys need to go back to africa,take your crime,ignorance and nappy headed hos with em
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.
[24] Posted by: frank mook | April 9, 2007 6:46 PM
...Your Mother...as Churchill would say
The Opie and Anthony reference you mention happened several years ago. The article makes it seem like it happened this month.
[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?
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?
[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 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.
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 .
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.
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.
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.
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.