A VERY SAD DAY IN RADIO

[DJJack1]

It was summed up properly earlier in this thread. Imus was fired cuz the sponsors were pulling out.

Now the fact that the ratings would have soared when Imus came back following his suspension means nothing. The fact that a lot of those sponsors, and maybe some new ones, would have quietly come back once they got a look at those ratings also apparently means nothing.

I'll throw THIS out there too. Imus made a joke about the RUTGERS women's basketball team. WFAN carries Rutgers sports. Heck, Chris Carlin, the Imus sportscaster, does play-by-play for Rutgers football. I'll bet the university had a hand in this firing too.

It's all been blown out of proportion, and it's only been a week. I'm not gonna boyott anybody, or lose my temper and post angry tirades. I'm just gonna wait and see where Imus pops up and proudly join him there as a listener.

What have I learned from this story? That Rutgers has a women's basketball team and that Al Sharpton has a radio show. Had no clue.

 

[RTibbs]

Imus is out because of the sponsorship issue. However the atatements are wroded are irrelevant. HAd the money camein he would say.

Al (tawana Brawley) Sharpton and Rev. Jesse(shakedown artist) Jackson put the pressur eon the advertiser to pull out.

How about a protest against the sponsoirs of Big Al's radio show. He attacked the Duke Lacrosse players. I missed his apology.

 

[chrisalcorn]

Why the hell should he apologize to Duke for. Good riddance Imus. By the way "nappy" means the derogatory reference to a "black" hair type. Are you in a cave or what? Jesse and Al only called for his firing. They could not have fired him. So be mad at someone else like CBS and MSNBC and get over it!!!

 

[knowsnews1]

Why the hell should he apologize to Duke for. Good riddance Imus. By the way "nappy" means the derogatory reference to a "black" hair type. Are you in a cave or what? Jesse and Al only called for his firing. They could not have fired him. So be mad at someone else like CBS and MSNBC and get over it!!!

There is a chain of hair salons called "Oh My Nappy Hair!" It is run by an African-American couple. I guess they're racists too?

 

[BackRib]

Can we begin a list of things that white people can't say on the radio please? We know "nappy headed ho's" is now off limits. Lets create a list for black radio people too. Lets begin with the word "redneck." That word is no longer socially acceptable for black people to say on the radio and any one who does will be subject to public humiliation, a long suspension and eventually a firing.

Someone start rolling tape.

 

[ionosphere]

Don Imus called these women "nappyheaded", "jiggaboos" All racial slurs used against African American people and he deserved to be fired

Listen to the tape before speaking. Imus never uttered the word "jiggaboos". That was said by someone else on the show. I think it was the same person who initiated the conversation by referring to the team as "hardcore hoes".

 

[knowsnews1]

Don Imus called these women "nappyheaded", "jiggaboos" All racial slurs used against African American people and he deserved to be fired

Listen to the tape before speaking. Imus never uttered the word "jiggaboos". That was said by someone else on the show. I think it was the same person who initiated the conversation by referring to the team as "hardcore hoes".

That's correct. Bernard McGuirk, his producer, said it. Imus' comments were all of 2 seconds. And, for that throwaway line, 30+ years of charitable work that's helped thousands of kids, and soldiers, ends. What a travesty.

 

[middlega]

Listen to the tape before speaking. Imus never uttered the word "jiggaboos". That was said by someone else on the show.

And that was in reference to something that appeared in a Spike Lee movie.
(although I will admit I didn't get that connection the first time I saw excerpts from the transcript)

 

[stan]

maybe 50 Cent or some other misogynistic host can take over Imus' show. I'm sure Al and Jesse would like that, with their double standards and all.

 

[8638]

i couldn't agree more. it makes me so sad. and i've never once listened to don imus. the selective outrage at him is amazing. others spew hate every day they're on the air (limbaugh, even howard stern sometimes) and no one blinks. imus takes a stab at a joke and his career is over.

and i don't buy the argument that "some groups can use bad words, when those words refer to themselves, but others can't." if a word is unacceptable, it should be unacceptable to EVERYONE. how do parents teach their kids that it's fine for some people to use the n word but it's not ok for others?

and not to blame the victims, but the womens basketball team even pisses me off now. i'd wager not a single one of them had ever even HEARD of don imus before this. and they got their feelings hurt? oh poor babies. poor babies who are getting a fantastic education and playing a college sport, running down a basketball court while more than 3000 OTHER young americans have been blown to fing smithereens in iraq? let's keep our eyes on the ball, people.

and america has frightened me for many years now. the little seed of fear is growing and apparently there's nothing i can do to stop it. this country has officially gone crazy.

Limbaugh and Stern spewing hate? When? Cite some specific examples, please. I've listened to Rush since 1991 and Stern up until I outgrew him (1997 or so). I love when some left winger calls statements he doesn't like or agree with 'hate.' People like you are chilling in 2007 America. Joe Mc Carthy must be laughing his ass off in hell as I type!

Now that I've vented, Imus got royally screwed. Buffoons like Sharpton and Jackson, the latter of whom urgently needs elocution lessons, have driven a man out of his job. What are their qualifications to so do? Jackson has been extorting cash from corporations for years, even coercing Anheuser-Busch to grant his kid a Budwesier distributorship. Sharpton, nothing but a side show clown who profiteers on race baiting and discord. It is in neither of their interests to have a peaceful America in which the races get along, because there would be no need for Al or Jesse then! I didn't listen to Imus, because his schtick didn't entertain me, but that's why the radio has a dial, right?

A chilling day in America.

 

[truthsayer]

If the word "ho" is so offensive to some. they need to take a look at the music and culture around them. There seems to be a double standard that irritates the hell out of me.

Where this goes wrong is not with the word, but the double standard implied here.

The music that broadcast every hour on Rap formats nationwide is disgusting whether you are black, white, hispanic, or whatever. If you have any decency at all you know this is a fact. I do not agree the N- word is ok as long as it's used in a black to a black senerio. The word is wrong period! The word is all over rap stations, this is where the problem lies.

Words are not defined ok to use in certian racial groups. They are wrong or right to use period! It is the fault of poor standards this country has adapted. The time has come to change!

Mr. Imus made a stupid comment he has paid dearly for and has gracfully apoligized. Though as of ten minutes ago our airwaves are full of trash and smut lowering the standard more.

When Americans wake up and meet their neighbor we might just make friends. Broadcasters need to meet the people they serve and find the real soul that burns to acomplish and show pride. The hate from the past can't hold a people back in the future. People let's get it together.

Very Respectfully

 

[radioguy1580]

I don't know if everyone is aware how this comment got to be so reported. There is a media watchdog group that tapes Imus' show daily and listens to it. The person who is responsible for monitoring his show heard the comment and reported it to his superiors. They then sent the wavefile to the National Black Journalists group and it took on a whole new life of it's own.

So it was not any regular listeners who complained. It was Big Brother!

 

[Duriologist]

By the way "nappy" means the derogatory reference to a "black" hair type.

Then I think you'd better explain that to Stevie Wonder. Remember the first line of "I Wish?"

Looking back on when I was a little nappy-headed boy...

 

[Chris_Rose]

It sure seems from these posts that there are alot of racist white males in the radio industry. As for blacks using terms that are self-denigrating. It is a form of oppression known as internalized oppression. External oppression becomes internalized oppression when blacks come to believe and act as if the oppressor's beliefs system, values, and life way is reality.

I could go on and on but if anybody here really cares to learn about the viciousness of American racism (a.k.a. "white supremacy") and exactly how bad the problem is, they should read The Isis Papers by Francis Cress Welsing.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/cu...e=UTF8&n=283155&s=books&qid=1176515167&sr=8-1

 

[cklw800]

BryanDurio. That was 1976 for "I Wish" by Stevie Wonder from "Songs In The Key of Life". He says when HE was a nappy-headed boy. He didn't point out a group of innocent female teens who play basketball. I can bring up some song analogies, too, by many rock groups using the "n" word. Stevie Wonder calling HIMSELF a nappy-headed boy 31 years ago...wow Bryan.

 

[microbob]

BryanDurio. That was 1976 for "I Wish" by Stevie Wonder from "Songs In The Key of Life". He says when HE was a nappy-headed boy. He didn't point out a group of innocent female teens who play basketball. I can bring up some song analogies, too, by many rock groups using the "n" word. Stevie Wonder calling HIMSELF a nappy-headed boy 31 years ago...wow Bryan.

Exactly right... Imus was not well liked by MSNBC, and I bet he had enemies at CBS. As soon as the $$$ went away from his advertisers after they dropped him for remarks he made after the incident His show was history. The color Green is the Issue here.

 

[superhead]

Here are some questions:

Q: How is the term "Ho" considered racial?

It's not racist but sexist and also does not belong on air.

Q: Was it "racist" when Imus referred to a white female as a "Ho"? (ie., Paris Hilton, on many occasions)

No.

Q: What would the reaction have been if Imus used "Ho" to refer to the all-white women's golf team at Yale? Would anybody consider this racist?

Still sexist.

Q: Webster's Dictionary defines "nappy" as "kinky or frizzy." Where is the racial reference?

The fact that only one ethnic group in America has hair of this type. It doesn't take a brain surgeon to realize that.

Q: Was there an election in which the majority of African-Americans elected Al Sharpton as the official spokesperson for all black people? When was this election held?

It wasn't and many from within the African community have said that publicly for years now.

Q: Who will fire all the rappers who have used the term "HO" to sell records and make millions of dollars?

How this moves forward is anyones guess. Most likely it will fade away with little change which is a crime itself.

Q: Will CBS fire air personality Steve Harvey for his daily comments utilizing humor based on stereotypes of African-Americans? How will we stop Chris Rock, Cedric The Entertainer, D.L. Hughley, Bernie Mac and other comedians from making racial references in their standup comedy routines?

I have never heard Mr. Harvey's show so I can't specifically comment. In Rock's last HBO special he did a bit about how he loves hip hop but found it hard to defend due to the content. It is a totally different situation when a comedian makes observations that while may be based on a stereotype are not hateful.

The biggest point that has been missed in all of this is that as a broadcaster you have a responsibilty to hold yourself to a higher standard. You are broadcasting on public airwaves. That words that could only mean to demoralize and continue to perpetuate negative views of minorities are not to be tolerated.

It's not comedy....unless you are warming up the next KKK meeting.

 

[klinker]

One more point to add is that the FCC can't fine any of stations because of free speech. CBS radio and MSNBC don't like free speech I guess. They're both a bunch idiots that at one point will have this blow up in there face. I've finally made my decision to go to sirius. Howard Stern was right when he said the PC police are out to get radio hosts.

 

[inthecity]

Re: A VERY GREAT DAY IN RADIO

If you believe that there are others saying degrading things about other races on-the-air, then speak out. Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton's influence is not so persuasive in today's society. It was the National Women's Organization, a CBS Director and Sponsors pulling out that led to Imus being fired.

If a show loses its sponsors because of the content, then whoever programs for that show will be fired because they ruined business, financially. And that is exactly what happened.

By speaking out against anyone who speaks racial slurs or stereotypes, it helps to bring the racial divide closer to an end. I just hope that you don't only do this in retaliation to African-Americans or Women who protested this man.

When you get to the top, you are an example. And Imus is the example that there are more to come.

...standby.

 

[mikeAtlanta]

Good riddance to bad rubbish.