sigh
Say what you want about him, but good looking out, Al Sharpton. This morning I'm in the gym, as usual, pedaling away on the stationary bike when I saw the tail end of this Imus story. In disbelief and yet, of course, not. Another regular patron comes out of the office with the remote for the TV, asks the woman behind me if she wants to keep the local channel or wants CNN, asks the guy behind me, but somehow doesn't see me AND I'M DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF HIM. Plus as many times as I've seen his ridiculous old-hippie self I know he's seen me. But he never asked me a damn thing, changed the channel, then went on about his business. Man, it's just pervasive. White folks and their pathology...don't get me started...Deirdre was fit to fight him, bless her. I had to pull her up out of there.
Apology doesn't stem calls to oust Imus
By LARRY McSHANE, Associated Press Writer
1 hour, 27 minutes ago
NEW YORK - Unimpressed by his on-air apology or corporate promises of
a tighter leash, angry critics of nationally syndicated radio host Don
Imus called Saturday for his dismissal over his racially charged
comments about the mostly black Rutgers women's basketball team.
"I accept his apology, just as I want his bosses to accept his
resignation," said the Rev. Al Sharpton. He promised to picket
Apology doesn't stem calls to oust Imus
By LARRY McSHANE, Associated Press Writer
1 hour, 27 minutes ago
NEW YORK - Unimpressed by his on-air apology or corporate promises of
a tighter leash, angry critics of nationally syndicated radio host Don
Imus called Saturday for his dismissal over his racially charged
comments about the mostly black Rutgers women's basketball team.
"I accept his apology, just as I want his bosses to accept his
resignation," said the Rev. Al Sharpton. He promised to picket
Imus' New York radio home, WFAN-AM, unless the veteran of nearly 40
years of anything-goes broadcasting is gone within a week.
Sharpton was not alone in his anger over Imus' description of the
Rutgers' women as "nappy headed hos" during a Wednesday morning
segment of his show, which airs for millions of listeners on more than
70 stations and the MSNBC television network.
On Friday, after Imus delivered an on-air apology, both WFAN and MSNBC
condemned his remarks. WFAN issued a statement promising to "monitor
the program's content" but Imus, a member of the National Broadcasters
Hall of Fame, was not publicly disciplined.
The National Association of Black Journalists, the editor-in-chief of
Essence magazine and a New York sports columnist joined the chorus
against Imus.
"What he has said has deeply hurt too many people black and white,
male and female," said NABJ President Bryan Monroe. "His so-called
apology comes two days after the fact, and it is too little, too
late."
Angela Burt Murray, of Essence magazine, called on Imus' bosses to
take a harder stance over his "unacceptable" remarks. "It needs to be
made clear that this type of behavior is offensive and will not be
tolerated without severe consequences," Murray said.
Columnist Filip Bondy of the Daily News, in a column headlined "Imus
spews hate, should be fired," said the radio star "should be axed for
one of the most despicable comments ever uttered on the air."
The Rutgers team, which includes eight black women, lost the
NCAA women's championship game Tuesday, and Imus was discussing the
game with producer Bernard McGuirk.
"That's some rough girls from Rutgers," Imus said. "Man, they got tattoos ..."
"Some hardcore hos," said McGuirk.
"That's some nappy headed hos there, I'm going to tell you that," Imus said.
Karen Mateo, a spokeswoman for WFAN's parent company CBS Radio, said
Saturday there was no additional comment on the Imus situation.
Imus' success has often been a a result of his on-air barbs.
"That Imus is in trouble for being politically incorrect is certainly
not new," said Tom Taylor, editor of the trade publication Inside
Radio. "He's lived his life in and out of trouble ... This is
something CBS will be watching very carefully."
Recent controversies involving Imus focused on a member of his morning
team, Sid Rosenberg, who was fired two years ago after a particularly
vile crack about cancer-stricken singer Kylie Minogue. Before
that, a racially tinged comment by Rosenberg about Venus and Serena
Williams stirred another controversy.
The NABJ cited two other incidents in which Imus himself insulted two
black journalists. Imus has called PBS' Gwen Ifill a "cleaning lady"
and described William Rhoden of The New York Times as "a quota hire,"
the group said.
Sharpton said he was writing to the Federal Communications Commission
about Imus' remarks.
"This is not some unemployed comic like Michael Richards,"
Sharpton said, referring to the "Seinfeld" actor who used the N-word
and referred to lynching in a rant last year. "This is an established
figure, allowed to use the airwaves for sexist and racist remarks."
years of anything-goes broadcasting is gone within a week.
Sharpton was not alone in his anger over Imus' description of the
Rutgers' women as "nappy headed hos" during a Wednesday morning
segment of his show, which airs for millions of listeners on more than
70 stations and the MSNBC television network.
On Friday, after Imus delivered an on-air apology, both WFAN and MSNBC
condemned his remarks. WFAN issued a statement promising to "monitor
the program's content" but Imus, a member of the National Broadcasters
Hall of Fame, was not publicly disciplined.
The National Association of Black Journalists, the editor-in-chief of
Essence magazine and a New York sports columnist joined the chorus
against Imus.
"What he has said has deeply hurt too many people black and white,
male and female," said NABJ President Bryan Monroe. "His so-called
apology comes two days after the fact, and it is too little, too
late."
Angela Burt Murray, of Essence magazine, called on Imus' bosses to
take a harder stance over his "unacceptable" remarks. "It needs to be
made clear that this type of behavior is offensive and will not be
tolerated without severe consequences,
Columnist Filip Bondy of the Daily News, in a column headlined "Imus
spews hate, should be fired," said the radio star "should be axed for
one of the most despicable comments ever uttered on the air."
The Rutgers team, which includes eight black women, lost the
NCAA women's championship game Tuesday, and Imus was discussing the
game with producer Bernard McGuirk.
"That's some rough girls from Rutgers," Imus said. "Man, they got tattoos ..."
"Some hardcore hos," said McGuirk.
"That's some nappy headed hos there, I'm going to tell you that," Imus said.
Karen Mateo, a spokeswoman for WFAN's parent company CBS Radio, said
Saturday there was no additional comment on the Imus situation.
Imus' success has often been a a result of his on-air barbs.
"That Imus is in trouble for being politically incorrect is certainly
not new," said Tom Taylor, editor of the trade publication Inside
Radio. "He's lived his life in and out of trouble ... This is
something CBS will be watching very carefully."
Recent controversies involving Imus focused on a member of his morning
team, Sid Rosenberg, who was fired two years ago after a particularly
vile crack about cancer-stricken singer Kylie Minogue. Before
that, a racially tinged comment by Rosenberg about Venus and Serena
Williams stirred another controversy.
The NABJ cited two other incidents in which Imus himself insulted two
black journalists. Imus has called PBS' Gwen Ifill a "cleaning lady"
and described William Rhoden of The New York Times as "a quota hire,"
the group said.
Sharpton said he was writing to the Federal Communications Commission
about Imus' remarks.
"This is not some unemployed comic like Michael Richards,"
Sharpton said, referring to the "Seinfeld" actor who used the N-word
and referred to lynching in a rant last year. "This is an established
figure, allowed to use the airwaves for sexist and racist remarks."
posted by Carla at 9:50 AM
4 Comments:
I've been off the grid and just read about this today. WTF. So a suspension is enough? Why aren’t more people outraged aside from Cal Ripken? And if I ever harbored a thought about voting for John McCain--I hadn't, it was just an "if"--it’s definitely gone now.
And, finally, the dweeb with the remote? Well, here’s my version. I was riding a shuttle to the parking lot at the airport the other day, and a woman realized that she needed help finding her car. I spoke with her, gave her a few suggestions, and then she began talking to another woman. When she left, she looked past me to thank the other woman and to say goodbye, and then got off the bus. I remembered thinking; okay, she was talking with her, but not a word of thanks to me? Not a glance in my direction? Ah, I know, she simply forgot that we had spoken for more than half of the bus ride . . .
oh my goodness, yes. i was actually at the gym when i saw this on the news as well. i almost freakin fell off the treadmill!
I would like to take another step with this. I am outraged not just by Imus, but by all African-Americans who purchase cd's and tickets for comedy and music that repeatedly disrespects women; particularly black women. Enough already. But until people really make a point of avoiding what offends or demeans women, this sort of thing will continue. How can we really be surprised that Imus disrespected these bright, talented young women when we are disrespected, demeaned and set aside by their own community on a regular basis.
Yup--I'm constantly amazed, though, that so many people won't protest anything, as though crap is inevitable and we have to buy it. I'm usually boycotting something; I can't in good conscience knowingly support a company or individual whose ideology is in opposition to mine. It's not that hard, either, and in this instance the facts are right in your face--you don't even have to research it.
Check Damali Ayo's response, from her listserv. I especially like what she said about academics because few people will publicly acknowledge that:
Just a quick word that I will be a guest on NPR's On Point radio
program from 11-12 am EST to discuss the Imus/Rutgers Women's
Basketball Team news story.
Find out what station near you carries the show at
http://www.onpointradio.org/stations/
Well folks, it was a dynamic little hour. The academics didn't quite let this artist/comedienne get her words on air. That's ok, though, that's why we have this little email list.
Let me go on record saying that the reason no one is having the
conversation that Tricia Rose and Kevin Powell are asking them to is
because regular people aren't listening to them. (maybe that's why they were such airwave-hogs). Many academics have shut people off
with an onslaught of repeated rhetoric and now people just tune them out. Some of their vocabulary wouldn't have a chance of reaching the people who listen to Don Imus, or the majority of pop music
listeners. Do you really think the American Idol contestants know
what a phenotype is?
The point I was not quite allowed to make was....that people may not
have an understanding of racism. so if they don't have that- where to
start? We have to start with what they do have, or what they think
they have...common sense. From there we can build an understanding
that racism and offending people simply doesn't make common sense.
It's just like talking to a third grader, as many of you have heard
me explain in my talks.
If we believe that people have no common sense, then no amount of
education is possible. Yesterday I had to explain to a friend that
"nappy headed" was a derogatory term, when used in the way it was. He didn't know that because he is underexposed to black people. However, he can understand that it's wrong to offend. So before I could explain that using a racially charged comment was the problem we had to agree that certain insults do indeed cross the line. He also was very distracted by the "hip hop argument." We had to also agree that the insults that are rampant in Hip Hop are also wrong. That's common sense- now we had a way to talk to each other. This becomes the connected ground we have to use in order to work together. Then we
can take the racial-education step that is so critical, that Rose
well describes. It's all part of the process of progress. A movement
takes many means.
and yes, bye bye Imus, it hasn't been a pleasure. Please take Rosie with you.
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