Imus Suspension Should Pave The Way For Sober Change
This Week's Attitude
By Neil S. Friedman

To hear a somber, contrite Don Imus last Monday morning on his nationally syndicated radio show, you would never know this was the same shock jock whose status emerged decades ago due to, for the most part, on-air antics that made his show popular and increased ratings. That surge catapulted him to employment at WNBC, in the number one radio market, in 1971, where his reputation was enhanced with crude humor, equal opportunity slurs and outrageous satirical characters.

Nevertheless, after a weekend of condemnation when he had time to reflect on his misjudgment last week, Imus appeared as a guest on Rev. Al Sharpton's radio show Monday afternoon to respond to his loudest critic. No sooner did that show end than Imus was suspended for two weeks beginning April 16 by both WFAN, a CBS affiliate, and MSNBC, the cable news network on which his radio show is simulcast weekdays.

Earlier in the day on his own program, Imus respectfully set aside the trademark sarcasm and irreverent, sophomoric humor to express sincere regret for "some idiot comment meant to be amusing…that doesn't make it any less repugnant" on his program last week with a thesaurus-laden apology, explaining his remarks were, among other things, "insensitive," "thoughtless," "ill-timed" and "inappropriate," concluding with, "our characterization was thoughtless and stupid, and we are sorry."

During a segment on April 4th, the morning after the Rutgers women's basketball team lost the NCAA national championship to Tennessee, Imus referred to the mostly African-American New Jersey team as "rough girls…with tattoos." That remark should have ended the politically incorrect insinuation.

However, Bernard McGuirk, Imus' executive producer - once referred to as the in-house bigot - who habitually chimes in with gratuitous, racist remarks and his periodic old Negro stereotype caricature of New Orleans mayor Ray Nagin, further debased the discussion by adding, "…some hard-core hos."

Imus continued, "That's some nappy-headed hos there."

McGuirk subsequently responded, "The Jigaboos vs. the Wannabes…" quoting a line from a Spike Lee movie.

To regular Imus listeners that exchange fell within the framework of the show's recurrent blueprint for racist, bigoted and homophobic comedy, so few probably gave the it a second thought since it has been standard fare for decades. It is, after all, what put Don Imus on the radio map!

Nonetheless, the joke, as it were, got widespread attention on the Internet, which prompted the debate to snowball.

Accordingly, Imus apologized on air last Friday morning. However, Rutgers University and the NCAA, as well as members of the black community, including the National Association of Black Journalists and the Rev. Al Sharpton, said the original remarks went beyond the bounds of acceptable crude humor and rejected the apology. They independently criticized the derogatory slur and called for his removal.

Imus appears to have learned a harsh lesson about inappropriate, irreverent humor, but he doesn't deserve to be fired. WFAN and MSNBC executives condemned his remarks, but the two-week suspension just seems like a slap on the wrist to let the situation calm down. Their decision is, undoubtedly, purely economical since the advertising revenue from the "Imus in the Morning" show is substantial with many high-end advertisers who clamor for spots to pitch their products to Imus' generally upscale radio audience. Furthermore, after a decade on MSNBC, the simulcast radio show has finally paid off for the cable news network reported significant gains in a recent ratings period.

Authors with new books often see a dramatic boost in sales after an appearance with the I-Man, so while they may initially shy away, they are not likely to boycott him long term. Journalists, politicians and other regular guests will certainly stick by him because they had no qualms appearing in the past between segments laced with derisive humor, not malice. Occasional guest and respected Boston Globe columnist Tom Oliphant was featured Monday morning to express genuine support, which the host humbly received.

Unless there are signs of a dramatic cash flow decline, the long-term fate of "Imu$ (stet) In The Morning" will not change, though an adjustment in content will likely be evident as all ears will be listening when he returns on April 30th.

I gravitated to Imus years ago when classic rock radio transformed from free form into monotony. When I initially gave the Imus show a test run he was conducting a serious interview with a politician. I was, to say the least, astonished that this radio host, whose reputation for schoolyard pranks preceded him, featured something I could listen to for more than a minute turning the dial. I was soon aware that scattered among the daily crude humor, were appealing segments with authors, media personalities, newsmakers and politicians. I seldom enjoy the jokes, but I stay tuned for frequent, blunt discussions on contemporary issues with eclectic guests.

Last week's racist dialogue was wrong and went too far, but it was on par with the show's tradition of disrespectful repartee. Nevertheless, the women of Rutgers did not deserve an iota of derision for their remarkable achievement. Maybe it was time for Imus and crew to get their comeuppance. And after the hullabaloo dies down, perhaps this incident will force Imus but, especially, McGuirk, to tone down the offensiveness.

Moreover, if Imus' black critics truly want to be taken seriously by the white community, they must carry their message of condemnation and outrage further and enthusiastically campaign to boycott rappers and hip hop performers who continue to disrespect women by referring to them as "bitches" and "hos" in their lyrics.

Just as the "N" word has no place - except for proper literary or creative elements - in daily discourse, whether it's uttered by blacks or whites, young black performers must display the same type of respect for women of their race that they expect from others.

In the context of his shock jock persona, Don Imus' road to wealth and fame is potholed with bigotry, but perhaps this lesson about dignity and respect that he otherwise demonstrates in his philanthropic endeavors will pave the way for change. It's time for Imus to fiddle with his program's agenda and reduce the crude and insensitive humor that, by and large, should only appeal to an immature minority and opt for the approach that has made "Imus In The Morning" palpable for more adult listeners.

P.S. On Tuesday, after the Rutgers women's basketball team and coach held a press conference to respond to the recent media uproar, three major advertisers - Procter & Gamble, Staples and Bigelow Tea - announced they had cancelled their advertising for "Imus in the Morning," with the former going so far as to pull all of its MSNBC advertising. If the ad boycott continues, Imus' future as a radio host could be in jeopardy.

Reader Comments

No comments have been posted. Be the first!

Other Stories With Comments:
Article	Comments
Golden City: Bought, Burned, Bought Again	1