Nappy Headed Hos

[MadVlad]

I think a lot of people are missing the major point between Imus vs. Sharpton, Coulter and Jesse Jackson. We all have the inherent right to free speech, but we do not have a RIGHT to be heard. Imus had a radio show on CBS because he was given the privilege to do so. No one cares what Imus says about black female basketball players while in his own home, or standing out on a street corner, or at a restaurant, yada yada yada. It's his right to say whatever he wants. Jesse Jackson, Coulter and Sharpton don't work for any company that controls public airwaves. They run their own gigs and try to get in front of the cameras every chance they get.

I don't care what anyone on here says, if you said something similar to this about a group of your co-workers, African Americans or women in general while at work, you'd get your walking papers faster than you can say "but I meant ho in a good way....."

To compare this to rappers is also apples to oranges, because there is a mechanism to get rappers to not use the same language: don't buy their products. He should have just been fired and it should have been the end of it. No Sharpton, no Jackson, no one else needed to even pipe in on it.

[torgo]

To compare this to rappers is also apples to oranges, because there is a mechanism to get rappers to not use the same language: don't buy their products. He should have just been fired and it should have been the end of it. No Sharpton, no Jackson, no one else needed to even pipe in on it.

[NCB]

How many of you expect to see Imus out of radio for good? I believe that, unless he wants to stay out of radio, he'll be back on the airwaves sometime, somewhere. Of course the biggest question would still be "who would sponsor him?," but I just think this whole thing has become too big of a draw for him to be gone for good.

[GRDadof3]

Sharpton has his own radio show, just so you know....

[UptownNewOrleans]

Just curious, Uptown, do you use the N-word in conversation? And if so, do you mind if others hear it?

[torgo]

Yes, but it's different. Rappers are selling a "product" that either sells in stores (which some stores have refused to carry said product), played on the airwaves (which is actually censored), or sold on the internet. Radio airwaves (currently) are publicly owned property, controlled by the FCC and "licensed" to users. If you use the argument to "just not listen", then should we turn our back and pretend that nothing bad happens around us? Even crimes?

[nowensone]

I'd love to have seen the reaction of many had Imus (who, by the way I had never once heard of before this) berated some Christians, or Christ himself. Maybe make a run at the Pope or at otherwise offend religious folks. Watch how much "words" mean then.

[voyager12]

While Jackson and Sharpton both have checkered pasts that cast some doubt on their roles as moral arbiters they have been campaigning within the black community for rappers to stop using hateful lyrics. The difference in this case is the fact that the media does not put as much value on black on black dialogue but when an incident comes along that can be portrayed as whites and blacks against each other all the attention is trained on the "fight". I am not saying that as an excuse for rap to continue producing trash but Imus should not be given a pass just because many raps songs are violent. Both are equally wrong and need to change. I have always thought that Imus was an obnoxious pig and never listened much to him. He has been bashing every possible ethnic and minority group under the sun for years and years. Many of his targets were powerful political and sports leaders with thick skins who are used to getting attacked and ignored it. In this case Imus went after innocent minority college students that exemplify the exact opposite of the sleaziness he was attributing to them. Society at large does not look kindly on discriminating against children. AMEX, P&G and the other blue chip advertisers starting feeling pressure and when they bailed Imus knew he was going to be cleaning out his desk. Finally, The African-American correspondents and general employees of NBC and CBS let their CEOs know that they did not want to be associated with this type of discriminatory bile and I think each chief executive made the right decision to drop The Don Imus Show.

[Captain Worley]

How many of you expect to see Imus out of radio for good? I believe that, unless he wants to stay out of radio, he'll be back on the airwaves sometime, somewhere. Of course the biggest question would still be "who would sponsor him?," but I just think this whole thing has become too big of a draw for him to be gone for good.

[MadVlad]

I'm betting one of the sattelite channels will pick him up, since they don't have advertisers. Whether or not he'll be much of a draw is questionable.

[peaceloveunderstanding]

He owns the network:

http://www.sharptontalk.net/

http://www.nationalactionnetwork.net/html/history.html

Apparently he hasn't said anything bad enough to get his own sponsors riled up.

Yes, but it's different. Rappers are selling a "product" that either sells in stores (which some stores have refused to carry said product), played on the airwaves (which is actually censored), or sold on the internet. Radio airwaves (currently) are publicly owned property, controlled by the FCC and "licensed" to users. If you use the argument to "just not listen", then should we turn our back and pretend that nothing bad happens around us? Even crimes?

[Captain Worley]

I would bet against it, and here's why: Sirius and XM plan to merge. If/when this goes through, possibly the talent with the most influence on Satellite Radio is Howard Stern. Howard Stern hates Imus' guts. I would bet my house that he would put the word out not to bother with Imus, and management would listen....

[MadVlad]

I did not know that. I guess if the merger didn't come off, then there would be a possibility? I just can't see anyone wanting to end their career that way.

[peaceloveunderstanding]

Poor ratings and no listeners? His ratings put him at 1.6m listeners. That puts him near the TOP of talk radio, the television show was third among morning cable news.

I see him on Sat. radio, after the merger.

[MadVlad]

Poor ratings and no listeners? His ratings put him at 1.6m listeners. That puts him near the TOP of talk radio, the television show was third among morning cable news.

I see him on Sat. radio, after the merger.

[Gusterfell]

I think a lot of people are missing the major point between Imus vs. Sharpton, Coulter and Jesse Jackson. We all have the inherent right to free speech, but we do not have a RIGHT to be heard. Imus had a radio show on CBS because he was given the privilege to do so. No one cares what Imus says about black female basketball players while in his own home, or standing out on a street corner, or at a restaurant, yada yada yada. It's his right to say whatever he wants. Jesse Jackson, Coulter and Sharpton don't work for any company that controls public airwaves. They run their own gigs and try to get in front of the cameras every chance they get.

I don't care what anyone on here says, if you said something similar to this about a group of your co-workers, African Americans or women in general while at work, you'd get your walking papers faster than you can say "but I meant ho in a good way....."

[GRDadof3]

If Jackson, Coulter, Sharpton, etc. are paid for their appearances on television and radio, and for the articles they write for various newspapers and magazines, they are absolutely working for those media outlets. They should be subject to the same scrutiny as someone like Imus. If they consistently spout hate speech, they should be "fired" by not being allowed return appearances.

[MadVlad]

That's the New York market, but Imus is hugely popular with right-wing, suburban, white males. That demographic isn't as prominent in NYC as elsewhere in the country.

[erdogs]

Imus is a liberal, but that's neither here nor there. He should have been fired, now people in the media need to let it go. I'm praying this whole thing will be over by Monday, the man has been crucified enough. I don't think he is a racist, but his comments toward those young woman were way over the top and uncalled for. I hope he has learned from this and grows as a person.

[seicer]

This is what I wrote at another forum and fits under this thread perfectly:

Have you listened to rap music lately? Or watched the Chappelle show? I don't see him making such huge public stunts out of either.

--

Hypocritical figureheads that choose their battles based upon the amount of publicity they can garner for their own cause.

[erdogs]

The only criticism I would have with that is, he was making a statement towards certain individuals. That was the crux of his problem, we could put a face on the victims. I feel sorry for him, but he should have never made such a statement. He had a temporary brain fart in his 30 some odd years in broadcasting. That's the price you pay for fame.

[seicer]

^ That is true, it was a statement he never should have made. But for anyone who has watched IMUS through the years, you can note that this is just as harsh as some of the other comments that he has made over the years.

My question is: Why now? And why Imus?

[Charlotteman]

^^^^the straw that broke the camel's back? I still can't believe he slurred Gwen Ifle!

[michaelskis]

Sharpton has his own radio show, just so you know....

[ironchapman]

If you ask me, and I am no fan of Imus, he just got carried away and made a statement that went too far. He has since apologized--both to the public and to the Rutgers Women's Basketball team--and said that there is "no excuse" for what he has said.

It was wrong for Imus to say it, but, in my view, it was too harsh of a punishment for CBS to fire him.

With all of that said, his program does nothing but promote trash, and I would consider firing him because he fills his time on air with this sort of stuff.