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I'm Standing With Imus in the Morning
Addendum added
Don Imus is being newly and wrongly accused of a racist comment. Since I have been entertained mightily by Imus for thirty years, I am happy that this time I can stand up for him.
In the late 70s, I heard a cut from Don Imus' "1200 Hamburgers to Go" album on the radio and then was introduced to Imus' WNBC radio program by a New York attorney whom no one would accuse of being insensitive to the rights of African Americans. I listened to Imus skewer Mayor Koch and other politicians over the years when I was in New York and later via syndication.
Imus was always funny, and increasingly he conducted interesting and funny interviews. It is not just that important people were on his show. It was that he got them to open up and say things that they would never say elsewhere. He never did get Andrea Mitchell to get her husband Alan Greenspan out of the bathtub, but it was fun listening to him try.
This got some people in trouble, but also made for great radio. No other morning show could touch it. He kept dozens of topics flying around at once. Politics, sports, music, his medical issues, his young wife and a bottomless pit of gripes and grudges all kept me laughing for the whole day. Plus, Warner Wolf!
Unfortunately, over the years, Imus made more and more comments that made me cringe. He thought he had license to make fun of various groups as if he were a member, which he was not. These chickens came home to roost with the inexcusable Rutgers comment.
Imus' demise also served the purpose of many people, including certainly the humorless Clintons. While not supporting Impeachment, Imus got many yuks by making fun of President Clinton's low rent behavior, his Clintonesque way with the truth and how Hillary figured in all of this. I am sure this is why Media Matters was keeping tabs on him in the first place. Ironically, In 1992, Clinton's New York primary victory can probably be traced to his appearances on Imus in the Morning.
Imus' new show has all the humor without the cringing. It is funnier than ever, with new cast members and a whole new group of broadcast personnel and executives to skewer. Imus has covered racial matters exceedingly well, including having Dick Gregory on the show for extended stints.
To hear the show in the Bay Area, I have to record it on my computer while I am sleeping and then transfer it onto my iPod. Inevitably, I am the only person in my BART car with a smile on my face.
So, I was chagrined to read a sound bite that seemed to indicate that Imus has implied that Pacman Jones' serial misconduct was because he was African American. I hoped that the context would get Imus off the hook.
And it does. Any fair minded person listening to the interchange with Warner Wolf must conclude that what Imus meant was that he was arrested because he was black, not that he committed bad deeds because he was black: the exact opposite of the meaning implied by those desperate to do Imus in and deprive me of my morning entertainment.
Imus is being profiled.
I hope that those who were quick to attack Imus before will be just as quick to defend him this time when he is right.
Addendum:
Three more things have occurred to me.
First, I agree that Imus may well have been being sarcastic about why Pacman Jones was arrested. After all, everyone knows that the main problem he had was been involved in a gunfight during the NBA All Star festivities in Las Vegas that resulted in one person being paralyzed from the waist down. The incident was preceded by disorderly behavior in the strip club involving Pacman "making it rain" by throwing money onto the stage and getting into a beef with the club owner who had his dancers pick up the money, apparently over $81,000. There are also separate incidents accusations and tapes from a drug dealer and charges of assault from a second stripper.
On the other hand, Pacman pled guilty to only a misdemeanor (conspiracy to commit disorderly conduct) and received 200 hours of community service, so maybe he was less involved that the reports indicate.
Sarcastic or not, I think the comment is fair enough. Maybe it was not the most thought out thing anyone has ever said. So what?
Second, as one commentator pointed out, Imus has led intelligent discussions of race with Debra Dickerson as a further example of the contribution Imus has made. We don't improve racial relations by ignoring the problem. My main thesis is that the people who are attacking Imus don't listen to him.
Finally, many commenters have accused Imus of being old. That is an okay epithet, huh?!
Follow Stephen Kaus on Twitter: www.twitter.com/stephenkaus
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When Imus proves to be right on racial issues I will be the first to come to his defense, but he is wrong again.
If you actually believe his preposterous story about profiling I have a wonderful old bridge I would like to sell you.
No, in essence he was having a senior moment and was unconsciously spouting off his true subconscious thinking that black people are prone to criminal behavior.
It is time for him to find a job more suitable for his talents, perhaps an announcer at Wrestling matches.
Imus is well informed and definitely knew that Pacman was an African American. I think he asked Warner Wolf the question about Pacman's race so he could make a sarcastic remark. He was trying to make a point that there is profiling going on. The Rutger's remark that Imus made was way out of line and he should have been called for it. He was punished. It's very hard when trying to do live comedy on a broadcast to know where to draw the line. If you don't push the envelope a little, you will be bland and not very funny. That being said, I think Imus would be better suited to satellite radio. It seems like you can push the evelope much further. I think folks must also take in consideration the good things Imus does. He has his ranch for kids with cancer so there is some goodness in his heart. He makes a lot of fun of himself and his previous addictions. The other thing I wonder is why comedian's like Chris Rock and Carlos Mencena (I like both) are allowed to do comedy that has some racial aspects. It is done in a sarcastic manner making fun of stereotypes and that is fine with every one. Isn't there a bit of a double standard?
I can't believe this writer and others are actually giving Imus the benefit of the doubt. Imus has not earned the benefit of the doubt. The good things Imus does you say?? Throughout history there have been many whites who did “good things” for white people but supported oppressing and lynching blacks. Louis Farrakhan does good things for many black people, I don’t hear white people using the same analogy for him.The different between Chris Rock and Carlos Mencena is that politicians and the media were not legitimizing there point of view the way the did with Imus (Rush Limbaugh and others ) before the Rutgers remark. Imus WAS viewed as a mover and shaker in the political world. As a black man I never cared for Chris Rock and others like him whose main claim to fame was legitimizing calling black people the "N" word and being praised (and rewarded financially) as analytical. Blacks like Chris Rock, Dave Chappell, Eddie Murphy and others are paid millions by whites to spew racism at there own race.
"He was trying to make a point that there is profiling going on. "
Or maybe he was trying to make the point that black men are criminals.
He doesn't have enough goodwill in the bank to get the benefit of the doubt on questions like this.
* "I think folks must also take in consideration the good things Imus does. He has his ranch for kids with cancer so there is some goodness in his heart."
Harry Shearer noted that the reason why his favorite SIMPSONS character to perform is Mr. Burns is because Burns is too smart to try to offset his evil with the occasional good deed, such as opening a ranch for kids with cancer. Dig deep enough and you'll discover that the average hero has feet of clay and the average vapebait has some admirable qualities that don't absolve him of his crimes..
Ok Stephen, you can stand with Imus but to a lot of the rest of us, Imus maxed out his credit card of good will with the Rutgers comments. I am not really sure if he is a racist but his producer Bernard most certainly is - so why hasn't Imus seen this and cut off his microphone long before this current gig?
One more thing for a drug addicted drunk who hit the lotto with his radio show - he sure is self rightous and holier than thou.
"I am called The Imus and I have not had any real publicity lately ! and the Little people are not listening to my wonderful show! What can I do to create some real major publicity? I wonder?
This was a non-issue. I can't stand Imus - but I can't see anything here other than terminal lameness. He wouldn't make a dumb racist statement at this point in his career. But he is perfectly capable of making a dumb sarcastic statement.
YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO STAD BY ANY FOOL YOU CHOOSE TOO IN THE USA !!!
Like George Carlin said never give up. Don't let go of an Idea even if it is wrong if it harms you. It takes a Special kind of person the stick with some things.
You go on and BE SPECIAL!!!!
east coast radio is an acquired distaste.
YEah, cuz Adam Carolla is such a classy guy.....
Good luck trying to get that argument across on this site. Context and other esoteric matters do not fly here unless it's THEIR person in question. It does not count with who they have been told is the enemy. More phoney outrage. But Imus is still only mildly entertaining.
According to Dick Morris, this matter of the unfair attack on Imus has now cost Obama 243,755 votes.
Well, not for sure yet.
Dick Morris is the smarmiest most annoying self-absorbed commentators on TV. He just tries to throw out sensationalistic comments that will get him more press. Ignore that man.
The most apt description I have heard of Dick Morris is "toad".
If you don't like Imus, don't listen to him. Mind your own business. Listen to Sharpton, the professional instigator. By the way, how's Tawana Brawley doing with her new name in North Carolina?
Imus is only 'funny' to racist sexist white males with really big egos and teeny tiny weenies.
So, so true.
don't forget John Steward
Haha. That is the most ironically racist and sexist comment. Goes to show that nobody should listen to these politically correct fools who lunge after sound bites when there are real problems in the world. Get a life, lady.
In this instance, I tend to agree. I listened to the entire exchange several times, and I heard a guy who was trying to be hip about LWB (Living While Black). Being Don Imus, it came out like it did.
That's the problem. It's Imus. I'm still disturbed about the Rutgers and similar comments. I agree he should have been canned last time.
I've never thought he was funny. He's an egotistical jerk. I don't believe he deserves the benefit of the doubt. However, to me, the benefit of the doubt doesn't figure here.
Thank you. But haven't you noticed that there are STILL a lot of people trying to tell YOU what is funny!
Can you believe the audacity of these douche-nozzles?
If you don't like Imus, that'll be fine.... but please don't act like thought police and tell me who I should and shouldn't seek out in the media for entertainment.
If you never liked Imus in the first place... why does he irritate you so much? "Me thinks the lady doth protest too much."
Imus is an easy target. But remember that Imus has had haters his whole career.
btw I STILL think nappy is a hilarious word.
Why is no one going after Rush Limbaugh - he's said some awful things - like blacks/Katrina....why don't they go after him? Strange isn't it?
Also, what about Michael Savage - he's really said some horrible things.
Something doesn't pass the smell test here - it's okay for right wing radio talk show bigots to shoot of their mouths and yet Imus gets trampled on?
C'mon - anyone that's upset with Imus should also be demanding that Limbaugh, Savage and a few others be fired.
Put you money where your mouths are folks - it's all or nothing. Shouldn't have this double-standard.
Or Pat Buchanan. He is a serial offender. Fair is fair. As I said in another comment to another story here today, I don't think Don Imus' comments were meant to be negative. I believe him when he said he was coming to Jones' defense.
You have to look at his whole comments. I don't support any of his old, ugly comments, but this time, I think Imus is being unfairly attacked.
I am a black female, who watched Don Imus when he was on MSNBC. Cursed him a lot when I watched his show, but there were times when he spoke truth to power. Those people would come on his show looking to get publicity. He was straight up with them, and did not mince his words, when necessary. He is crude and crass, but I also think he's done a lot help chronically ill children.
I hope this blows over for him, because I do think he is innocent. And I think he would be suicidal to try go spewing more racists comments, after what happened to him.
Savage was fired from MSNBC for some of the horrible things he's said.
Limbaugh is on his own network and his shows are syndicated so he can't be fired. People should write the advertisers who support the radio stations that carry his show to be sure.
If Imus has the right to say what he wants, then people have a right to call him on it. Imus has all of the free speech he wants, but that doesn't make him immune to the consequences of what he says. The people Imus offends have just as much of a right to free speech as he.
The difference with Imus is that he isn't on right-wing talk radio, he's on a network that has a broader audience. So he isn't as insulated as Limbaugh. As someone who has been in the business this long, he should know better and the fact he doesn't is kind of pathetic.
"Rush Limbaugh - he's said some awful things - like blacks/Katrina"
Um, can you be a little more specific or are you just referring to a liberal template that's been etched in your tiny little mind?
Au contraire, Imus is racist. Just because he can't see it doesn't make it false. Many people are blind to their own bigotry. A coworker this morning surprised me when he commented about who showed up for handouts in Wisconsin. The crowd he said was 100 percent black. He then mumbled something about not being surprised. What shocked me was he was a teacher in an all black school district and loved the job. Yet, there's something about blacks he finds distasteful.
Most people have prejudices of some sort and most aren't based on past experiences.
The bigger issue alluded to by Imus is the disproportionate amount of crime committed by blacks, particularly black males. Why is it so frigging out of proportion? Is this the legacy of slavery and Jim Crow or the continued dissolution of the black nuclear family exacerbated by rampant drug use?
Other than locking them up after the crime what are we as a society going to do to be proactive? I laughed when the other day East St Louis received 10,000 dollars to help at risk kids. Ten grand covers what, 2 to 3 months of one person's incarceration?
That's B*shit! When has Imus every been concerned by the mistreatment of African Americans.
I'm not buying it, He is one of those old school aholes, who set in his racist way of thinking.
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