Imus update

[polksalet]

IMUS: 'WHEN WILL SHARPTON APOLOGIZE TO DUKE PLAYERS'?

Thu Apr 12 2007 10:02:02 ET

 

Patrick Gavin with FISHBOWLDC reports on Imus's radio show this am...

 

Barely 12 hours after being fired from MSNBC...

 

6:12 AM: On Imus' radio program (no longer simulcast on MSNBC) this morning, Chris Carlin, who covers sports for the program, discussed yesterday's dismissal of charges against the Duke lacrosse players.

 

(rough transcript)

 

 

 

DON IMUS: When will Al Sharpton be apologizing to them?

 

(LAUGHTER)

 

CARLIN: I'm unaware of such a press conference.

 

IMUS: I'll be darned...

 

 

 

UPDATE 6:28 AM: After a station break, Imus came back to discuss MSNBC's decision. He said he was recently chatted with "another big time broadcasting executive" who was "complaining that [MSNBC] had cancelled the simulcast twelve hours before we were getting ready to conduct this radio-thon for these three charities."

 

Imus: "My position on all of this is not whining about the hideously hypocritical coverage from the newspapers -- from everybody -- or the lack of support, say, from people like Harold Ford, Jr. who I had my life threatened over supporting and all these kind of things. It all began, and it doesn't make any difference -- like [James] Carville said -- stop talking about the context, it doesn't make any difference. If I hadn't have said it I wouldn't be here. So let's stop whining about it...You gotta stop complaining. I said a stupid, idiotic thing that desperately hurt these kids. I'm going to apologize but we gotta move on."

 

UPDATE 7:37 am. IMUS: "The hypocrisy is absurd...Everybody knows what the deal is. And this is not over. This story does not end here."

 

Imus also gave a shout-out to Opie & Anthony, who support Imus on this issue.

 

UPDATE 7:57:

 

Imus says he spoke with MSNBC Senior VP Phil Griffin and said "some of the stuff that MSNBC has done this morning is frankly unethical and I've asked them to stop doing it."

 

But also said, "I'm not whining about the coverage. I'm not whining about any aspect of this."

 

"I've said 100 times: I said it and if I hadn't said it, we wouodn't be sitting here talking about it. And that's the bottom line."

 

Imus also said that losing television (via MSNBC) isn't as big as losing radio. "The big part of the program is radio. There's millions of people listening to the radio. At best a few hundred thousand are watching television."

 

On MSNBC's decision: "I understand the pressure they were under. I'm not stupid."

 

UPDATE 8:15am: Speaking with an African-American woman, whose son had spent time at the Imus Ranch, Imus said, "And I want to say to you as an African-American woman, I'm sorry for what I said...I want to apologize to all African-American women." The woman said, "Okay, I accept that."

 

UPDATE 8:19AM: Imus said that one of the "sad ironies of my stupidity" is that, at his ranch, "we sent six kids home because they couldn't stop calling girls bitches and hos."

 

UPDATE 8:21AM: "I want to thank Opie & Anthony...I love them and I love what they do. I know they offend people perhaps more than I do. They're good loyal guys...Even Howard [stern] hasn't been horrible." (Although if you read this Stern show summary, seems like Stern still has his claws out against his longtime nemesis.) UPDATE 8:28AM: Imus says that he's had "a lot of big people in the media" calling him "whining about the hypocrsity in the coverage. We understand that. You just turn on the cable channels or read the newspaper, trying to portray me as some vicious racist or whatever and there's not one person talking about the other things I've done...There's a difference between premeditated murder and a gun going off...But you've got to take your medicine. I'm not whining about it."

 

"Don't tell me that context isn't important. Context is importnat in everything we do in our lives. But it's not an excuse."

 

UPDATE 8:38AM: Despite the controversy, Imus says contributions for The Tomorrows Children Fund and the Imus Ranch are "way, way up" compared to this time in the show last year, which is significant because "the money's more important this year than ever."

 

He added: "These bastards went after me. They got me. But they didn't catch me asleep."

 

UPDATE 8:44AM: MSNBC's Imus webpage is still up, with a statement and link to Imus' charities.

 

UPDATE 8:45am: "One day you've got a radio and tv show and one day you don't...Ordinarily we need to raise $3 million, this year we need to raise $100 million -- just in case (Laughter)."

 

UPDATE 8:57AM: Tells his friends, "Don't call me telling me that the coverage is unfair...If I hadn't said it, there'd be no coverage...Shut up about it...I've been dishing it out for a long time, and now it's my turn...I'm not going to whine about it."

 

Imus also lets readers know that he's doing today's show in the MSNBC studio.

 

UPDATE 9:01AM: Charlie McCord says that they've raised over $400,000.

 

UPDATE 9:10AM: On MSNBC:I understand their decision." "I appreciate them letting us use their studio this morning."

 

To "all of my friends in the media, out of the media: You can't whine about this...We wouldn't have been there if I hadn't said it."

 

He again called media coverage "outrageously hypocritical."

 

"Harold Ford, Jr. has been disgraceful in his lack of support. I endured death threats to endorse him...It's unfortunate that he has no courage."

 

"I'm not surprised by any of this. I'm not surprised at the hypocrisy of Al Sharpton, of Jesse Jackson or any of these people. But you can't whine about it."

 

"We can talk about all the good work that I've done forever, but I still said that. I'm not making any excuses. Everybody's got to stop whining and quit talking about it."

 

UPDATE 9:25AM: "I've dished it out for a long time and now it's my time to take it. That's fine. Bring it on."

 

UPDATE 9:28AM: After one guest said "kick ass," then followed that with "can I say that?" Imus said, "I think today you can say anything."

 

UPDATE 9:37: "We've never done this well before" (regarding the radiothon)

 

UPDATE 9:38: On meeting with the Rutgers basketball players: "I can't go through the rest of my life -- nor can they -- without us having this conversation and me telling them how I feel and, more importantly, them telling me how they feel."

[Yukon Cornelius]

[Bill Swerski]

IMUS: 'WHEN WILL SHARPTON APOLOGIZE TO DUKE PLAYERS'?

Thu Apr 12 2007 10:02:02 ET

 

Patrick Gavin with FISHBOWLDC reports on Imus's radio show this am...

 

Barely 12 hours after being fired from MSNBC...

 

6:12 AM: On Imus' radio program (no longer simulcast on MSNBC) this morning, Chris Carlin, who covers sports for the program, discussed yesterday's dismissal of charges against the Duke lacrosse players.

 

(rough transcript)

DON IMUS: When will Al Sharpton be apologizing to them?

 

(LAUGHTER)

 

CARLIN: I'm unaware of such a press conference.

 

IMUS: I'll be darned...

 

 

I don't like Imus, but he's dead-on correct here.

[dmarc117]

i remember a hymie-town comment by jesse

[gbpfan1231]

How many white people work for Sharpton or Jesse Jackson?

 

Hmm just a question?

[Savage Beatings]

Could there really be anything worse than trying to pick a side in an argument between Imus and Al Sharpton?

[dmarc117]

Could there really be anything worse than trying to pick a side in an argument between Imus and Al Sharpton?

 

 

yes...2 threads active at the moment come to mind

[alexgaddis]

Thats the funny part, Sharpton is the biggest racist of them all...

[Bill Swerski]

Could there really be anything worse than trying to pick a side in an argument between Imus and Al Sharpton?

 

 

Not really.

 

Then again, I'll step out on a limb and say that falsely accusing somebody of rape is a hell of a lot worse than using a derogatory racial slur as part of a bad joke.

[godtomsatan]

Can someone come up with an inflammatory quote from Sharpton regarding the Duke thing? I heard Limbaugh going off on it today, but I can't find anything specific other than "support for the victim" kind of stuff.

[Bill Swerski]

Can someone come up with an inflammatory quote from Sharpton regarding the Duke thing? I heard Limbaugh going off on it today, but I can't find anything specific other than "support for the victim" kind of stuff.

 

I'd say that calling this person a "victim" rather than an "accuser" with no evidence and before due process is inflammatory enough.

[godtomsatan]

I'd say that calling this person a "victim" rather than an "accuser" with no evidence and before due process is inflammatory enough.

 

 

So he should apologize for referring to the woman as a victim?

[tonorator]

I'd say that calling this person a "victim" rather than an "accuser" with no evidence and before due process is inflammatory enough.

 

 

that seems thin. i'd like to see more quotes from sharpton before i start calling for his apology.

 

why the heck did imus go on sharpton's show at all if he's going to criticize him later? by going on his show, he's giving al the power as the speaker for the race and the person he needs to answer to. he needs to answer first to those girls.

[polksalet]

cbs just fired imus

[Wolverines Fan]

cbs just fired imus

 

 

I wouldn't feel sorry for him. He'll either retire or get some gig on XM or Sirius. And I think he can say anything he wants to on satellite radio...right?

[Mark5]

Does this mean that the WNBA will be an INFERIOR product next season? OOPS, IT ALREADY IS..

[polksalet]

Does this mean that the WNBA will be an INFERIOR product next season? OOPS, IT ALREADY IS..

 

[Rovers]

So, I guess the Imus ranch and the "Tomorrow's Children Fund" go defunct and broke, respectively. Nice legacy, Sharpton. Now, about making financial retribution to the people's who's lives you ruined in the Tawana Brawley fiasco, and oh, that apology to the Duke lacrosse team.....

[detlef]

So, I guess the Imus ranch and the "Tomorrow's Children Fund" go defunct and broke, respectively. Nice legacy, Sharpton. Now, about making financial retribution to the people's who's lives you ruined in the Tawana Brawley fiasco, and oh, that apology to the Duke lacrosse team.....

 

Chasing Imus off the air likely doesn't crack the top 50 in terms of things Sharpton should be ashamed of. In terms of Imus himself, dude will be fine and did screw up royally.

[godtomsatan]

So, I guess the Imus ranch and the "Tomorrow's Children Fund" go defunct and broke, respectively. Nice legacy, Sharpton.

 

 

It's Sharpton's fault Imus is a misogynist and a racist?

 

Now, about making financial retribution to the people's who's lives you ruined in the Tawana Brawley fiasco, and oh, that apology to the Duke lacrosse team.....

 

 

Again, what did Sharpton say in regards to the Duke thing? I've looked online, because I keep hearing that he needs to apologize, and I can't find anything particularly inflammatory or slanderous attributed to him. I don't doubt that he said something, but I just don't know what he said.

 

While I understand that this isn't the worst thing that someone (even Imus) can say on air, the fact of the matter is that what he said was moderately offensive to women and blacks, and in particular, a group of black women, who are probably the farthest thing from being nappy headed hos young black women could be.

 

One more angry white guy off the air. No big loss.

[Bill Swerski]

One more angry white guy off the air. No big loss.

 

What does the color of his skin have to do with this?

[Czarina]

I think it's ridiculous he's losing his job over this. I'm no huge Imus fan or anything, but the man stood up and took responsibility for what he did and apologized (over and over and over). Enough already. CBS knew what they had in Imus when they hired him and they've been more than happy to be making money from airing his show all these years. Now that the Sega! hits the fan, they cave to the Sharpton and Jackson crowd like a bunch of cowards. Pfft.

[wiegie]

I think it's ridiculous he's losing his job over this. I'm no huge Imus fan or anything, but the man stood up and took responsibility for what he did and apologized (over and over and over). Enough already. CBS knew what they had in Imus when they hired him and they've been more than happy to be making money from airing his show all these years. Now that the Sega! hits the fan, they cave to the Sharpton and Jackson crowd like a bunch of cowards. Pfft.

 

exactly

[Rovers]

It's Sharpton's fault Imus is a misogynist and a racist?

Again, what did Sharpton say in regards to the Duke thing? I've looked online, because I keep hearing that he needs to apologize, and I can't find anything particularly inflammatory or slanderous attributed to him. I don't doubt that he said something, but I just don't know what he said.

 

While I understand that this isn't the worst thing that someone (even Imus) can say on air, the fact of the matter is that what he said was moderately offensive to women and blacks, and in particular, a group of black women, who are probably the farthest thing from being nappy headed hos young black women could be.

 

One more angry white guy off the air. No big loss.

 

 

No big loss? Tell that to the guys at Walter Reed, the kids that won't go to the ranch, and the kids with cancer who won't get treated because Sharpton had to have a lynching. I'm frankly, not an Imus fan.... but I have to say his body of work in the area of kids with cancer and shaming the turds in Washington into caring for maimed war vets is (was) worth his idiotic attempts at humor. As far as searching for Sharpton's comments on the Duke kids, I saw some, but am not motivated to spend the 20 minutes trying to go dig it up.... Sharpton isn't worth the keystrokes I've already wasted on that .... almost had an "Imus moment"... jerk.

 

Imus also raised another 10 mil for a long term rehab center for injured war vets in Texas, because Washington refused to pony the money up.... I'd say we'de be much better off without another angry black man creating more racial conflict than some idiot comedian who happens to actually make life changing contributions to some of the very unfortunate in our society.

 

Now, if Imus didn't have black kids, or black war vets amoung those he's helped.... you might have a case. Imus did some very tasteless stuff with a Cardinal Egan impression, on Good Friday no less. Where was the righteous outrage then? He offends everyone, but this country's holy cow is the black thing. Double standand times 1000. And it's because of racial dividers like Sharpton who won't call out blacks in the entertaiment industry for far, FAR more serious slurs than this stupid episode. Heck, Sharpton was taped saying to that other guy who was pushing the Tawana Brawley thing as saying "We're the two biggest ****** in New York City!" Sharpton's whole life is dependent on attacking whites.... without that, he's nothing. He is counter productive to peaceful coexistance between peoples.... he' far more than Imus, an instigator of racial hatred.

[detlef]

I think it's ridiculous he's losing his job over this. I'm no huge Imus fan or anything, but the man stood up and took responsibility for what he did and apologized (over and over and over). Enough already. CBS knew what they had in Imus when they hired him and they've been more than happy to be making money from airing his show all these years. Now that the Sega! hits the fan, they cave to the Sharpton and Jackson crowd like a bunch of cowards. Pfft.

 

Werd. I'm not really shedding many tears for the guy because I'm not amazed that this went down this way in this day and age and dude did bring it upon himself. That said, I did manage to catch him on the air the other morning and I have never heard anyone more truly contrite publically about any misdoing ever. No canned statement. No "I'm sorry if I offended anyone". Just "What I did was obviously wrong and I hope to come back from my suspension a better man." That's exactly what a guy in his position should say in that situation but they always cheese out.