Imus “not-so-much” in the morning

By A.J. RUSSO, Ph.D.
As published May 2, 2007

The pressure to fire radio host Don Imus swelled shortly after he described the Rutgers team as “nappy-headed ...” while talking with his producer, Bernard McGuirk about the Knights’ loss to Tennessee in the NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship Game.

But CBS Radio and MSNBC, which does a simulcast broadcast of Mr. Imus’ radio program on its cable news channel, decided to suspend Mr. Imus, instead of letting him go.

While talking to his producer on air, the day after the Rutgers loss, Imus said, "That's some rough girls from Rutgers. Man, they got tattoos ..."

"Some hardcore ..." said McGuirk.

"That's some nappy headed … there, I'm going to tell you that," Imus said.

Near the start of the next "Imus in the Morning" show, Imus said he wanted to "apologize for an insensitive and ill-conceived remark we made the other morning referring to the Rutgers women's basketball team … It was completely inappropriate, and we can understand why people were offended. Our characterization was thoughtless and stupid, and we are sorry."

But some, including several African-American groups said they still wanted him off the air. Then Rutgers University officials and women's basketball players soundly criticized the radio host on a nationally televised news conference.

To many, suspension seemed like a mild slap of the hand.

Interestingly, in national polls, the public is split on what to do with the jock. Half want him gone, the other half are okay with forcing him to take a leave of absence.

But Imus has been in trouble before for being politically incorrect. In fact, he’s lived his broadcast life in and out of strife.

Recent controversies involving him focused on a member of his morning team, Sid Rosenberg, who was fired two years ago after a particularly contemptible crack about cancer-stricken singer Kylie Minogue. Before that, a racially tinted comment by Rosenberg about Venus and Serena Williams came under scrutiny.

The National Association of Broadcast Journalists 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".

Once a thief, always a thief—management at CBS understands this. But this publicity may have actually strengthened Imus’ fan base. The execs know this too.

But in the end, it was business as usual. As the advertisers pulled out, management pulled the plug.

[A.J. Russo received his BS at Hobart College and Masters and Ph.D. at Roswell Park Memorial Institute. He is a professor at Mount Saint Mary's College in Emmitsburg and the author of 10 novels and more than 30 scientific papers. He is the former head men's lacrosse coach at RIT and Mount Saint Mary's College. His opinions do not necessarily reflect those of Mount Saint Mary's College or the Mt. Airy Messenger.

Russo's novel, The Healer, published by Port Town Publishing, has been critically acclaimed. His novel, the Fragile Egg was re-released in 2006 and his novel, New Lodge Affair released in August 2006. All are available at Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com.

Visit A.J. Russo’s Podcast, Novels in Progress, where you can listen to the first five chapters of his newest novel, Recall. New chapters will be posted each week. web.mac.com/ajrusso1]