Don Imus and his producers Bernard McGurk and Sid Rosenberg on Wednesday, April 4th, 2007 - Simulcast on CBS Radio & MSNBC:
"IMUS: So, I watched the basketball game last night between -- a little bit of Rutgers and Tennessee, the women's final.
ROSENBERG: Yeah, Tennessee won last night -- seventh championship for [Tennessee coach] Pat Summitt, I-Man. They beat Rutgers by 13 points.
IMUS: That's some rough girls from Rutgers. Man, they got tattoos and --
McGUIRK: Some hard-core hos.
IMUS: That's some nappy-headed hos there. I'm gonna tell you that now, man, that's some -- woo. And the girls from Tennessee, they all look cute, you know, so, like -- kinda like -- I don't know.
McGUIRK: A Spike Lee thing.
IMUS: Yeah.
McGUIRK: The Jigaboos vs. the Wannabes -- that movie that he had."
What a week. A week ago Don Imus makes a racist and sexist comment to a group of beautiful and gifted young ladies whom he never even met and didn't even know. Over the next several days we see how this situation evolved into a bigger and bigger situation not only for Imus, but for the young ladies, their coaches, their school, the students, national and international media and press and the general public that heard the story and who didn't? It becomes the main topic on almost every radio program and talk radio program you can imagine. They actually stopped the music for this on many Hip-Hop stations and opened up the phone lines to take listener's calls on it.
How do I feel a week later? Well, as we all know, the news was announced yesterday that not only did MSNBC fire Imus, CBS Radio did too. Oh, and did I mention the advertisers that pulled out? Think that had something to do with MSNBC and CBS' decision? It seemed not until those initial 3 advertisers pulled their business did MSNBC and CBS take it seriously. Once again, in America, its the almighty dollar that talks. They didn't want any more clients to pull out too.
I think this whole week was a learning lesson for me and I hope for many other people. Not because racism is anything new of course but because it's always interesting to hear people's opinions on a situation like this because they always vary.
My opinion on the overall Imus situation is, yes, it was out of place and dead wrong for Don Imus to make the racist and sexist remarks he did. Now, a question. Do I think Don Imus woke up that morning, had his orange juice, coffee, and morning paper, rubbed his hands together and said to himself, "Today, I'm going to get those Rutgers girls? Oh, hell, yeah! I'm going to call them something today after seeing last nights game!" I don't think so but who knows? He could have. I think it was something that just came out but if Imus is culturally conditioned to think of Black people in that way then yes, that is a serious problem. That is, if he already had a thought in his mind from that game to make some comment on them the next morning that would be derogatory.
Now, to me, it sounded impromptu. But it sounded like in Dom Imus' and his producer's minds, those kind of thoughts and words are OK to think and say publicly and that to me, is a problem whether one intends to be evil or racist or not. By them thinking it alone is a problem. And thinking that is true or OK to say without any repercussions or consequences. Dead wrong.
Can I add something real quick here before I get too deep into this? It seems from the times I have watched Imus' show on MSNBC, Imus's producers are always nervously trying to come up with something to "feed" Imus. It seemed on most days they themselves were nervous because of him and just tried to stay in his good graces. Just an observation. From a radio guy's point of view, the energy seemed all wrong every time I checked in to watch Imus. Oftentimes, it seemed everyone on that show was reaching. Reaching for jokes. Reaching to be funny. Reaching to say something in agreement with Imus. It smelled and looked like this show was on its last leg. I actually had forgotten Imus was still on the air. OK, moving on.
My question always gets back to intent. What was and is a person's intention? Do I think it was Imus' intention to be evil and racist? Honestly, I don't think it was his intent to hurt the ladies but it did anyway as do insults and racial slurs everyday. Are you surprised? It's just how I feel after hearing his remarks over and over again. I actually think he was being his self. Does that mean that underneath it all Imus is a bigot and a racist? Could be. Could it be that he is just as socially conditioned as a lot of other folks? Could be that too. Could it be both? Could be.
I think the problem is a lot of white men in positions like the one he holds, whether it is in politics, business, etc. actually feel there is totally nothing wrong with making statements like those he made and that is dead wrong.
In truth Imus' producer uttered the "nappy headed hos" comment first and I am guessing to "sound hip or Black or Hip-Hop Black or Urban too" or whatever Imus thought he was doing, he quickly followed with repeating the comments. Now, whether Imus intended to hurt the ladies or not, obviously he did hurt them and a lot of other people too. Once again, intention or just being careless, indifferent or racist. Some could say his intention was subjective. In this case though, the way he did it, to call Black young ladies "nappy headed ho's" Imus was being directly subjective to Black Women. Just like he called PBS' Gwen Ifill a cleaning lady and just like he said the Williams Sisters look like they need to be on the cover of National Geographic. Racist. Simple and plain. And culturally conditioned.
Is there such a thing as being or feeling so untouchable or believing you are so secure you can say absolutely anything you want and get away with it each time?
Is there such a thing as forgetting for a split second that you are not only being heard on the radio but you are also being simulcast on a cable news channel for 3 hours? Is there such a thing?
Or do you just feel so comfortable with yourself and feel you can't be moved no matter what you say, you just continue to say whatever the heck you want on a daily basis? Some people call that arrogance.
Or, are you just an old man who has been in a stuffy radio studio for so long that one day you just plumb ran out of things to say so we really saw and heard your true self? Isn't that called a slip? Or did you just reveal yourself for what and who you really are?
Questions that came to my mind this week.
I think it was important the world called Imus on his words this time because as we have learned this week, this was not his first time in over 30 years of broadcasting he made such remarks towards Black people and in particular women of color.
So what can we call it? Bad timing for Imus? Call it he had the misfortune of saying a very bad thing in the middle of a very slow news week? Or maybe call it "Roots" has been on TV One for the last week and a lot of people have been tuning in every night and Imus was just another sheer reminder that racism is alive and kicking. Especially after Sunday night's "Roots" where we heard European seamen call African women "winches" and "belly-warmers" on the slave ships and this was before they even made it to the shores of America. These were names they had already assigned to them.
How about over 400 years of Black people being called everything but Children of God and either the laws or the rules in this country said we could not say anything or do anything about it? Through slavery. Through segregation. After segregation. Right up to experiencing racism today and being called guilty of pulling a Race Card. Choose what you may call it.
Maybe this was all divine timing that this all happened this week.
Whatever the reason, Mr. Imus was not able to get away with what he normally does this week and I am happy about that.
Did I think he ought to be fired? That question I have a problem with because it is all too easy to fire a person and think you have solved the problem. But since the dangblang reporters keep asking the question over and over again - Sure. Fire him. I was not a fan of his before all this and yes, I had caught him several times, and I am a big radio guy when it comes to listening to talk radio across the board from left wing to middle to right wing. I listen for many things. Not just because I am into the host or the subject matter they discuss though that can be part of it. Having worked in radio for almost 20 years, I listen for many things I think the average person is not paying attention to but that is for another post!
I also felt that all of Imus' comments after the fact confirmed to me that he only said what he said afterwards because he had been caught and the reaction had been so strong. Had the reaction not been what it was and is, I seriously doubt we would have heard on word of an apology from Imus on what he said one way or another. As a matter of fact he could have gone much worse later. I think he would have just rolled on like he did with the rest of his show that day.
The next part of this - Imus' meeting with the team, coaches and parents that is coming up very soon. Though I think it's commendable that they want to meet with him, at this point I feel it's so after the fact and it's all too predictable as to whatever "apology" he has planned to offer. As far as I am concerned, the man is in hot water and he knows it and he's trying to save not only face but what's left of his career.
OK, onto the whole Hip-Hop debate and how some people are saying current commercial Rap and Hip-Hop are to blame for this whole thing. Oh, and how some people are saying you can't compare what the rappers in Hip-Hop call women in comparison to this. Well, I feel like this - Racism is racism is racism and Sexism is sexism is sexism. With or without negative Rap and negative Hip-Hop. But at the same time I think it doesn't help that so much of the Rap and Hip-Hop we hear today is so negative, degrading towards women, materialistic and more.
When I heard Don Imus's producer say what he said, it sounded like he, himself was trying to be "Hip-Hop Black" or "Urban" or what they may consider "Black" or "Urban." That is a BIG MISTAKE right there because as most Black people know, what is being displayed and played everyday on the radio and on the music channels is not what being Black is or about. It may represent SOME people's lives or lifestyles but it is definitely not representative of the whole pie of Black peoples lives. We are too diverse to be even believed to be that. Are you kidding me?
Believe me when I tell you, if you don't know by now, what BET and MTV and all of these Hip-Hop stations are playing may be one slice of the pie but that's it. Yet the record companies and radio station owners are pumping or should I say milking that manufactured image to the world to the fullest for what now, going on 20 years? And before that we had the whole pimp image in the 70s that was exploited. And it goes on and on.
I feel that this was another wake up moment for America. Why? Because America is mostly sleep. Either sleep or high. Over-sexed. Over-hyped. Over-worked. Over-boozed. Over-exposed Over-entertained. Over-video-gamed. Over-DVD'd. Hell, there's even a war still going on.
Also, America still refuses to deal with race. When I say America, let me be clear, I mean Americans who to this day refuse to believe race is problem for people of color in this country. Is that racist? No, just an observation. I say this because every time something racial happens we see what see this week. Something can be as clear as day and a large part of America will still stunningly say "why are they saying that's racist?" To me it shows just how culturally conditioned people are. I actually think we all are culturally conditioned to some degrees and that is just the result of every image we see and hear on the radio, TV, Film and who all is controlling those images. We all suffer from stereotypical racist images. Not just one group.
I want this Imus situation to inspire people including myself, to work to eliminate all negative words, expressions, images and more from Black music and videos in particular and all entertainment and music and life everyday. I want to see us use this same energy to getting rid of all the negative Rap and Hip-Hop on all the stations, black owned and white owned. It's over and done. It's been done for too long. It's dead. It expired years ago and they keep pushing it past its expiration date.
If we can spend this much energy as Black people saying "That was wrong what he said! That was not right!" why can't we unite like this again and take on these record companies, radio stations and more and unite and say once and for all "We are thru with all of this. Enough is Enough. No more." I believe in my heart of hearts that we can and we will win in doing so. I believe we will be successful.
If we have the power to get rid of an Imus almost overnight, we have the power as people to get rid of every negative image, expression, musical form...any and everything we know in our heart of hearts that is not right. We have the power to change this reality for the better for all overnight.
LT Out! Until next post, Peace!
P.S. CBS and MSNBC knew exactly how Imus had been acting on the air for years and didn't say squat, so they have some responsibility in this too. They are after all the owners. Once again, this was and is bigger than Imus. You can pass the blame hat around some tables on this one.
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