I Don't Give a Damn About Don Imus

Anyone who has watched him for any length of time, for whatever reason must understand that he is a wrinkled up old prune of a bigot.

What DOES bother me is the tacit approval that the corporate media has given him over the years to allow him and his crew to spew the degrading and insulting brand of "humor" that they generate. MSNBC has turned a blind eye to his show over the last ten years, strictly because he has increased their ratings. And now that the black community has finally stood up and said enough is enough, MSNBC has taken notice. They are scared to death of losing what ethnic viewership they have.

Dollars and cents type of moral indignation. Nothing more.

One other thing. I have watched Imus since he began simulcasting on MSNBC. Why? Absolutely nothing else on at that time of morning to watch, and, even though I have never been able to stomach Imus, Bernard and Rob Bartlett's insulting behavior that supposedly passes for humor, the show does offer numerous guest interviews which I am interested in.

I realize now that I have been an Imus and MSNBC enabler, and should take partial responsibility for helping to create and maintain this atmosphere of bigotry that passes as a "humorous little radio show." I no longer will watch Don Imus.

Shame on MSNBC for not putting a tight leash on Imus and his crew's mouths years ago.

Of course, Sam wouldn't give the advertisers the same form of propatainment that Imus does. Sam isn't an a$$hole.

of bloviating rich and famous apologists that have come to Imus' defense.


We live in a circus atmosphere in America today where people who do outrageous things are rewarded with celebrity status. Brittney Spears, Anna Nicole, Don Imus... the list is endless. And I haven't quite figured out whether Americans are TRULY fascinated by these people, or if the 24 hour news media just forces these people down our throats and try to make it look as though we are all preoccupied by these misfits.

Pay them enough, and they will defend anything—war, racism, sexism, unfair trade, offshoring, anything.

If they start seeing that the punishment for this sort of behavior is being yanked and having a voice for the other side replace them, then they might tell their other favorite wingnut machines that they should be more careful so that the same thing doesn't happen to them.

Of course, I know in the real world, a business like NBC will just say things like we don't intentionally replace them with someone of opposite demographics. "That wouldn't be good business on our part", they would say, but if some way could be found to force that sort of punishment, that would be cool!

The airwaves belong to us, the people - and I wish someone would speak for me!

distraction.

that is until yesterday.

They need to set him free -- and get him off their schedule. His show's worse than watching paint dry; more like watching paint dry-up and crack.

:) :kick:

relationship: they give him "respectability" and relevance; he gives them a "hip" cache venue to promote themselves, their outlets, their books. It's about promotion & cross promotion.

What would his show be without pols, Presidential candidates and prominent media types sucking up for air time?

It's not Meet The Press, but how different is it in some respects? Isn't it a "favored venue" among the DC and media crowd?

NBC has its folks on Imus, why? Why does he have them on? Cause Andrea Mitchell is such a fun gal? It's cross-promotion. Advertising their brands, Imus and NBC/MSNBC.

Imus didn't do a mea culpa on his own. He blew it off. But this thing got more traction than they thought and NBC/CBS did crisis mgt. They basically forced an apology and slapped him around (Matt Lauer doing the obligatory "tough" interview this morning on Today) so they could provide cover for themselves and all those pols and media types who'll be appearing again on his program. Crisis mgt, preserving the brand, preserving the venue. It's theater and drama, and I bet his ratings are up now and when he comes back from his enforced time out.