Media & Journalism - April 2007

Caught in a Wildfire, Light Goes Out for Imus
Flying Solo Past the Point of No Return
By DAVID CARR, The New York Times
News Analysis

(April 13) - For a few days, it seemed as if Don Imus would somehow pull out of the death spiral. After all, once he came under fire, Mr. Imus said he was sorry for the racial insult, said he was sorry again and then began a week of penance, raising money on his own show for sick kids and turning up at various other microphones to renew his apology.

The Rutgers women's basketball team released a statement Friday, saying they "are in the process of forgiving" Don Imus for insulting them on the air.

But even as he went through the ritual of public mortification, his backers began to see what he did not: the drumbeat was not going to stop. The controversy metastasized and by Monday, the media began to lock and load. Mr. Imus, who had shrugged off the initial criticism last week, was fighting for survival.

“All the elements were there,” said James Carville, the political consultant who has appeared on the show and has seen a few stories blow up in his time. “You had some dry brush, gasoline, high winds, no rain and low humidity and before you know it, man, it was a wildfire.”

The toxicity of Mr. Imus’s remark, the innocence of his targets, and his refusal to put down the shovel — he dug himself deeper just about every time he opened his mouth — made last night’s decision by CBS to end his show seem almost inevitable. Disparate media imperatives were at work, but they converged and whipsawed into a self-sustaining frenzy.

2007-04-13 12:26:12 · 23 answers · asked by marnefirstinfantry 5

What was it that Imus did to get fired? I never got the full story, I can not believe this he has been on for at least 30 years.I personally did not listen to him but know a lot of people did.

2007-04-13 11:19:28 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous

2007-04-13 11:01:16 · 3 answers · asked by vazsingh_soorma 4

This whole incident might be the best thing that's happened to his career. Regardless of the statement being not right, there is no reason for someone like Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson demanding a man's living be taken away from him. I don't see them trying to stop rappers from recording records, stop with the double standards, why can blacks make publicly racial statements and people don't think twice, and if a white person does hell freezes over? Why the double standard?

2007-04-13 10:55:30 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous

2007-04-13 10:48:34 · 12 answers · asked by Patrick C 1

2007-04-13 10:33:54 · 22 answers · asked by Anonymous

.... for setting race relations back decades. they want segregation back only with the whites as slaves now.

2007-04-13 10:11:56 · 36 answers · asked by Anonymous

Please excuse my ignorance and explain what do this mean and how this sudenly became the "super" racial phrase.

2007-04-13 10:05:37 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous

2007-04-13 10:01:21 · 16 answers · asked by Anonymous

DID THEY THINK THAT ANYONE ACTUALLY THOUGHT THEY WERE HO'S? WHY RESPOND TO AN IGNORANT REMARK? IT WOULD'VE BEEN MUCH CLASSIER TO IGNORE IMUS.

2007-04-13 09:45:16 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous

Sorry but I think its all B.S and I am by no means an Imus fan, think about today's comedians and satirists, and what comes out of their mouths, this has become almost ridiculous!

2007-04-13 09:43:49 · 7 answers · asked by tom2day 2

shouldnt they be with imus ?????

2007-04-13 09:00:21 · 7 answers · asked by jamietogood 3

The show's charity fundraiser had raised more than $1.3 million Thursday before Imus learned he had lost his job. The total had grown Friday to more than $2.3 million for Tomorrows Children's Fund, CJ Foundation for SIDS and the Imus Ranch, Deirdre Imus said. The annual event has raised more than $40 million since 1990.
Imus' troubles have also affected his wife, the founder of a medical center that studies links between cancers and environmental hazards whose book "Green This!" came out this week. Her promotional tour was called off "because of the enormous pressure that Deirdre and her family are under," said Simon & Schuster publicist Victoria Meyer.
The Deirdre Imus Environmental Center for Pediatric Oncology in Hackensack, N.J., works to identify and control exposures to environmental hazards that may cause adult and childhood cancers. Imus Ranch in New Mexico invites children who have been ill to spend time on a working cattle ranch.

2007-04-13 08:53:02 · 3 answers · asked by Funnyaccountant 4

Jimmy the Greek was a sports figure,and Marge Shott owned a sports team.Like Don Imus they got in trouble with their mouth's.

2007-04-13 08:34:41 · 11 answers · asked by Karl M 1

I'm talking about don imus, kramer, and Mel gibson. don imus went to talk to Al sharpton bf the rutgers. the team which he insulted. kramer never apologized to the guy he said the racist comment 2. he went on the david letterman show to apologize to the black community. and mel gibson made his apologies were made to the media. I mean when you do something don't most ppl apologize to the person they did it to? just a question

2007-04-13 08:33:04 · 14 answers · asked by bunnygrl43 5

is the media going to report on now that Anna Nicole's baby has a daddy, and the Don Imus thing wears out? Does anybody remember a time when news was actually about important things that people cared about?

2007-04-13 08:30:57 · 8 answers · asked by fortillfriday 3

Give me a break! They'll just end -up playing in WNBA.... mark my word ! They're all over tv stations now. Imus made them famous. They should thank Imus for that , instead of accusing him a racist !

2007-04-13 08:24:56 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous

who thinks that if the comments were directed at ndn's he would still have his job?

2007-04-13 08:22:59 · 19 answers · asked by MS.J 1

or, how much money will he lose since he does not have his radio, and television gig any more?

2007-04-13 08:17:06 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous

could i sell my black hoes on ebay

2007-04-13 08:09:59 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous

2007-04-13 07:57:23 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous

Is everyone else tired of hearing about this Don Imus thing like I am? Well too too bad cause I'm gonna keep goin on about it as long as the blacks keep this racial stuff goin. They keep telling us to shut up and get over it BUT look who is telling who to shut up!! Keep goin white America it's time to quit wiping their sniffling noses!

2007-04-13 07:26:19 · 13 answers · asked by chatticathi52 4

do you even think they would have even known they were called Nappy Headed Hos?

So, who do we really blame for using them?

2007-04-13 07:05:45 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous

But what exactly did he say?? I know it was a racist remark or something...but I was just wondering what his statement was...

2007-04-13 07:01:26 · 4 answers · asked by angiebaby 2

I ask that because they were playing Tennessee when he made that statement and all he had to say about Tennessee was wonderful things. Do you think it was because they were white?

2007-04-13 06:30:48 · 18 answers · asked by ladym 3

As a Africian-American female I am more offended by the garbage in the rap videos.

2007-04-13 05:39:38 · 14 answers · asked by Ann_T 3

WHAT IS THE STATUS NOW THAT HE IS OUT ON BAIL IS HE GOING TO BE CHARGED WITH THIS CRIME
AND BE SENT BACK TO MEXICO

2007-04-13 04:30:23 · 6 answers · asked by loriescool420 1

just because his was so much more offensive and racist then what Don Imus said. not that I'm defending don Imus in the least, i was just wondering cause i can't remember any public statements or anything like that from Al Sharpton in reference to that.

2007-04-13 04:27:19 · 9 answers · asked by LISA M 3

I am not fooled by his pretend to care attitude regarding his pejarotive slurs, as though he didn't realize he was being offensive. Anyone who ahs ever listened to him know he is offensive on purpose to make people feel badly about their race, or age, or sexual orientation or his sexist hating. I have never heard him NOT offending others. SO, what a lame L.D. to think that the American listening public is fooled by his fake concern.
Go away Imus, you JERK. And god bless your poor wife.

2007-04-13 04:00:51 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous

office setting?

2007-04-13 03:59:29 · 5 answers · asked by Reserved 6