The topic at most watercoolers this week undoubtedly has been the racist comments made by Don Imus, his suspension and subsequent firing from MSNBC and CBS. Countless bloggers are also chatting about the same subject, so I figured I might as well throw my two cents in as well.
Now, I don’t want to sound like an insensitive buffoon, but I believe that there are bigger fish to fry in the world right now than to focus on what this guy said. “Shock jocks” have been saying ridiculous things in all sorts of places for a long time. That’s what they do. That’s what they get paid to do. In many respects, it’s a sad reflection of the state of our society. But, like many others, I am why does everyone have their panties in such a knot over this? Are we surprised that he said what he said? I’m not. He has said idiotic things like this before. So have many others. That’s what he does. That’s one of the things that makes him famous.
Of course it’s all about the money. MSNBC and CBS play the “oh the morals” card but we’re not stupid. We all know that they lost big bucks from big sponsors so they had to take a stand. If no one had pulled their sponsorship this week, Don Imus would still be on the air and this would not be a “hot topic”.
I’ve never listened to Imus. I don’t care to. His show is not my cup of tea. I can’t listen to him just as I can’t listen to the current excuse of Top 40 radio, where many of the same things are said on an hourly basis!!! I’m not defending his comments. They were ridiculous and hurtful. But on the other hand, that’s what the guy does. Why are we all getting worked up over this when Donald Trump has been saying incredibly vicious things about Rosie O’Donnell, Isaiah Washington continues to work (and wins awards!) after making incredibly stupid remarks about a gay co-workers and Mel Gibson continues to be a “big name” in Hollywood after his anti-semetic remarks. Why is the news industry picking on Imus? Are they distracting us from the real issues, including a failing war in Iraq and what is mounting to be a war with Iran?
I believe that this is absolutely the case.
Did Imus say rude, obnoxious, hurtful things? Yes he did. Was he wrong to say them? Depends on who you ask. I say he’s an idiot that gets paid to be an idiot. Should he have been fired for doing it? Absolutely not.
One thing that I find incredibly interesting is that Halle Barre is slated to appear in a movie to be released in 2008 entitled “Nappily Ever After”. Where is the outrage about this?
I TOTALLY agree!! If you don’t like it change the channel.
AMEN! Wait, can I say that? People get a life, there are so many more important things in the world! turn it over or turn it off if you don’t like it, let the man do his job as he done all these years.
I guess I’m not so sad to see Imus go. If that was my daughter that he was calling a whore, I’d be hunting him down to have a little talking to. What was especially troubling to me was he hadn’t singled out white girls in the same way- he was deliberately picking on the black girls. These girls had done absolutely nothing to deserve the name calling, and yet instead of being honored for playing basketball, they get to be called whores.