How could somebody as rich as him look so homeless? What ever happened to Kramer after his remarks? Kramer was 10 times worst.
Imus might as well just retire. He is done.
I hardly think Don Imus is analogous to either Kramer or Glenn Beck! Don Imus used some vulgar derogatory words when he commented on the Rutgers Women's Basketball Team but they were said without malice. Kramer, in his little tirade, went totally ballistic -- spewing venom and hate for 5+ minutes. Glenn Beck is more your everyday right-wing bigot.
If you've watched Imus for awhile (several years, in my case), you know that he really is not a racist (although Bernie and Sid Rosenberg certainly appear to be). Unfortunately, for the last 30 years he has been in the habit of using incredibly vulgar words during the part of his show when he is bantering with Bernie & Sid.
I agree that he needed to be confronted about the language -- but I think a 2 week suspension would've sufficed. He was genuinely horrified when he really thought about the implications of what he said -- and I believe he would have been true to his word re: working hard to change his show and use it partly as a forum to examine various aspects of racism in this society.
To fire him abruptly and permanently seemed to me (and the majority of others -- judging by all the blogs, articles, etc. I've read during the last week) to be a bit harsh. It seemed hypocritical, to say the least, for all the big sponsors (who've made millions from his show) to suddenly back out -- when he's been doing the same thing for years. I'm not condoning his behavior -- it really is unacceptable for him to blithely continue on in the same vein -- but I think the public humiliation (actually, "stoning" would be a more accurate way of describing it!) was quite enough.
As one political analyst who was a frequent guest on Imus put it, "The show was really kind of schizophrenic -- part 'salon' and part 'shock jock'." With regard to his audience, his numbers had been growing rapidly over the last few months and he had a very wide base of radio listeners.
Also, an appearance on his show was considered highly desirable by a host of well-known politicians, authors, musicians, and journalists. His show provided a format quite different from other talk shows: He allowed his guests plenty of time to talk -- without interruption -- and was good at drawing them out. They respected him and felt relaxed enough on his show to really open up. Over the years they shut their eyes to the vulgar banter and, in this sense, bear some responsibility for "enabling" him.
He has done so much good for so many people.... I really think he deserves another chance! (He almost single-handedly got the death benefit for veterans' families raised from $12,000 to $250,000; he was instrumental in getting the Intrepid Heroes state-of-the-art rehabilitation hospital for veterans built rapidly; he and his wife have dedicated themselves to developing the Imus Ranch -- solely for the purpose of giving groups of children with cancer a wonderful weeklong experience at the ranch; and they also have put tremendous effort into furthering research on autism, sickle cell anemia, childrens' malignancies and other pediatric diseases.)
calli2