Pajiba

My guess about Imus being lambasted similarly to Richards is because he has a greater history of racism on his radio program. His recent comments weren't limited to racism but also sexism and misogyny to boot. And while Richards lost his cool, Imus said what he said in calm conversation.

I never listened to his program but from what I gather he's a total ass who needs a haircut. And he has the PR wherewithal to be charitable so when things like this happen he can say, "I said something terrible but look at me while I bring at-risk youth to my ranch."

Oh, that video is good stuff.

That's one thing I have never understood: the pride and joy certain people get from being the first person to reply to a new article/blog entry/whatever. I should keep it to myself, but I occasionally see what the AICN people have to say (occasionally!), and I love seeing 3 or 4 "First!"s in a row from people who just missed it.

It's also funny that this video is from College Humor. Certain people claim "First!" on that site now, too (usually with the obligatory "...bitches" following it). Only on CH.com, people who post first are usually called out as jackasses by everyone else who realizes that it's no effin' big deal. That doesn't happen on other sites (like AICN, who probably all deserve to be called jackasses...)

OK, I'm done with that. Good stuff.

Also, about the Imus crap, I agree with Jim Rome's take on it all: Why is it such a big deal for him, but athletes/rappers/numerous other individuals can say it without a hitch? No, he shouldn't have said any of it, but he has the right to say it (along with all of those other people). Either they should all be allowed, or none of them. And Rome is sticking to his guns on that.

While I don't agree with Imus' comments...is what he said any worse than Anne Coulter calling John Edwards a "faggot" on Fox? I don't think she was suspended for 2 weeks or really had any backlash...just a thought

I don't mind insults, I enjoy satire, and I think that anyone has the right to call the idiot in the White House an idiot. That being said, I am willing to face the consequences of my words - Imus doesn't seem to be. Richards had a small audience, and because of his words, it will be a long time before he sees a larger one. Imus has a national audience, and thought it was funny to insult a group of talented young women using some of the most derogatory language he could use. Frankly, "Oops, my bad" isn't going to cut it. I can't force him off the air, but I can let CBS, MSNBC, WFAN, and all his sponsors know I'm taking my marketshare somewhere else.

Ninth.

I think Imus is getting exactly what he deserves. He is a racist asshole who probably doesn't really feel sorry for insulting the awesome women who are the Rutgers basketball team. If he really was sorry for what he said, it would have been a one-time offense. He's just sorry he got caught. But what I think is also outrageous about this is that Al Sharpton is somehow the moral compass on racial tolerance! The same man who has referred to Jews as 'diamond merchants', white people as 'white interloper', and sparked riots that resulted in deaths. He has room to talk and criticize Imus for what he said?! Sometimes I think the world has gone fucking crazy. But then I hear sane people like Dr. Marc Lamont Hill nail Al Sharpton for that issue and I know the world is okay.

You know, part of me hopes that the Rutgers basketball team tells Imus to fuck himself and refuse to accept his apology. But the other part of me hopes that they gracefully accept Imus' apology and show him how real human beings are supposed to act.

Imus Shmimus. That Transformers video is the best thing I've seen this week, and I want to hug whichever Pajiba overlordling threw that one into the Lovepot.

Still laughing...

Pajiba Guys,
Imus' comment was just as offensive as Richards rant but more so because those young women did nothing to deserve such hateful words about their race and gender.

Michael Richards was an asshole who could not handle failing as a stand up comedian so he took it out on the audience which was oh so wrong but at least he did show some contrition afterwards. Also Richards' has not had much of a career recently. Imus' apology was weak and I do believe he is sorry because people are so disgusted by his statements and because it could effect his show. (Two prominent advertisers have already pulled their ad dollars from his show and MSNBC has just dropped him from its lineup).

As for Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson, no they are not the poster boys for racial sensitivity so if you take them out of the discussion what Imus said was still outrageously offensive and should be condemned by people who subscribe to a reasonable level of civil conduct and behavior.
I do not mind when shock jocks ridicule others as long as it does not cross the line. Imus crossed the line.

Finally for Cody, just because athletes, rappers, and numerous others say such degrading things does not mean Imus has a right to make such comments. Its not cool when athletes/rappers/numerous others say such things (and there are plenty of people who rail against them in the black community even though you many not know about it) but its even worse when racist windbags like Imus do it for a national audience.

On a lighter note, I loved the Transformers clip it was bizare, funny in a creepy way, yet strangely compelling.

One other commenter has mentioned this, and I think that it's important. Along with having a national show and a history of being an asshole towards anyone who is not male and caucasion (but sometimes even them), he also insulted TWO groups of people. Not just african americans but women in general. That definitely covers over half the population.

Putting Imus' racist douchebaggery aside for a second, is anyone afraid that this is just the beginning of a McCarthyistic assault on the First Amendment? That the salivating, blood-thirsty media will next turn its attention to Hip Hop, then stand-up comedy, then (gasp!) blogs. And that someday in the not-too-distant future, some automated Orwellian camcorder rifle will gun us down if we say something insensitive about race, gender, sexual orientation, regional upbringing? Or is this just an isolated incident, focused on an asshole who happens to be a "newsman"?

Or maybe it's that's just the wack-job conspiracy theorist in me.

I don't know Imus' history because frankly, I don't listen to him. So my first reaction is to chalk up his stupidity to being an old guy coming from a time when you could get away with such things but then I don't even know if that's accurate.

Either way I tire of this getting airplay when there's still a fucking war going on and Bush is trying to start another one with Iran but you know, that's just how it is.

My question is, when can we expect Michael Savage to get in trouble for all the stupid shit he says on a daily basis?

jen310 nailed it on the spot- it was a stunningly insensitive thing for someone to say about a group of student athletes (that he actually knew nothing about and had never even seen on TV.) Whether or not he is racist, I don't feel comfortable with what he said and simply dismissing it with a simple "it was just a joke, get over it..." He could have just said something like "women's basketball sucks" or whatever, but instead made the link from "the Rutgers team is composed of primarily black members" to "thus, they are nappy-headed ho's." I can't just let it slide- something bothers me personally about it.

The worst part is that the Rutgers team should be celebrating their success in the tournament, instead of having to deal with all this crap. I understand that this is all after the fact and that Imus obviously didn't intend for there to be so much attention, but hindsight is 20/20.

As far as 1st amendment goes, it protects Imus' right to free speech but doesn't protect his job. And the 1st amendment also protects the right of others to comment on Imus' comments as they please as well. If I'm Imus' boss, I'm not sure I want a radio personality who makes off-the-cuff remarks like that, it has nothing to do with free speech or even morality.

Jokey part:

Yes take the bad man away. But the girl in the panties can stay, just for a little while. THere is this interesting article in the NY Times she need to read....

Also, I hate to admit it, but part of me thinks that those transforming costumes are pretty darn clever, maybe even cool in a way. Don't hit me!

Serious part:

is what he said any worse than Anne Coulter calling John Edwards a "faggot" on Fox?

Julia, you answered your own question: Coulter did hers on Fox against John Edwards in a room full of like-minded people. I doubt the House of O'Reilly would ban her for that. Imus did his crap on CBS, the channel that had a heart attack because of a nipple. Plus, like others said, he was goig out to a wider audience, and these women deserved respect and he dismissed their achievements so easily, as if they were nothing.

Cody: I agree. That kind of misogynistic attitude shouldn't be acceptable from anyone. And many people feel the same way. The problem is that the protests and attempts to curtail this nonsense from rappers and such isn't newsworthy until Al Sharpton et. al. get involved. He may be a media whoremonger, but he is a good media whoremonger. And maybe, just maybe, the public will get it through their thick skulls that this crap isn't entertaining. But I wouldn't hold my breath.

What happened guys? I loved that comment.