Don Imus on Satellite Radio?

Picture Courtesy of Herald Tribune

Having been expelled from the school of public broadcasting by CBS Radio and MSNBC I would not be surprised to see the I-Man land on his feet in outer space… on satellite radio that is. When you think about it, his nine to ten million listeners may or may not already have satellite radio and if they want to hear the grumpy old son of a biscuit eater then they are going to have to sign up for whoever catches the Imus gold mine radio machine.

Some folks don’t see either of the two players in the satellite radio market wanting him? I would have to disagree with The Post Chronicle that has this piece on the future of Don Imus…


Don Imus To Sirius Or XM Satellite Radio? Not So Fast Cowboy
By Mitch Marconi
Apr 13, 2007

Don Imus Update - Don Imus, The I-Man as he is affectionately known, was fired by CBS yesterday which was inevitable. The other Imus Inevitability, (at least in the eyes of some) is where he will end up. Is it going to be Sirius or will it be XM. One might make an argument for either satellite radio entity. I'm going to argue that it will be neither.

Snip

XM has I-Faves Opie & Anthony and probably has the most money to spend, although I'm no financial analyst. Sirius on the other hand has Mel Karmazin, a former I-Boss, who knows Imus about as good as anybody in the industry. Plus Imus has often spoke fondly of Sirius. – The Post Chronicle

Having listened to the Imus in the Morning Show for over twenty years now I can not for the life of me see him just fading away. Granted he is probably a very wealthy man but his on air personality was never about the money. No, wait a second it was, but I honestly can’t see him calling his career ended. For that matter I don’t think for a minute that his wife Deirdre will put up with his sorry ass moping around the ranch in New Mexico or the apartment in New York City. Feeling sorry for himself is not a part of Don Imus reformed ______ (insert addiction here) personality. It just isn’t!



That got me to thinking that people like Don Imus are not stupid when it comes time to signing contracts with his employers. Then it hit me!

How many lawyers does Don Imus know? You can’t count them all if you wanted to do so even with a calculator. I’m thinking grumpy old bastard and any lawyers involved with his business contracts with CBS Radio and it gives me a very warm fuzzy feeling. This is the same guy that went after a major New York Newspaper for even thinking that any of his charity work at the Imus Ranch in New Mexico was even remotely questionable.

I came across this piece in the Herald Tribune from Southwest Florida…

What's next for Don Imus? Obscurity? Satellite radio?
The talk-show host's career could rise from the ashes, as it has in the past.

BY LARRY MCSHANE
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

NEW YORK -- Back on the radio? Or off to retirement?Answers about the future were hard to come by Friday, when 66-year-old radio legend Don Imus remained silent on his first day of unemployment after nearly 40 years -- a change from his repeated apologies and media appearances of the last week. The biggest question was whether he would try rehabilitating his image or simply slip into obscurity.

Both options held certain appeals for the I-Man, who was fired for a racist and sexist remark about the Rutgers women's basketball team and took just eight days to morph from "Imus In the Morning" into "Jimmy the Greek" Snyder. The Greek never landed another job after his 1988 firing as a CBS football analyst for racially tinged remarks.

Before either happens, Imus will sit down with officials from CBS Radio to work out the financial details surrounding his abrupt dismissal. Imus recently negotiated a new five-year CBS contract that reportedly paid him $10 million a year. (Imus had no contract with cable network MSNBC -- a unit of NBC Universal, owned by General Electric Co. -- which simulcast his show in a licensing deal with CBS.)"

I see many people in suits with briefcases haggling over Imus' contracts," said Tom Taylor, editor of the trade publication Inside Radio. "I see a lot of that. There's a lot of money on the table in this thing and a lot of issues."Once they're settled, Imus presumably could try to restart his career on radio -- either satellite or terrestrial -- or perhaps on television. – Herald Tribune

Don Imus may be down and out for now but he isn’t done for. At least as a long time fan I hope he is not. Was he stupid with his comments about the Rutgers Girls Basketball Team? Absolutely! Was he forgiven by the team as a person with a huge heart and someone that knows the difference between right and wrong? Yes he was!

Papamoka

*****Worul has linked to this post...

*****Irregahdless has linked to this post...

Technorati Tags:larry mcshane, herald tribune, southwest florida, deirdre imus, don imus, imus in the morning, wfan, post chronicle, mitch marconi, bernie mcguirk, charles mccord, sid green, talk radio, biden, lieberman, kerry, richardson, rudy, schaffer, brian williams, rick santorum, sirius, xm, satellite radio, satellite, howard stern, john mccain, bill clinton, bush, politics, new york city, imus ranch, kids with cancer, sids foundation, cbs radio, cbs, tom friedman, frank rich, new york times, washington post, doris kerns goodwin, mike barnicle, jay sevrin, eagan, braude, rachel maddow, rush limbaugh, ed schultz, al franken, air america, boston herald, la times, progressive, stephanie miller, gun toting liberal, crooks and liars, the left coaster

Don Imus Exits Stage Left…

CBS has fired Don Imus from its radio network. Was this the answer that people wanted from the Imus and Rutgers Girls Basketball controversy? Firing Imus isn’t going to make racism go away in America. All this action will do is put racism back in the closet where it really should not be. America needs to confront this ugly monster and deal with it.

CBS fires Don Imus from radio show

After racist remark, legendary broadcaster couldn't escape growing protest

Updated: 2:48 p.m. PT April 12, 2007

NEW YORK - CBS fired Don Imus from his radio program Thursday, the finale to a stunning fall for one of the nation’s most prominent broadcasters.

Imus initially was given a two-week suspension for calling the Rutgers women’s basketball team “nappy-headed hos” on the air last week, but outrage continued to grow and advertisers bolted from his CBS radio show and its MSNBC simulcast.

“There has been much discussion of the effect language like this has on our young people, particularly young women of color trying to make their way in this society,” CBS President and Chief Executive Officer Leslie Moonves said in announcing the decision. “That consideration has weighed most heavily on our minds as we made our decision.”

Rutgers women’s basketball team spokeswoman Stacey Brann said the team did not have an immediate comment on Imus’ firing.

Time Magazine once named the cantankerous broadcaster as one of the 25 Most Influential People in America, and he was a member of the National Broadcaster Hall of Fame. – MSNBC

If we are serious about ending racism then let’s fire all of the people in public entertainment venues regardless of race for using anything deemed racist. Then we can have a book burning… I mean Rap Artist CD Burning event for all the supposed music that is over the top racist. Comedians, they can be very racist in their acts, any type of comic personality should be burned at the stake like the good old days and the Salem Witch Trials. Journalist of the nation should be very careful what you print now because the Al Sharpton’s of this world are watching you very closely. This list can go on and on if America is truly serious about wiping racism from the face of our nation.

I’ve been asking myself if I’m happy that Don Imus is now gone and I’m having trouble answering that very question. I’m glad that the chance for Imus anyway to ever utter such a stupid and racist comment can’t happen again on the national airwaves. Then again I’m thinking that firing him sends the wrong message when the man has gone beyond all logical reason to ask for forgiveness for his stupidity. Can his sincerity be questioned when it comes to this matter?

I would want to hear from the Rutgers young ladies he accosted with his comments after their private meeting. If they forgive him can the rest of the nation as well? If they do not believe his sincerity then his firing is justified.

So what is a political junkie like me supposed to do to find out what the real thoughts are of our politicians and main stream media guests of the former Imus in the Morning show supposed to do for a realistic fix? No more Joe Biden, John Kerry, Joe Lieberman, Chris Dodd, Bill Richardson, Tim Russert, Chris Matthews, Fineman, Tom Rich, Jeff Greenfield, Brian Williams, Bob Schiefer, Mike Wallace, Chris Wallace, Kurt Vonnegut, Authors of many great books and the list just goes on and on…

What do you think about this issue? Should Don Imus have been fired by CBS Radio?

Papamoka

Technorati Tags:imus in the morning, cbs radio, charles mccord, bernie, chris, sid green, msnbc, wfan, racist remarks, al sharpton, naacp, rutgers girls basketball, rudi guiliani, mike barnicle, first ammendment, fcc, airwaves, race in america, kids with cancer, tommorows children fund, sids, imus cattle ranch, childrens hospital, john mccaine, oran hatch, republican, democrat, new york, msnbc news, talk radio, politcal talk, african americans, fred imus, greening the cleaning, autism fight
Generated By Technorati Tag Generator

Imus in the Morning Shut Down

People say stupid stuff all the time that they regret later. Most people never apologize to the people they offended and shrug it off. Some people are dangerous enough to realize that a stupid racist remark was even racist and simply walk away from it fat and stupid. Then you have some people that know what a racist remark is and for the rest of their lives will continue to apologize for it. Not one single American is innocent of racism or having uttered the words that should not be heard in a learned society where acceptance of your fellow man is the basis of this great nation.

After this past Sunday which was Easter it surprises me that those that preach the word of Jesus Christ have forgotten his biggest message. Hate the sin and forgive the sinner. What Don Imus and his producer said on the air was disgusting, outrageous and shocking when discussing the athletic abilities of some very talented young American woman playing the national championship in college basketball. I offer no excuse or reason for his comments. The New York times has this to say about it...

By BILL CARTER
Published: April 9, 2007

Imus Suspended for 2 Weeks Over Rutgers Remark

NBC News suspended the radio host Don Imus tonight for two weeks after the outcry over his racially disparaging remarks about the Rutgers University women’s basketball team, calling his comments “racist and abhorrent.”

Only a short time after NBC announced the suspension, CBS Radio, which is Mr. Imus’s chief employer, followed suit, saying it too would take Mr. Imus off the air for two weeks.

The suspensions will take effect starting on Monday.

But NBC, which simulcasts Mr. Imus’s program on its cable news network MSNBC, also served notice that it will not tolerate another insensitive remark from the host. It said that Mr. Imus had promised to change the tenor of the program, and that he agreed the suspension was an appropriate action.

“Our future relationship with Imus is contingent on his ability to live up to his word,” NBC said in an official statement.

The actions come at the end of a day of intensifying pressure on Mr. Imus from black leaders across the country, who expressed outrage at Mr. Imus’s description last Wednesday of the Rutgers team as “nappy-headed ho’s.”

Mr. Imus tried to stave off calls for his resignation by appearing today on a radio program of which the Rev. Al Sharpton is the host and making a more complete apology for what he acknowledged were “repugnant, repulsive, and horrible” comments. - The New York Times

Let me say this about forgiveness in our churches across America. If you ask for it and are humble and sincere knowing the sin you committed then any priest, preacher or person that follows the life of Jesus Christ should offer it without condemnation. It is a basic human need to know that if you wronged someone, know that it was a mistake, asked for forgiveness, and then it should be given. The comment by Don Imus was ultimately a poor choice of words and they were racist. He is asking for forgiveness and the people he offended refuse to accept it or grant it. That is just as wrong.

The Reverend Al Sharpton accepted a request by Don Imus to appear on the Reverends radio show to offer his explanations for the racist comments and begging to be forgiven, humbling himself before someone that is a supposed leader of his community. Don Imus received a good tongue lashing by the Reverend but forgiveness was not on the table. Why? What the good Reverend did was set him up to be beat up and attacked. Is that the Christian thing to do to a man asking for forgiveness?

Transcript of Imus and Sharpton Radio broad cast - The New York Times

Al Sharpton wanted blood and he wanted it then and now because he wants nothing more than attention. That is what Al Sharpton does. His motive is always the same and his message never changes. There has never been a racist story where Al Sharpton has never pushed, shoved or forcibly inserted someone under the wheels of the bus to draw more attention to him, never. Vanity and self promotion is his name and in my honest opinion he should not have the title of Reverend if forgiveness is not his first priority.

I lost some respect for Don Imus but I live in a large world that has many problems and many people that make mistakes. Don Imus isn’t running from his mistake he is facing it as a man and taking the punches and kicks he himself knows that he deserves. That has to show the sincerity of his actions. He could have pulled a Hollywood nut job move and gone into rehab but hell, he admits to being a recovering drug addict and alcoholic already. The man has a genuine character that is sincere.

If he is sorry and apologetic for his actions then maybe all of us without sin should put down the damn stones. All except you Mother Mary, fire away and make it count for the heathen Bastid’.

What do you think about this issue?

Other folks talking about this issue...

The Left Coaster

Crooks and Liars

Papamoka

Technorati Tags:reverend buster soaries, reverend al sharpton, reverend jesse jackson, don imus, imus in the morning, msnbc imus, wfan, kids with cancer, greening the cleaning, bernie, 96.9 fm boston, racism, racist comments, deirdra imus, show business, talk radio, mccain, kerry, russert, fineman, bill carter, new york times, new york city, christ, forgiveness, main stream media, bashing imus, support don imus, radio humor, radio satire, african american, irish american, polish american, german american, russian american, mexican american, new mexico, bill richardson, joe biden, joe lieberman, autism, fermarisol, kids health, cattle ranch, save imus
Generated By Technorati Tag Generator