1 post tagged “opie and andy”
Controversial radio talk show host Don Imus is back on 13 ABC stations owned by Citidel Communications as well as the RFD Network. He has two black co-hosts and seems to be repentant about his actions last spring. I am not sure if this is just a way for the aging shock jock to revive his career or if he realizes the consequences of his actions. His former employer, Emmis Broadcasting bought out his contract for 20 million and he did receive some sort of buy out from MSNBC so I don't it's money that Don Imus wants. I think he craves the public eye and wants a platform to continue his charity work. The man has been on the radio since early sixties so at this point it might be a little tough to give up the mic. We will see how he fares in this smaller media perch.
He still has his major advertisers and sold out The Town Hall in NY for his first appearance since the controversial commentary that got him in trouble last spring. The proceeds from the show are going to Imus ranch which provides care and experiences for kids with cancer.
The name Don Imus brings back memories of my childhood. When I was a little girl I remember sitting in my dad's truck or car going between jobs or babysitters we would sing along to The Right Reverend Billy Sol Hargis's songs. Imus was on WNBC in NY, one of the most powerful AM stations on the east coast. Imus's morning show was filled with fictional characters that made fun of actual people or in the case of Bill Sol Hargis it was sort of loving comic send up to the radio preachers of Imus's youth.
I remember Imus getting kicked off the air because of his alcoholism and cocaine addiction which lead to the rise of a new kind of shock jock, Howard Stern. Stern and Imus shared the airwaves at WNBC in NY for three years. Imus became nationally syndicated in 1993 so people could hear him all across the country. His sort of radio programming faired well in the South and Midwest. I was living in Nebraska by then. I don't know if it was rehab or age but Imus had turned into somewhat of a political pundit with high powered politicians, sports figures, authors, and media people as guests on his show. He was also on MSNBC so his infiltration of all markets that could receive either cable or satellite signals was complete.
Imus got into trouble last spring when he was discussing the Rutgers Women's Basketball Team with his producer Bernard McGuirk. Imus and McGuirk had a denigrating conversation about the women on the team that made reference to a musical number called "Straight and Nappy" that was featured in the Spike Lee movie School Daze and not in a good way. "Straight and Nappy" refers to how Afro American women do their hair. "Nappy" refers to women who keep their hair in a natural state or afro-like styling. 'Straight' refers to Afro American women who chemically straighten their hair. Chemical straightening can be an expensive and long process so it isn't available to everyone.
Imus made a statement comparing the women of the Rutgers team to the women of the Tenessee team. He felt the Rutgers women looked rough with their tattoos and afros. McGuirk then refered to the Rutgers women as 'some hardcore ho's" then Imus called them "nappy headed hos" If you want to hear the full audio of Imus and McGuirk's discussion check it out on YouTube.
This lead to a national outcry calling for the Emmis Broadcast company and MSNBC to dump Imus's show. Imus's contract was terminated after he met with the team personally and appeared on Al Sharpton's radio show because Imus had lost many of his main advertisers. I felt both companies were justified in their handling of the incident.
I still wonder how Imus will fare in this conservative time. Will he continue to speak freely or self censor? Free speech and the First Amendment have been under fire since 9/11. People who are politically incorrect tend to have their right to say what they want taken away or censored. Even the formally Opie and Anthony Show called "The Virus", which is carried on XM Satellite Radio was briefly suspended earlier this year for a sketch involving a homeless man. XM because it is a paid satellite service isn't subject to the rules of the Federal Communication Commission. This incident is indicative of the type of environment that entertainers and broadcasters are facing today.
