Â
Radio host Don Imus apologized Friday for calling the Rutgers University women’s basketball team “nappy headed hos” on his nationally syndicated program.
The National Association of Black Journalists demanded his immediate firing after the man known as “Imus in the Morning” put his foot deep in his mouth Wednesday. Imus questioned the players’ looks, describing them as tattooed “rough girls.” His producer compared the team – which has eight black members – to the NBA’s Toronto Raptors.
Near the start of Friday’s show, Imus said he wanted to “apologize for an insensitive and ill-conceived remark we made the other morning referring to the Rutgers women’s basketball team.”
“It was completely inappropriate, and we can understand why people were offended. Our characterization was thoughtless and stupid, and we are sorry.”
Gregory Lee, an NABJ officer and senior assistant sports editor at The Boston Globe, said the mea culpa did little to atone for the comments.
“You can apologize, but what does that mean when you have a history of making disparaging remarks about people?” Lee asked about the acid-tongued Imus. “This kind of behavior must be punished. I hope the company and sponsors he has take some sort of action … to educate him.”
NABJ President Bryan Monroe asked Thursday if Imus had “lost his mind” and called for the veteran radio host’s dismissal.
Imus was speaking with producer Bernard McGurk when the NCAA title game between Rutgers and Tennessee came up.
“That’s some rough girls from Rutgers,” Imus said. “Man, they got tattoos …”
“Some hardcore hos,” said McGurk.
“That’s some nappy headed hos there, I’m going to tell you that,” Imus said.
Imus, a member of the National Broadcasters Hall of Fame and one of the nation’s best-known radio voices, is renowned for his caustic style and politically incorrect verbal broadsides. His show is syndicated to millions of listeners at more than 70 stations around the country.
WFAN-AM, the home of Imus’ show, declined comment. At MSNBC, where the radio program is simulcast on television, officials offered Imus no support.
“‘Imus in the Morning’ is not a production of the cable network and is produced by WFAN Radio,” said a statement from the network. “As Imus makes clear every day, his views are not those of MSNBC. We regret that his remarks were aired on MSNBC and apologize for these offensive comments.”
In a joint statement, NCAA President Myles Brand and Rutgers President Richard McCormick condemned Imus’ slur.
“The NCAA and Rutgers University are offended by the insults on MSNBC’s Don Imus program toward the 10 young women on the Rutgers basketball team,” their statement read. “It is unconscionable that anyone would use the airways to utter such disregard for the dignity of human beings who have accomplished much and deserve great credit.”
(source)
15 Responses to “Imus Apologizes To The “Nappy Headed Hos””
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
Imus should wrap it up and get out of town.He stopped being funny about 10 years ago. Now he’s nothing but a mean spirited grumpy old man.
Which part of what Imus said is a racial slur? I don’t believe Imus should have to apologize for anything. Nappy is not a term that I have ever heard used as a racial slur and I often use it myself to describe something that’s dirty or hair that’s not well kept. Maybe that nappy headed Al Sharpton should sit down with that nappy headed Rev Jesse Jackson and come up with a list of words that only black people can use in their everyday speech and music.
Now if you’ll excuse me I’m going to take my nappy ass to bed because I got a ho waiting on me.
Don Imus referred to the Rutgers women’s basketball team as “nappy-headed ‘hos” AFTER the show’s producer, Bernard McGuirk, called the team “hardcore ‘hos.” Is the insult in “‘hos” or “nappy-headed”? No one seems to be upset by the “hardcore ‘hos” comment, so I’m assuming the outrage is over the girls being called “nappy-headed” regardless of the “‘hos” title.
This whole ordeal is pathetic. When I was in high school in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, black students (rather being African American, Jamaican, Haitian, or whatever) used the term “nappy-headed” CONSTANTLY. They were always going on with stuff like, ” You’re all nappy headed you need to get your hair permed” or just flat out calling each other “nappy-head”, as in “Hey you.. nappy-head”.
Im white. I am not racist.
My fiance is a curly red haired Irish guy. If he doesnt use a super conditioner daily… you wanna talk about “nappy-headed”.
This whole thing is stupid. Its not even insulting at all. The term used was a common term. Blacks use it all the time. I wouldnt get all outraged over being called “nappy-headed”. I’d be more upset about being called a “‘ho”, but then again I’d get over it knowing its just some stupid radio show commentary. They’re trying to turn this into something that its not. It’s like if someone went on the show and called me a “potatoe eating Irish ‘ho”. I LOVE POTATOES!!
I think things have just gotten so politically correct and adjustments have been made so as not to insult so many people that people have to come up with new reasons to be insulted and claim some sort of nonexistant racist crime.
Imus has said things more incorrect than this…. Why must we have a war on him and racism….. Talk to black men in atlanta and they say it all the time…. It all comes from the music industry!
i am outraged at the cowardly and cynical overreaction of msnbc. mr imus is a unique personality who can lead a long overdue national dialogue regarding race as no one at nbc news can. his voice would be sadly missed by me and by millions. i hope you have more courage and can weather this firestorm. if you can, you will come out stonger, if you can’t, we all lose. –apg
MSNBC made a big mistake by firing Imus. That man has done more for people than half of the people that have appeared on the show. Harold Ford for example, Imus backed him in his bid for re-election but the past couple of days when Imus was trying to get ahold of him he wouldn’t return the call. This should have been settled between Imus and the girls for Rutgers. I’m sure he did not mean anything hateful. It’s funny the Rosie O’Donnell can say anything she wants and gets away with it. What does she do for anyone except promote lesbianism and how not to raise children. I am so angry. I never watch MSNBC except for the Imus show and I guess I can go back to Fox now at 6am.
Charles McGurk started this mess with his comment calling them (hos), why wasn’t anything said about him. Why was all the blame put on Imus.
Imus doesn’t need MSNBC they needed him. You wonder why there is racism in this country. Well here is one of the examples why. I am about to hire new people for my business and I’ll make sure they are not of color because heaven forbid someone say the wrong thing, my business would be finished.
Stay tough Imus. You did your apologies and if they can’t be accepted like a christian forgiving person than you only wasted your breath. God forgives you and that’s all that’s important.
I feel sorry, sorry this country even listens to guys like Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson. Self appointed nerve centers of the black race. These two jackels FEED on racism, without it they are unemployed.
Why Imus ever went to Sharpton’s radio circus and apologized to that jack ass is beyond belief. Screw Sharpton & Jackson.
Bill in the Heartland
I have been listening to Imus for over 20 years —does this make me a racist as well !!!!!
It was meant as a joke – a bad joke – a tasteless joke – but none the less a joke – Imus is not a racist —he apologised once – twice – three times – Sharpton and Jackson reeved up there money machines .
They smelt it coming – thes 2 guys are nothing more then “donation Pimps”" without these types of incidents to raise the fire level these 2 guys might need to actually find a real job – and please stop calling them reverend – thats like calling the devil – GOD
Well Al sharpton and Jesse Jackson have just put Obama to sleep.This new “race war” will bring out all the old hatred and resentment that was melting away with time.Imus was the one person who acted as a unofficial watchdog of our countries political scene and he took know hostages.He brought humor and insight into stressfull times that we live in, to begin every day.He will be missed and I wish him well.
What Imus said was not right, but I don’t think he scared anyone for life as stated, The girls were very intelligant and didn’t deserve the slam. This said Imus gas been doing this for years and has taken no prisoners. At one time or another hee has mocked everyone of every race creed and color.
Only now after our moral authorities Sharpton and Jackson have taken it upon themselves to put Imus out of work that has caused the weak minded sponsors, sponsers making money on MTV, to pull there sponsorship and weaker NBC and CBS pulling his show.
I can’t believe the hypocrisy of this country, NBC and CBS knew exactly what they hired and loved it when the big bucks were rolling in. NBC’s president admited being a fan of Imus. He must have not heard all the slams coming out of Imus show and apparently we are more thick skinned than AMEX or P & G and the likes and can take a shot here and there.
Imus, rightly so has apologized to everyone accept Osama bin Laden, give him a break, hot caught up in the smut peddled on MTV by the same people that pulled the rug out in the middle of him doing his telethon for kids white and black. I didn’t agree with his politics but i will miss listening each morning.
My my Mr. Rev. Al Sharpton Sir we do reek of true Christian values. Let us truly not forgive but instead hang this Imus out to dry, cut him off at the knees and bleed him to death. Oh how sweet the taste of victory must be. In case you haven’t notice people do make mistakes and then ask forgiveness for their wrong and hurtful deeds . But when we wear the ‘collar’ and preach hateful, vengeful and self-rightousness attitudes be careful for what you sow you shall reap. And whatever happened to the idea that Jesus put forth – ‘He who is without sin cast the first stone and judge not lest ye be judged’. By these words Mr Sharpton you truly must be a saint.
Bunch of BS.. Al & Jessee suck and for that matter so does Donny. Wow, and old man with long hair. A real cat’s meow. What is it with these A-holes.
As long as we have the Al Sharpton’s and Jesse Jackson’s in the world, and the fly-by media that hangs onto their every diatribe, we’ll NEVER be without racism. It’s a two-way street, unfortunately, those two self-appointed ‘keepers of the hood’ have convinced the main-stream media that only whites can be racist. Bill Jamison, in a previous comment below, put it best…
These two jackels (Sharpton & Jackson) FEED on racism, without it they are unemployed.
Sorry Niggers!
DON IMUS IS MY HERO!