Oh Imus...

[Texsox]

The reason the left nut-jobs get their opinions justified is their status as celebrities.

 

I doubt you were trying to make this point, but it does seem that far left wackos can be more successful than far right wackos. You go far left and you have someone wanting to save every child, every animal, every blade of grass, feed the world, don't pollute, and don't make anyone unhappy. You get far right and you have hate filled, skinhead, wackos who just aren't even cute.

[OfficerPat35]

I despise political correctness, and Don Imus is a personal hero of mine.

 

Hes not a bigot, either.

[DrunkBomber]

That book deal literally makes me sick to my stomach. To think they tried to make this look like it was something that ruined their lives and now that piece of trash is trying to get rich off of it. I really hope nobody buys that book.

[Rex Kickass]

Marc Maron made the first intelligent comment I've heard on this situation last week.

 

He said that it's not censorship to get fired for a joke that goes too far and that you have the right to free speech, but you also have to face consequences for your actions.

 

You can say whatever you want, but that doesn't mean you get to keep your job. I have the right to call the woman sitting next to me a derogatory term, for example, but it doesn't mean I have the right for her to be nice to me, or even to keep my job.

 

In the context of that show, Imus made fun of people he shouldn't have been made fun of - not because of Al Sharpton or anyone else offended but because the joke wasn't funny, and it just came off mean. But what's worse was that his producer immediately followed and used the word "jigaboo" which in my opinion is way way way more offensive. Imus didn't dump that word, didn't even challenge the producer on its use. It's his show, his name and his reputation. And he didn't seem to mind people using his reputation to use obvious racial slurs on tv and radio.

 

Let's be honest here, Imus got fired because he went over the line, and his employers - at least in this case - decided that they had some standards about what is and isn't acceptable. Whatever their motivation for it.

[NorthSideSox72]

Marc Maron made the first intelligent comment I've heard on this situation last week.

 

He said that it's not censorship to get fired for a joke that goes too far and that you have the right to free speech, but you also have to face consequences for your actions.

 

You can say whatever you want, but that doesn't mean you get to keep your job. I have the right to call the woman sitting next to me a derogatory term, for example, but it doesn't mean I have the right for her to be nice to me, or even to keep my job.

 

In the context of that show, Imus made fun of people he shouldn't have been made fun of - not because of Al Sharpton or anyone else offended but because the joke wasn't funny, and it just came off mean. But what's worse was that his producer immediately followed and used the word "jigaboo" which in my opinion is way way way more offensive. Imus didn't dump that word, didn't even challenge the producer on its use. It's his show, his name and his reputation. And he didn't seem to mind people using his reputation to use obvious racial slurs on tv and radio.

 

Let's be honest here, Imus got fired because he went over the line, and his employers - at least in this case - decided that they had some standards about what is and isn't acceptable. Whatever their motivation for it.

Spot on. Everyone has the right to be a jerk. And every employer has the right to fire said jerk, for being a jerk.

[EvilMonkey]

Marc Maron made the first intelligent comment I've heard on this situation last week.

 

He said that it's not censorship to get fired for a joke that goes too far and that you have the right to free speech, but you also have to face consequences for your actions.

 

You can say whatever you want, but that doesn't mean you get to keep your job. I have the right to call the woman sitting next to me a derogatory term, for example, but it doesn't mean I have the right for her to be nice to me, or even to keep my job.

 

In the context of that show, Imus made fun of people he shouldn't have been made fun of - not because of Al Sharpton or anyone else offended but because the joke wasn't funny, and it just came off mean. But what's worse was that his producer immediately followed and used the word "jigaboo" which in my opinion is way way way more offensive. Imus didn't dump that word, didn't even challenge the producer on its use. It's his show, his name and his reputation. And he didn't seem to mind people using his reputation to use obvious racial slurs on tv and radio.

 

Let's be honest here, Imus got fired because he went over the line, and his employers - at least in this case - decided that they had some standards about what is and isn't acceptable. Whatever their motivation for it.

Sounds like some advice that the Dixie Chicks should have taken instead of their whining about 'censorship'.

[mr_genius]

Sounds like some advice that the Dixie Chicks should have taken instead of their whining about 'censorship'.

 

ding ding

 

of course MSNBC or whoever has the right to fire someone for making certain comments. just like a country radio station has the right to not play a certain musicians songs.

Edited April 22, 2007 by mr_genius

[Rex Kickass]

Sounds like some advice that the Dixie Chicks should have taken instead of their whining about 'censorship'.

 

Yup, you're right. And the Dixie Chicks "censorship" had more to do with disrespecting Toby Keith than anything else btw.

[Jenksismyhero]

Let's be honest here, Imus got fired because he went over the line, and his employers - at least in this case - decided that they had some standards about what is and isn't acceptable. Whatever their motivation for it.

 

The problem is that their motivation had nothing to do with the fact that he was degrading people and acting unprofessionally, it had everything to do with money.

 

He got fired because sponsors began to drop out. The guy's been saying stupid stuff like this for years and his sponsors never cared. But why this time? Because it was a huge, national story. So they drop out and get huge PR brownie points for looking like the good company that has standards and cares. Same with MSNBC and eventually CBS. They all did it to save face. To who, I'm still not sure. I think they're all delusional if they think the average american, white, black, hispanic, whatever, actually cares about some guy making stupid comments, but that's a different argument.

 

If we could look at this situation and agree that if you make stupid, unprofessional comments you'll get fired, I'd be fine. But this entire situation reeked of opportunism and had NOTHING to do with professionalism. The Rutgers coach signing a book deal about the whole situation pretty much sums up how ridiculous and overblown it was.

[mr_genius]

The problem is that their motivation had nothing to do with the fact that he was degrading people and acting unprofessionally, it had everything to do with money.

 

I don't really think that is a problem. He was working for a company that wants to make profits, not lose money. If sponsors stop supporting a show, for whatever reason, it's probably gonna be gone fairly soon.

[Controlled Chaos]

Imus Seeks $40 Million Revenge

by Gina Serpe

Fri, 4 May 2007 10:09:33 AM PDT

 

Three words may have gotten Don Imus into this mess, but he's hoping three others may get him out of it: breach of contract.

 

A lawyer for the shock jock, who was fired from his CBS radio gig on Apr. 12 amid a storm of criticism for referring to the Rutgers women's basketball team as "nappy-headed hos," is claiming that the real victim in all this is Imus himself, who attorney Martin Garbus insists was ousted for simply doing his job.

 

As a result, Garbus has announced plans to file a complaint against the network seeking to collect the remainder of Imus' five-year, $40 million contract. At the time of his firing, Imus was just three months into his new deal.

 

While Garbus acknowledges Imus' comments about the college players were offensive and inappropriate, the attorney maintains that the pundit neither broke any laws nor violated any Federal Communications Commission regulations.

 

Furthermore, Garbus claims, CBS had encouraged, and profited from, Imus' un-PC riffs.

 

Garbus, a First Amendment lawyer whose previous clients include Spike Lee, Public Enemy and Lenny Bruce, told Good Morning America that in his contract with CBS, the network specifically implored Imus to cover "extraordinary," "irreverent" and, most important, "controversial" topics on his syndicated radio show, which was simulcast daily on MSNBC.

 

The attorney also claimed that per the terms of Imus' new contract, the host would be issued one warning in the wake of any verbal malfeasance before further action was taken and that that procedure, set in place for just such an occurrence, did not take place in this instance.

 

What's more, Garbus said, is that both CBS Radio and MSNBC were intentionally "creating a shock jock" and that Imus was simply doing "exactly what they wanted him to do."

 

According to the lawyer, both outlets had the opportunity to edit out Imus' derogatory remarks via a delay button.

 

"That means CBS and MSNBC both knew the language that was going out, and both knew the language complied with [imus'] contract," the attorney said. "It was consistent with many of the things he had done."

 

An MSNBC spokesperson has since denied the claim, saying the broadcast aired without delay and that the network would not have had time to edit the remarks.

 

CBS Radio, meanwhile, has released a statement saying that they are prepared to fully and vigorously defend Imus' firing.

 

"We terminated Mr. Imus for cause," the network said. "Based on the comments in question and relevant contract terms, we believe that the termination was appropriate and CBS would expect to prevail in any attempt by Mr. Imus to recover money for his actions."

 

Garbus said he will file the complaint by the end of next week.

 

CBS Radio, which has been auditioning other hosts but has yet to choose a successor for the prized a.m. slot, has already been on the winning end of one legal action stemming from the Imus termination.

 

Last month, a Southern California station agreed to stop airing "best of" Imus in the Morning segments (which the station had been broadcasting as a "listener service" after the firing in open defiance of CBS Radio) after the corporation filed a federal copyright infringement suit.

[Jenksismyhero]

I hope he wins

[Controlled Chaos]

I hope he wins

If those are the facts, I think he has a great chance.

[Steve9347]

I don't see how Imus doesn't win that lawsuit... that story pretty much sums it up.

[Balta1701]

I hope he wins

Honestly, so do I. Because I think it'd be a great thing for these gigantic media conglomerates to realize that there's a huge potential cost to putting people like this on the airwaves.

[mr_genius]

If those are the facts, I think he has a great chance.

 

he should win

 

if they put this in his contract

 

specifically implored Imus to cover "extraordinary," "irreverent" and, most important, "controversial" topics on his syndicated radio show, which was simulcast daily on MSNBC.

 

they owe him the rest of the money on his contract.

[Rex Kickass]

Honestly, so do I. Because I think it'd be a great thing for these gigantic media conglomerates to realize that there's a huge potential cost to putting people like this on the airwaves.

^^

 

Don't just punish the DJ for being the ass. Punish the corporations who encourage the asshattery in the first place.

[Texsox]

Honestly, so do I. Because I think it'd be a great thing for these gigantic media conglomerates to realize that there's a huge potential cost to putting people like this on the airwaves.

 

 

But there are reasons that contracts are pages and pages long. I'm guessing Imus' lawyer failed to mentioned the various parts of the contract that are not helping his client's cause.