This Honky’s Nuts!

Update 4-13-2007: This Honky is now unemployed. Here’s an excellent article that appeared in today’s New York Times. However, Jason Whitlock has written the article that hits the proverbial nail on the head.

Don Imus is a loud-mouthed, trash-talking, sarcastic, speak-his-mind radio personality who has been an on air presence in New York since 1971. He first went on the air in California in 1968. That’s almost 40 years of being “on the air.”

I’m only a casual listener of Imus, but I’ve been around enough to know his mode of operation - his shtick. He has built his entire career being brash and harsh. It’s what he does.

And now there is an uproar over what he said about the Rutger’s women’s basketball team. I think he’s making it far worse by attempting to apologize for it. He’d have been better off sticking to his guns and telling everybody to deal with it. That’s what Imus, the personality, would have done. It would have worked, too.
Rap music and stand up comedy are full of vulgar talking people who say things much more harmful to women, no matter their color.

Was Imus right?

I don’t know if he was right. I’m not defending him. Frankly, I thought he was obnoxious before this incident. Even so, I don’t think what he said warrants all this fuss. You’d think he had threatened to murder somebody live on the air.

The man makes his living with words. Inciting emotions, pushing buttons is what Imus does. He’s good at it. This situation evidences that.

The Rutgers team can now whine about their abuse instead of whining about being beaten in the championship game. They’ve gotten more press than the winning Tennessee team. I think Pat Summit should start getting worked up for her team - they’ve being overshadowed because Imus didn’t insult them. Her team, and university, should start a big to do about why Imus didn’t slam them. That’d create a firestorm sure to confuse the masses.

Who cares? Who cares what Imus said? Al Sharpton? Jesse Jackson?

Was Imus stupid? Frankly, I think he’s behaved foolishly most of his life. His self-confessed drug problems prove that.

I don’t have a real appreciation for him. That’s my choice. My taste. I’m not going to lobby that he be fired. I’m not going to raise a stink that he should formally apologize. I don’t care what he does, or what he says. I don’t think the Rutgers team should care either. Since when do they need approval from Don Imus?

Those poor college girls. They’ll never recover from this. Will they?

Poor Al Sharpton. How can he possibly recover unless Don Imus is off the air and out of work?

Poor Jesse Jackson. How can he possibly tolerate Imus apologizing to Sharpton? Insufferable. Inexcusable.

Imus was wrong for offering the apology, but I suspect management forced that move. That was stupid. Had Imus just stuck to his guns and said, “Yep, I said it. Humor is what we do. If you didn’t find it funny, turn the dial” - that would have likely ended it. But, he didn’t. And it’s growing. The firestorm has begun and it is sure to continue until he’s suffered more than a 2-week suspension.

Do I care?

No. I didn’t care before. I don’t care now. Don Imus just doesn’t matter that much to me. And for the life of me, I can’t figure out why he matters that much to women, African-American women or the Rutger’s women’s basketball team.

Besides, in 1998 Imus recorded an album where he clearly admits, “This Honky’s Nuts!”

don imus