For the few of you who don’t read ESPN.com or every other sports blog in the world, I give you Don Imus on Adam Jones.
Imus was told by anchor Warner Wolf that Jones has “been arrested six times since being drafted by Tennessee in 2005.”
Imus asked, “What color is he?”
“He’s African-American,” Wolf replied.
“Well, there you go,” Imus said. “Now we know.”…
WABC and Citadel Broadcasting Corp. Vice President Phil Boyce said Imus would be explaining his comments on his Tuesday morning show and it was unlikely the broadcasters would take disciplinary action against him.
Boyce said Imus had explained his words in a private conversation Monday afternoon and the explanation was satisfactory.
“I think some people may be misunderstanding what he meant,” said Boyce, who declined to go into further detail.
It just doesn’t seem fair that Warner Wolf has outlasted Michele Marsh.
Update: Imus’s explanation doesn’t seem to help:
“I meant that he was being picked on because he’s black.”
Y’know, like those girls from Rutgers. Also funny how one of the ESPNews anchors went out of his way to say that WABC radio is not affiliated with WABC TV, ESPN or Disney.
And to think…George Carlin backed Imus in his war with Stern.
One thing – can someone in the CSTB research department please update that stock Imus photo?
Every time I see that picture, I get ready for the I-Man to start singing “Looking For Clues”.
TH
I’m not sure there would be a difference if they updated it with a current Imus photos or a current Robert Palmer photo.
Dang it, Jason. I was maybe halfway through a post on this. My basic point was that, while it was goofy to mention this incident only to mention how unworthy of mention it was, that was what I was going to do. This guy is barely coherent enough to generate “controversy” at this point, and I can’t imagine why anyone would listen to his show, ever. You could hear more piquant, more amusing observations on the news of the day — or race, or sports, or whatever — by riding the bus with your headphones out. Although Jeff Greenfield wouldn’t show up to plug a book quite as often (unless you lived on J-Gree’s bus route), I guess.
While I understand Messrs. Scharpling and Lockwood’s issues with the photo, I’ll also mention — on behalf of the nonexistent research department — that any more recent photo of Imus’s embalmed-and-pissed mug would qualify as a robust NSFW by most standards.
Sir Hoops,
what, you’re not a Michael Des Barres fan?
Sorry Dave. I definitely hadn’t worked up much outrage (or analysis) about it. Listening to it a few times it almost sounds like it can’t be bothered – give offense, or don’t, be funny, or not, get kicked off again, whatever.
“You could hear more piquant, more amusing observations on the news of the day by riding the bus with your headphones out. Although Jeff Greenfield wouldn’t show up to plug a book quite as often.”
Thanks, this made me chuckle.
I’m glad you liked it. My dad still listens to Imus, by the way. So while I can’t imagine listening to him, I could probably find out why at least one person whose judgment I (generally) respect does. But I think I’m probably happier not knowing.