Don Imus in trouble again

[Legend]

Months after returning to the radio with a pledge to mend the wounds caused by his comments about a women's basketball team, Don Imus is once again defending on-air remarks regarding race. During an on-air conversation Monday about the arrests of suspended Dallas Cowboys cornerback Adam Jones, Imus asked, "What color is he?"

Told by sports announcer Warner Wolf that Jones, who used to be nicknamed Pacman, is "African-American," Imus responded, "There you go. Now we know."

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/8274906/Imus-angers-Sharpton-with-latest-race-comment?MSNHPHCP&GT1=39002

[JohnnyWalkerBlackLabel]

exactly

[Realgirls4me]

Yep, it's pretty hard for one bigot to try to lay judgment on another bigot.

[Willie Escalade]

Affirmative! :twisted:

[blckhaze]

this dude is stupid. smh

[Realgirls4me]

I love how Legend loves to pluck things off the net and post them in here in what is obvious an effort to boost his presence here and obscure his countless idiotic postings from the past. He seems to have this fixation with race, and yet as many saw with me, will use race and bigotry to try to quiet another down once he's exhausted everything his little pea brain could hold.

Bring it on, Legend. Bring it on.

[chefmike]

This is much ado about nothing...and who the fuck cares, anyway. Fuck Al Sharpton, he's an opportunistic race-baiting buffoon. I watched the IMUS show when it was on MSNBC, but his new show with it's token minority members makes me cringe. Most people label me a liberal, but I fucking loathe political correctness. Fuck being PC! Humor and PC don't go together. Lighten the fuck up, people!

[chefmike]

And Condi Rice is a nappy-headed ho!

[Felicia Katt]

what, exactly, is funny about asking the color of an NFL player with legal problems? and then implying that the answer explained it all?

Carlin was funny. He would poke fun and point out the hypocrisy and stupidity of stereotypes. Imus is not. All he does is perpetuate and exploit them for a low brow laugh. Carlin was a phliospher. Imus is a shock jock.

FK

[chefmike]

LMAO @ pacman, what a fucking moron...just STFU and play football...

"Co-host Karith Foster, who is black, came to Imus' defense during Tuesday's broadcast, saying, "People who interpret what you said as racist clearly didn't hear the whole thing, and they don't know who you are and what the program is about — and they obviously haven't been listening."

Jones told The Dallas Morning News in Tuesday editions that he's upset by Imus' comments and plans to pray for the radio host.

"I'm truly upset about the comments," Jones said. "Obviously Mr. Imus has problems with African-Americans. I'm upset, and I hope the station he works for handles it accordingly. I will pray for him."

[Realgirls4me]

what, exactly, is funny about asking the color of an NFL player with legal problems? and then implying that the answer explained it all?

Carlin was funny. He would poke fun and point out the hypocrisy and stupidity of stereotypes. Imus is not. All he does is perpetuate and exploit them for a low brow laugh. Carlin was a phliospher. Imus is a shock jock.

FK

Not only what Felicia said, but activists such as Al Sharpton are still needed, despite all their real and perceived shortcomings. Not to compare Sharpton to him, but I'm sure MLK Jr was dismissed as a rabble rouser by many in much the same way. In fact, he was in his later years. We're in 2008, and yet I'm still reading of proms being desegregated only in recent years. ...I'm also still wondering what commentators -- COMMENTATORS -- such as Imus do or what purpose they serve, other than to keep millions ignorant while making millions off their divisiveness, jingoism, falsehoods, and hate, etc?

[chefmike]

Imus is a shock jock.

Yes, he's a shock jock who just happened(happens) to have the most important political movers and shakers in the US of A salivating to be on his show, not to mention noted authors and commentators...and Tim Russert didn't find him to be so offensive either, did he? George Carlin was also a regular guest on the IMUS show. Imagine that. So lighten the fuck up, all you PC people.

[chefmike]

Not only what Felicia said, but activists such as Al Sharpton are still needed, despite all their real and perceived shortcomings.

Al Sharpton? Activist? Please. He ceased being an activist long ago. He's nothing more than another political whore making a living from people's fear. A fraud and a race-baiter, no better than David Duke.

[Realgirls4me]

Imus is a shock jock.

Yes, he's a shock jock who just happened(happens) to have the most important political movers and shakers in the US of A salivating to be on his show, not to mention noted authors and commentators...and Tim Russert didn't find him to be so offensive either, did he? George Carlin was also a regular guest on the IMUS show. Imagine that. So lighten the fuck up, all you PC people.

And many of these social and political movers and shakers have avoided him like the plague since his comments of the women's basketball team, haven't they?
In fact, his offensive remarks caused not just many of the luminaries to better research to not only what shows they are on, but also to do some collective soul searching en masse as to what is and isn't acceptable on the public airwaves today.

[Realgirls4me]

Not only what Felicia said, but activists such as Al Sharpton are still needed, despite all their real and perceived shortcomings.

Al Sharpton? Activist? Please. He ceased being an activist long ago. He's nothing more than another political whore making a living from people's fear. A fraud and a race-baiter, no better than David Duke.

Bullshit -- BULLSHIT. David Duke??? Duke is not a minority. That's the difference.

Let's go along with your premise that he is that and more. Who -- WHO -- is there right now to take up the cause for African-Americans when an injustice, with a racial component to it, is committed?

I'm all eyes. Who?

[chefmike]

Who has avoided him since then? Lightweight news anchors like David Gregory? Fuck them nappy-headed ho's. You PC folks aren't doing the left any good. Give it a rest, already. Al Sharpton? LMAO...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/stephen-kaus/im-standing-with-imus-in_b_108818.html
*Edited to add this link

[Felicia Katt]

You still didn't say how that was funny? Usually, if you have to explain a joke, that means its not a very good one. If Imus says something that is not only not funny, but is also just wrong and impolite, why are we being "politically correct" to call him on it?

FK

[Realgirls4me]

Who has avoided him since then? Lightweight news anchors like David Gregory? Fuck them nappy-headed ho's. You PC folks aren't doing the left any good. Give it a rest, already. Al Sharpton? LMAO...

Tell me all the big names who are still frequenting his show post his "nappy headed ho" comments?

No, it's your lack of understanding, compassion, and empathy, that does the Left no good. Your post could hail from a freeper site. Look at it. The fact that you would align Al Sharpton with David Duke says more about what you don't know about minority group relations in this country.

[chefmike]

Not only what Felicia said, but activists such as Al Sharpton are still needed, despite all their real and perceived shortcomings.

Al Sharpton? Activist? Please. He ceased being an activist long ago. He's nothing more than another political whore making a living from people's fear. A fraud and a race-baiter, no better than David Duke.

Bullshit -- BULLSHIT. David Duke??? Duke is not a minority. That's the difference.

Let's go along with your premise that he is that and more. Who -- WHO -- is there right now to take up the cause for African-Americans when an injustice, with a racial component to it, is committed? I'm all eyes.


Perhaps you should look for someone with some credibility who doesn't alienate 75% of the poulation. Someone who has held a REAL job and actually pays his taxes. Not an African-American version of Elmer Gantry...you figure it out. I'm not applying for the job, how about you?

BTW, Duke is a minority, he speaks for disenfranchised racists and rednecks everywhere. He's also an anti-semite, like Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson. Birds of a feather...


Later.

[Realgirls4me]

Not only what Felicia said, but activists such as Al Sharpton are still needed, despite all their real and perceived shortcomings.

Al Sharpton? Activist? Please. He ceased being an activist long ago. He's nothing more than another political whore making a living from people's fear. A fraud and a race-baiter, no better than David Duke.

Bullshit -- BULLSHIT. David Duke??? Duke is not a minority. That's the difference.

Let's go along with your premise that he is that and more. Who -- WHO -- is there right now to take up the cause for African-Americans when an injustice, with a racial component to it, is committed? I'm all eyes.


Perhaps you should look for someone with some credibility who doesn't alienate 75% of the poulation. Someone who has held a REAL job and actually pays his taxes. Not an African-American version of Elmer Gantry...you figure it out. I'm not applying for the job, how about you?

BTW, Duke is a minority, he speaks for disenfranchised racists and rednecks everywhere. He's also an anti-semite, like Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson. Birds of a feather...


Later.

Credibility? You bring up David Duke and basically defend a clown such as Imus and you bring up "credibility"? Hello?
If he is alienating 75 percent of the population as you cite, why is that? Could it be that many in white America simply don't want a black man to have them face a truth about a black man being shot on his wedding night, or another being impaled by cops? It's the squeaky wheel that gets greased. Familiar with that adage? He serves a purpose, whether you want to or care to see the racial dynamics involved. ...King was dismissed by many Americans, including many of his flock in his later years, when he spoke out against the Vietnam war. Was he wrong? Is Sharpton wrong when he questions why a man was pumped up with 50 bullets? I will continue to argue that Sharpton serves a purpose.

Yeah, right, let's group Sharpton and Jackson, with good ol' David Duke. How many in here go along with that?

If there are better alternatives than Sharpton, provide a name?

[chefmike]

:arrow:

[chefmike]

From someone who isn't participating in the profiling of Don Imus:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/stephen-kaus/im-standing-with-imus-in_b_108818.html

[El Nino]

Don Imus is an Ignorant human being.

[chefmike]

Don Imus is an Ignorant human being.This coming from the idiot who shilled for a true racist like Ron Paul. Go piss in your tinfoil hat, El Nutcase!

[El Nino]

Ron Paul is not racist. Nice skeem and smear job there, "skippy".

[chefmike]

Ron Paul is not racist. Nice skeem and smear job there, "skippy".

http://www.hungangels.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=34835

[Felicia Katt]

I read the link and the comments,and this one struck me a particularly funny

Imus is only 'funny' to racist sexist white males with really big egos and teeny tiny weenies.

What color are you, Chef? (just teasing!!)

meow

FK

[chefmike]

I read the link and the comments,and this one struck me a particularly funny

Imus is only 'funny' to racist sexist white males with really big egos and teeny tiny weenies.

What color are you, Chef? (just teasing!!)

meow

FK

I thought you PC people were supposed to be color blind. More profiling...

[chefmike]

And BTW, FK...I am a white male who was born in the south, and damn proud of it...I'm also a veteran like Mr. Imus...but you can insult me all you want because it is still PC and acceptable to insult white males(especially if they are from the south)...Jim Webb(D-VA) has some interesting things to say about that, maybe you should read the recent article on him in WSJ. So have at it, it's perfectly PC to bash white males! I'm sorry that I don't live in a trailer, because then you could get extra points!

[Felicia Katt]

wow, as a white male, how have you managed to escape all those positive stereotypes or survive all those minutes of oppression. LOL

Lighten up, Chef. I said I was teasing you. Imus just isn't that funny and what he said just isn't that defensible And Jim Webb, who is someone I admire, won the election in large part because his opponent., a good old boy, made some stupid and racist comments.

FK

[chefmike]

I read the link and the comments,and this one struck me a particularly funny

Imus is only 'funny' to racist sexist white males with really big egos and teeny tiny weenies.

What color are you, Chef? (just teasing!!)

meow

FK

You neglected to print the reply that was posted to that comment:

Haha. That is the most ironically racist and sexist comment. Goes to show that nobody should listen to these politically correct fools who lunge after sound bites when there are real problems in the world. Get a life, lady.

Or this reply:

Thank you. But haven't you noticed that there are STILL a lot of people trying to tell YOU what is funny!

Can you believe the audacity of these douche-nozzles?

If you don't like Imus, that'll be fine.... but please don't act like thought police and tell me who I should and shouldn't seek out in the media for entertainment.

If you never liked Imus in the first place... why does he irritate you so much? "Me thinks the lady doth protest too much."

Imus is an easy target. But remember that Imus has had haters his whole career.

btw I STILL think nappy is a hilarious word.

[Felicia Katt]

Sweetie, i didn't neglect to include anything. I just said that comment struck me as funny. If I was striving for a representative sampling of comments there were many many more castigating Mr Imus than celebrating him. But they weren't funny

Big egos and teeny tiny weenies is just intrinsically funny. LOL

meow

FK

[chefmike]

And Jim Webb, who is someone I admire, won the election in large part because his opponent., a good old boy, made some stupid and racist comments.

No need to tell me about Jim Webb or George Allen, Felicia. I was born in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Jim Webb didn't win the senate election because of Allen's asinine remark, he won it because even right-wing voters were finally fed up with George Allen's incompetence. He was the worse goddamn governor the state ever had.

Jim Webb doesn't mince words, he tells it like it really is:

"The 62-year-old lawmaker and novelist has a zeal that sometimes defies political niceties: He didn't shake President Bush's hand when the president asked about his son's deployment to Iraq. Some of his views aren't politically correct. He contends that "poor whites" are an oppressed class, and defends Confederate soldiers for fighting for state sovereignty."

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121400455088993487.html?mod=special_page_campaig n2008_topbox

[El Nino]

Chef, are you gonna run for senate next term?

[Felicia Katt]

I know you are not defending George Allen, but please don't act like that comment, and the other racist skeletons in his closet didn't play a major role in his eventually losing that very tight election.

He was leading in the polls, and was being tapped as a possible candidate for the Whitehouse before that comment. Maybe you didn't vote against him because of it, but a lot of people did, or because his stupid later efforts to claim it wasn't racist or offensive showed his real character.

FK

[chefmike]

OK FK, I will agree that Allen's remark played a role in his defeat, among other things. It's a shame that Webb is such a loose cannon, because I think that he would make a great VP for Obama otherwise. My sister tells me that when you meet Webb in person that he is a very warm and engaging individual, though. I doubt if Bush would say the same!

[Tomfurbs]

The moral of this story is:

Don't be racist.


If you think someone else's shits stinks, then remember yours does too.

[chefmike]

The moral of this story is:

Don't be racist.


If you think someone else's shits stinks, then remember yours does too.

I don't consider Don Imus to be a racist, Tom. But you're certainly entitled to your opinion.

[Tomfurbs]

To tell you the truth, Mike, I know fuck all about this Imus guy, so I shouldn't really have commented in this post.

But he seems to put his foot in it a lot. Which doesn't seem very smart, him being a media personality and everything.

[chefmike]

But he seems to put his foot in it a lot.No argument there, Tom. Apparently he's been doing that his whole career, but that just makes him a more interesting personality, IMO. Imus has never seemed like a mean-spirited individual to me, and I admire all of the charitable work that he does for kids with cancer and autistic children. I don't really watch his new show, or listen to it on the radio except to maybe check it out for a few minutes. Although I really enjoyed his show for the most part when it was on MSNBC.

[ezed]

The moral of this story is:

Don't be racist.


If you think someone else's shits stinks, then remember yours does too.


Your 100% CORRECT Tom. But you should add don't be anything, because there are hundred of thousands of people out there waiting to disect and replay and analyze every sylable you utter and turn it into a major conflaguration of enormous proportion! Like the PC person shown below!

However, take comfort in the fact that the remaining several billion people on this earth could give two shits about what anyone says and get amusement from all the finger pointing, if they're aware of it at all.

I'm tired of all this PC crap. America has become a bunch of sissies. As a result, while we're busy pointing fingers, government and corporations are running over us like a "hot car"!

By the way Tom, this isn't directed at you. I liked your comment and I needed a platform to pontificate.
:)

[SkyTwo]

I didn't want to put myself through reading the whole thread, but here's a simple fact: Imus has a history of public comments that, at best, make him look like a possible bigot.

Way before the 'nappy-headed' mess, he made a comment about Gwen Ifill, best known as one of the News Hour team.... well, here's a link from a right-wing site.

http://archive.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2007/4/10/120304.shtml

The guy has a long history of making very questionable (again, I'm trying to be as objective as possible) statements involving race. And if he's finally booted off the air once and for all? Try not to feel too bad for him-- he's a multi-millionare with several homes. It's not as if the "PC Police" are forcing the guy to live in the streets.

There's something depressingly ironic about a cranky old rich guy becoming the official helpless victim of oversensitive liberals. I'm sure he's crying all the way to the bank, to coin a phrase.

[chefmike]

...history of public comments that, at best, make him look like a possible bigot.

Like Al Sharpton?

Or Jesse Jackson?

Or Louis Farrakhan?

[SkyTwo]

...history of public comments that, at best, make him look like a possible bigot.

Like Al Sharpton?

Or Jesse Jackson?

Or Louis Farrakhan?

Well... yeah. No one has managed to corner the market on ignorance. But 'black people do it too' isn't much of a defense. And I can't recall the last time I heard a prominent pundit try to claim that any of those three men were misunderstood victims.

[chefmike]

...history of public comments that, at best, make him look like a possible bigot.

Like Al Sharpton?

Or Jesse Jackson?

Or Louis Farrakhan?

Well... yeah. No one has managed to corner the market on ignorance. But 'black people do it too' isn't much of a defense. And I can't recall the last time I heard a prominent pundit try to claim that any of those three men were misunderstood victims.

Why would they claim that? That's because Sharpton et al pretty much get a pass when they make non-PC, anti-semitic and/or bigoted remarks. Sharpton, Jackson and Louie F. certainly have the right to say whatever they want, I just think that there's a wee bit of a double standard going on here. But at this point I feel like we're beginning to beat a dead horse anyway...

[Felicia Katt]

Chef, you seem to think that all things being equal, its just as wrong for some blacks to disparage whites as it is for some whites to disparage blacks. But all things just aren't equal. The fact is that there are centuries of discrimination and disparate and disparaging treatment that society is only now just starting to address let alone mend.

Blacks are 13.4 percent of the US population.
but there have only ever been a handful of black Senators and Congressmen, historically and even now, the number of current ones is not representative.

There have only been 2 black Supreme Court Justices (and Clarence Thomas shouldn't even count as one)
There have been No Black presidents. (something, hopefully, that will be remedied in November)

The Poverty rate for blacks is twice the national average.

Black unemployment is twice that of white unemployment.

Blacks are incarcerated at nearly 5 times the rate of their pro rata percentage of the population. (and that later statistic has to flow causally from the first two)

Its only been 50 or so years since schools were ordered integrated and that order is still not fully obeyed.

Its only been 40 or so years since interracial marriage was deemed Constitutional.

Black voters were widely and wrongly, and some would say intentionally disenfranchised in the last two Presidential elections.
and so forth and so on.

When things are more truly equal and our society can more truthfully claim that people are judged, not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character, then characters like Imus and Sharpton can and should be held to the same standards. But you are dreaming, and not in the way Martin Luther King hoped for, if you think thats how it is now.

FK

[chefmike]

Thanks for the condescending history lecture, FK. It doesn't change the fact that I'm sick and tired of PC BS and I feel that it hurts social discourse more than helps.

Like I said... :deadhorse

So you have a pleasant evening, as for myself, I shouldn't tarry too long here as there are crosses to be burned and such...just the usual saturday night down south...right?

[peggygee]

I get the sense that Imus, Stern, et al. need to make outrageous and
obnoxious statements, or else no one would know that they were still
on the air, well at least I wouldn't

[Felicia Katt]

Chef, there was nothing remotely condescending or derogatory about my post.

You can try to play the victim card all you like. But I never dealt it.

Peace

FK

[SkyTwo]

I get the sense that Imus, Stern, et al. need to make outrageous and
obnoxious statements, or else no one would know that they were still
on the air, well at least I wouldn't

At the risk of sounding rude, "Duh." Nothing sells like provocation and sensation-- I'm surprised it took as long as it did for him to get back on the air. I'm sure it was a ratings bonanza.

But you sure made me realize one thing by saying that, PG: I have yet to hear anyone defend the guy based on his value as a thoughtful voice in America media. So duh to myself.

And to chef, though I hate to keep at it, when I mention pundits not having much to say about Farrakhan, Sharpton, etc., it's because I think the media's conventional wisdom is that they should be dismissed automatically because (wink wink) we're just humoring them and their kooky opinions, folks. Just my assessment, but there you go.

[Realgirls4me]

The problem to me with ChefMike is that he seems to have this issue with African-Americans speaking out, as well as believing that all things are equal today (read Felicia's post once again) with power on an equal footing.
Be they young women college basketball players, or those he lives to despise such as Al Sharpton. Damn what the recipients of this vile bigoted slop might feel, it is for him, ChefMike, to decide what is offensive and not offensive as this is simply another example of the PC agitators running amok once again. Notice also that this mindset is conspicuously not too far removed from the mindset that permitted a certain part of the country to exclude certain citizens from sharing the same drinking fountains or eating at certain restaurants, et all. In other words, How dare they whine about their civil rights as Americans..? Just shut the fuck up and do as you're told! Today it's, hey Oprah is a billionaire, and Jordan and Woods seem to be doing alright, so you Sharptons and Jacksons can just go jump off a bridge. Parity has been reached. We really don't need you, except of course to assign you with the worst of ulterior motives. How dare the Jacksons and Sharptons hold this country to what it supposedly stands for along with attempting to take this country's inclusive legacy to a higher plane, huh? ... I really can't help but wonder just how quick ChefMike would be at denouncing and attacking a Sharpton, Jackson, or anyone for that matter, if one started stringing together some good ol' redneck stereotypes to describe the citizens of the south? Yeah, right, he wouldn't be offended by it all, right, particularly if these stereotypes hailed from the minds of a Jackson or Sharpton? It would be those dreaded PCers at it again and not be an issue at all with the likes of ChefMike. Yeah ... Right.

By the way ... what year are we in again?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18034102/

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=91371629&ft=1&f=1013



... Meanwhile, I am still waiting for him to provide an answer to my query upstream as to who is out there -- white or black -- with the notoriety to shed light on racial injustices. Posting pictures of Eddie Murphy isn't only not funny, but it also does not answer the question.

[chefmike]

Save your self-righteous preaching for someone else. I have no interest in reading it anymore. If you want to continue defending a bigoted buffoon like Al Sharpton then don't expect me to listen to you. Hysterical liberals like yourself do far more harm than good, in addition to being just plain tedious. I could give a shit what your opinion is of me, pilgrim.

[chefmike]

...there are hundred of thousands of people out there waiting to disect and replay and analyze every sylable you utter and turn it into a major conflaguration of enormous proportion! Like the PC person shown below!

However, take comfort in the fact that the remaining several billion people on this earth could give two shits about what anyone says and get amusement from all the finger pointing, if they're aware of it at all.

I'm tired of all this PC crap. America has become a bunch of sissies. As a result, while we're busy pointing fingers, government and corporations are running over us like a "hot car"!

So true, ezed.

[Realgirls4me]

Save your self-righteous preaching for someone else. I have no interest in reading it anymore. If you want to continue defending a bigoted buffoon like Al Sharpton then don't expect me to listen to you. Hysterical liberals like yourself do far more harm than good, in addition to being just plain tedious. I could give a shit what your opinion is of me, pilgrim.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I noticed you didn't address any of the issues I brought up, but instead resorted to the convenient ad hominem attacks. Anyone reading these exchanges can see that if it's coming from the black mouth of an Al Sharpton it's bigoted, but if it hails from the mouth of an Imus, it's the PC crowd overreacting. Yeah, we got you.

And you're no Liberal. I don't know what the fuck you are with a closed mind such as yours, but you unlike any Liberal I've ever met.

[chefmike]

I found this column by sportswriter Jason Whitlock(who coincidentally just happens to be a black man) to be both interesting and honest. But be forewarned, you politically correct knee-jerk types might want to avert your eyes...lest you get the vapors...

Imus talk brings ratings, but misses point
Jason Whitlock

I blame the white media — liberal and conservative — for the sensational coverage of Don Imus' latest attempt at shock-jock relevancy.

The O.J. Simpson double-murder trial taught white television and radio executives they could attract huge ratings by allowing a white host to referee a simple-minded argument pitting opposing views on an alleged black-white racial dispute.

Under the guise of promoting racial dialogue, the networks have created a collective talk-show hybrid, "The Mr. Gerald Springer III Show," a shirt-and-tie, race-based spinoff of "Jerry Springer."

The show topics change from week to week, bouncing from the Jena Six to Imus to Duke lacrosse to whatever most-coveted guest Al Sharpton has on his mind that day. What doesn't change is the stupidity of the conversation or the serious, concerned, irate and predictable look of the white host throughout the segment.

I first learned that Imus had said something "controversial" when I looked on my cell phone and saw a missed call from CNN. The news networks call me just about whenever something racial happens within the sports world.

It's no secret I like to write about and discuss race. The problem is I like to do it in an honest, intelligent fashion. What I learned from the first Imus-Rutgers go-round is that it is nearly impossible to do that on television.


The hosts are generally clueless about the topic and, worse, scared to death that they'll say something that provokes Sharpton to call their boss. The other guests are generally just as clueless, afraid they'll say something that provokes Sharpton to call them an Uncle Tom or a bigot and are primarily concerned with demonstrating they're worthy of an invite back or their own TV show.

I'm telling you, O.J. Simpson started this (spit). His trial launched TV careers, networks and got Marcia Clark a makeover that almost made her attractive in a non-sexual, Greta Van Susteren after-the-second-facelift kind of way.

So the interview requests poured in for me this week.

Imus suggested Dallas Cowboys cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones' six arrests were rather predictable given his African-American heritage. A day later, Imus clarified his statement — and tried to avoid trouble — by stating that he was making a sarcastic point about America's unequal criminal-justice system.

Imus was right both times. But Imus being right doesn't make for good television and certainly does not pay for the conk in Rev. Sharpton's wig.

No, sir. This was a full-blown racial controversy, a Nielsen-ratings-mover, a chance for white talk-show hosts to climb into the Octagon and let Kimbo Slice and Jimbo White Rice knuckle up until the viewers tapped out.

I took a pass.

The networks don't want to really get into this issue, not in a substantive way. Statistically, Pacman's problems with law enforcement are predictable in a "well, there you go" way given his age, African-American heritage and residence in the United States.

The incarceration numbers for black men age 18-30 (about one in nine) are staggering, frightening, and lift-every-voice-and-sing alarming. And just as Imus suggested, the reason for this brand of volunteer slavery can be directly linked to the unequal form of criminal justice long practiced in America (along with a black youth culture that is morally and educationally bankrupt thanks to a lack of fathers in the home).


I wrote about much of this in the June issue of Playboy Magazine. As you read in a previous column, the white editorial director at Playboy, Chris Napolitano — perhaps in an audition for a job in TV — slapped a simple-minded, ratings-grabbing, distracting headline on my article.

No one wanted to talk with me about this issue in depth. Hell, Playboy didn't even want the issue presented in a serious fashion.

But let Don Imus or anyone slip and say something that can get Al Sharpton some face time with Larry King, and every radio and TV producer will have me or some other race expert on speed dial. It's depressing. It's really kind of dangerous for our democracy.

I normally don't pay attention to politics. But the Barack Obama-Hillary Clinton race for the Democratic nomination was rather fascinating. Early on in the primaries, I sensed that the TV networks (and hosts and regular guests) desperately wanted Obama to win because they realized he gave them an easy racial angle to talk about whenever there was no legitimate news to address.

Obama is the Tony Soprano of politics, a guaranteed ratings winner. It made sense for the networks to renew Obama's reality show for the general election. Don't be surprised when Rev. Jeremiah Wright reprises his role as Uncle Junior and causes Obama problems from a mental hospital.

I digress. My point is that what Imus said warrants discussion. We just don't need to discuss Imus. He is not our problem. Pacman Jones, with his off-field antics and stupidity, has done more damage to the image of American black men than Don Imus could ever hope to do.