Talk:Don Imus

Remarks that lead to cancellation of show

For people less familiar with US American culture, it's not quite obvious what was supposedly racist about the remarks. Maybe someone could generally explain what the controversy was about? Thanks, Ibn Battuta 01:11, 23 May 2007 (UTC)

"Nappy Headed" is considered racist when used by someone that is not nappy headed themselves, especially when used in a tone of insult. So for example, Stevie Wonder's song "I Wish" uses the term, and Imus got the term from Spike Lee's School Daze, but Imus' use of it, by not being part of the group himself, insulted the Rutger's players, and other people within the group. Many people use derogatory terms about their own group, but avoid using the derogatory terms of other groups. I can say "squarehead", but would possibly be offended if someone else used it in a negative way. Just part of the politically correct movement in the US to temper free speech with a lack of insult. IMO, of course. CodeCarpenter 18:32, 4 June 2007 (UTC)

Except Imus himself is clearly nappy headed himself and in the context of the discussion it couldn't of been used as intentionally racist since he was comparing the Rutgers team to the Tennessee team who is also mostly African American.Wikidudeman ^(talk) 22:23, 4 June 2007 (UTC)

Racism

I agree with the point made by Ibn Battuta #Remarks that lead to cancellation of show above. For a non-American, the extreme furore of the over comments is confusing and basically unexplained in the article, particularly the racism angle. (When I first read it, the only thing I clearly understood was hos and while the comments were obviously offensive and perhaps sexist, it didn't seem to have a clear racist angle.) Indeed the term 'nappy head' is generally used in a offensive racist or bigoted way to refer to an Arab, Muslim or Sikh or someone else who wears a veil, turban or other hair, head or face covering in some Commonwealth countries which is clearly not what was meant here. The term jigaboo similarly may not be understood. Also was the furore solely because of the nappy head and jigaboo comment? I originally was not aware of the racist history of the terms used, and so thought the comparison was the thing that made it racist. But from what I can tell, the composition is not that different with the Tennessee team having perhaps 3 white and the rest black and Ruthers 2 white. Was any discussion made of the comparison? This section is already rather long, but this length is perhaps partially merited given the effect it had. But I'm not suggesting it be expanded rather less important details should be cut and details which better explaint the controversy to non-Americans added. Alternatively wikilinks can be added to the appropriate terms Nil Einne (talk) 11:00, 20 August 2009 (UTC)

I'm still looking for it, but Imus did a very, very (after his firing) announcement of how he eventually met with the Rutger's women's basketball team and apologized to them personally. I read the transcript of it somewhere, where he gave a much better personal apology to the women of the team directly. He commented that it took place AFTER he had been terminated from MSNBC/CBS. The statement was something along the lines of how these young women were not "part of the game" (ie politics) but were scholars and athletes playing the game that they loved and had brought them to that point and expressed his true condolence for having disrespected them. The statement continued onto how he accepted his firing for that alone and emphasized that the Rutgers women's basketball team accepted his apology personally. I think if that statement can be located it should close out the entire section regarding that controversy. My thoughts. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 69.230.172.149 (talk) 04:10, 17 November 2009 (UTC)

Suggested deletion

I suggest that the FAIR-sourced statement in the article be deleted per this inasmuch as FAIR should not be used for contentious statements in BLPs.--Epeefleche (talk) 03:24, 11 May 2010 (UTC)

Anti-homosexual comments

As a homosexual I find it hard to believe that the word 'lesbian' could be derogatory. Lesbian is a normal, inoffensive term for a female homosexual. Either this needs context (a negative remark about a lesbian/lesbians), or else it needs to be deleted. 'Dyke' is an offensive term for a female homosexual, it would be more the equivalent to 'faggot'.

89.204.241.185 (talk) 13:06, 5 June 2010 (UTC) Joe

This section also struck me as odd. This isn't one of those issues where a community refers to themselves by one word, while considering that word offensive if spoken by others. Lesbian is a commonly accepted and politically correct term for homosexual women. Maybe someone put the wrong word in there by mistake, unless of course he uses the word to describe people who are not openly gay and intends this to be an insult?--Senor Freebie (talk) 02:58, 18 June 2010 (UTC)