Imus Endures More Criticism

NEW YORK (AP) – Don Imus took a hot seat on the other side of the microphone Monday, appearing on the Reverned Al Sharpton’s radio show and enduring another round of withering criticism for his racial comments about the Rutgers women’s basketball team.Mr. Imus issued another apology for referring to members of the team as “nappy-headed hos.” Reverend Sharpton called the comments “abominable” and repeated his demand that Imus be fired.“Our agenda is to be funny and sometimes we go too far. And this time we went way too far,” Mr. Imus told Reverend Sharpton.The meeting prompted a series of testy exchanges, and Mr. Imus grew visibly frustrated at times. During a couple of commercial breaks, Reverend Sharpton walked out of the studio and during others said few words to Mr. Imus.During one exchange, a frustrated Mr. Imus said how he can’t win with “you people.” Reverend Sharpton was clearly irritated by that remark.In another encounter, Reverend Sharpton said, “If you walk away from this unscathed …”“How am I unscathed by this?” Mr. Imus interrupted. “Don’t you think I’m humiliated?”Earlier Monday on his radio show, Mr. Imus called himself “a good person” who made a bad mistake.“Here’s what I’ve learned: that you can’t make fun of everybody, because some people don’t deserve it,” he said on his nationally syndicated radio show. “And because the climate on this program has been what it’s been for 30 years doesn’t mean that it has to be that way for the next five years or whatever because that has to change, and I understand that.”He pointed to his involvement with the Imus Ranch, a working cattle ranch for children with cancer and blood disorders in New Mexico. Ten percent of the children who come to the ranch are black, he said.“I’m not a white man who doesn’t know any African-Americans,” he said.On the radio show, Reverend Sharpton said that Mr. Imus’ good deeds do not make up for what he said about the Rutgers team, which includes eight black women.“This is not about whether you’re a good man,” Reverend Sharpton said. “What you said was racist.”Mr. Imus said he hoped to meet the Rutgers players and their parents and coaches, and he said he was grateful for the appearance with Reverend Sharpton on his nationally syndicated radio program.Rutgers President Richard L. McCormick said he had no plans to meet with Mr. Imus but didn’t know what the team had decided to do.“They are hurt and angry and anguished,” he said. “You could see it in their eyes and in their voices. They had an extraordinary run, a run that captured the attention of the nation. Then, less than a day later comes Imus’ awful words, which not only took the joy out of all they achieved but were anguishing.”The Reverend Jesse Jackson and about 50 others marched Monday outside the Chicago offices of NBC, which owns MSNBC, carrying signs and shouting, “Imus must go.” Reverend Jackson said Mr. Imus’ comments contribute to “a climate of degradation” and stem from a lack of blacks as program hosts.Mr. Imus made the now-infamous remark during his show Wednesday.The Rutgers team had lost the day before in the NCAA women’s championship game. Imus was speaking with producer Bernard McGuirk about the game when the exchange began on “Imus in the Morning,” which is broadcast to millions of people on more than 70 stations and MSNBC.“That’s some rough girls from Rutgers,” Mr. Imus said. “Man, they got tattoos …”“Some hardcore hos,” Mr. McGuirk said.“That’s some nappy-headed hos there, I’m going to tell you that,” Mr. Imus said.Mr. Imus apologized on the air Friday, but his mea culpa has not quieted the uproar.James E. Harris, president of the New Jersey chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, demanded Sunday that Imus “resign or be terminated immediately.”Allison Gollust, a spokeswoman for MSNBC, said the network considers Imus’ comments “deplorable” and is reviewing the matter.Karen Mateo, a spokeswoman for CBS Radio – Mr. Imus’ employer and the owner of his New York radio home, WFAN-AM – said the company was “disappointed” in Imus’ actions and characterized his comments as “completely inappropriate.”

Imus Endures More Criticism

Imus Endures More Criticism

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