Guide Note:
Don Imus is a radio talk show personality that hosts the nationally syndicated talk show Imus in the Morning. Inducted to the Radio Hall of Fame in 1989, Imus started in radio in 1968 at KUTY in Palmdale, California.
Fast Facts:
- Born: July 23, 1940 in Riverside, California
- Birth name: John Donald Imus, Jr.
- Served in the U.S. Marines from 1957 to 1959
- Imus in the Morning debuted in New York in 1971 on WNBC
- Spouse: Deidre Imus
- Owns a ranch in New Mexico called "The Imus Ranch", which is a getaway for kids with cancer
Controversies
During a broadcast in April 2007 while talking about the NCAA Women's Basketball Championship, Imus referred to the players on the Rutgers University basketball squad as, "nappy headed hoes."1 The comment transpired during a conversation he was having with his executive producer Bernard McGuirk.
The aftermath of the incident called for Imus' firing by Reverend Al Sharpton and many others. On April 11, 2007, MSNBC announced that they would no longer simulcast Imus in the Morning. Soon after MSNBC took action, CBS Radio canceled the show. However, on December 3, 2007, Don Imus returned to the airwaves on ABC Radio.
Controversy again surrounded Imus in June 2008 when the discussion of NFL player Pacman Jones' multiple arrests came up. During the conversation Imus asked about the color of Jones. While the question aroused criticism from Al Sharpton, Imus simply claims he was defending the prejudice shown Jones from law enforcement.
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