My own Don Imus story:

[PCIntern]

About forty or more years ago Imus used to broadcast for a week in the summer in front of Convention Hall in Atlantic City. I’d ride my bike down from Ventnor and stand with the crowd and watch and listen to him. What I found amazing as a young person was the combination of horrifying sentences coming out of his mout combined with the absolutely perfect radio professionalism that accompanied them. His physical mannerisms for directing the program, the other participants, the engineer, it was amazing to watch.

That being said he was a first-class creep, mostly unfunny but a star bully. Yet people were enthralled by the production. Fascinating to watch.

[Srkdqltr]

1. Never liked him.

I can't say why but he just hit me the wrong way.

[RKP5637]

2. I used to watch him sometimes on MSNBC in the morning. He was a real character.

Had some really ugly things about him, but I think some good was mixed in. That's what made him such a conundrum.

[Buckeyeblue]

4. I watched on occasion as well

I thought he was supposed to be really funny. But I didn't find him all that funny. If anything he was boring. But the comment about the Rutgers team was just classless and racist. That was a fun team to watch and I was sorry for them that they had to deal with Don Imus in the midst of their season.

[marble falls]

3. He had a short gig turning records at WIXY in Cleveland in 1970 ...

I liked the show, but he did something goofy (I don't know what) and got fired. When he came back to Cleveland six or seven years later he had a talk show and he was sooo RW.

But you're right he said some awful things but in such a calm way that people somehow didn't get offended if they didn't listen closely.

[Haggis for Breakfast]

6. I lived in Cleveland in those years and listened to WIXY 1260.

That "something goofy" that Imus did that got him fired was this: In 1967, we had elected the first Black mayor of a major city. His name was Carl B. Stokes, a good man and a good mayor. From day one when Stokes took office in 1968, Imus made disgusting and atrocious comments about Stokes. Example: he would actually call Stokes at home at 6:00AM and say things like "Hey Carl, get your Black ass out of bed and get to work." And worse. Through it all, Mayor Stokes kept his head held high and never responded to any of Imus's ugly trash talk. Cleveland finally got fed up with his relentless, loud-mouthed racism and he was unceremoniously dumped.

I never thought he was funny.

All of these people falling all over themselves now, saying that he was "controversial" or that he "pushed boundaries" or that he "challenged limitations" makes me sick.

He was a piece of shit racist.

[marble falls]

7. I'm from Cleveland and was living in Akron at the time, I don't know how I missed ...

that, I was listening to NCR and MMS, and working a morning show on WAUP at Akron U; but I sure can understand why WIXY cut him loose. I've been reading a lot about Imus lately and I hadn't seen that. Why in the world did another station from Cleveland bring him back. Dennis Kucinich was mayor about then. I can just imagine what Imus said about him.

Carl Stokes and Louis Stokes both did a lot for Cleveland.

[UTUSN]

5. Hitler loved dogs; Limbaugh loves Christmas; Wagner's great music.

The article contains praise from the predictable Deplorables: Hannity, Ingraham ( " (sorry, haters), [he is] responsible for my 17-year radio career” ) , Joe Scabs, Huckabee.

I gave sl-imus a trial listen-to the way I do with infamous types to have my own measure on what people talk about - viz., Mel GIBSON's Passion/Christ and the KARDASHIANS. I was repulsed when RUSSERT and other mainstreamers constantly guested and kissed up to him, yes my John KERRY.

As for the agonizing over the "mixture" of his crap plus his charity, I am not swayed by his vaunted talent and charity. I'm lapsed in religion, but retain some concepts, in this case, the one that says Good Works will not save.

These are the other, non-laudatory tweets:

**********QUOTE*******

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/hollywood-sends-mixed-reactions-death-014754423.html

Hollywood Sends Mixed Reactions on the Death of Don Imus

.... News and politics editorial director of “Essence” (Yesha CALLAHAN) recalled Imus’ 2007 moment when he was fired for his derogatory comments about the Rutgers women’s basketball team. ....

Writer for “A Black Lady Sketch Show” Rae Sanni also recalled Imus’ past words. ....

Press Secretary for Rapid Response at the Human Rights Campaign Charlotte Clymer spoke out against the current status quo, referring to Imus as a racist and a sexist. ....

*******UNQUOTE*****

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

[leftyladyfrommo]

8. Didn't he have a ranch for sick kids?

Last edited Sun Dec 29, 2019, 09:49 AM - Edit history (1)

That abrasive persona may have been a facade.

I looked it up. Cancer kids visited the ranch. He stopped it in 2014 after he broke some ribs after an accident .