First, I am a fan of Don Imus. Second, I don't care what your opinion of him is nowadays because of all the Rutgers Controversy. I am a Rutgers Alum and not ashamed to say it here. Yes, Don said something stupid and he has apologized. I think when the air settles down around them. His rating will go up on radio and on MSNBC. Let's face it, there is no such thing as a bad publicity. Don and his wife, Deirdre, have made substantial contributions and services to children who suffer from autism, have cancer, and siblings of SIDS babies. Don and Deirdre don't expect to earn any money from their services. They raise the money to help ordinary people. They spend their free time in New Mexico at their cattle ranch getting it ready for kids with cancer for that one week where they can forget their illness and act like kids working on a cattle ranch. For me, I watch Imus in the morning because I can't stand those saccharine, pretentious morning shows that dumb down the brain. Imus' guest roster is the who's who of political journalism. Don doesn't spend time talking about the Hilton sisters, Britney Spears, or Anna Nicole Smith. He focuses on Iraq, Iran, sports, White House, politics, etc. Yes, he made a mistake but nobody's perfect. After all, he's almost 67 years old. If MSNBC and CBS radio dumps him, he could always go on Sirrius radio and not worry about the censorship. For now, he's getting a lot of negative attention. Calls for his termination are outrageous since I hear a lot worse on FM radio. As a woman, Don Imus does not effect my life. I still make less than most men with the same amount of education and experience. Most of all, I respect Imus because of his honesty overall. Not many people in this business are truly honest with his audience. Fortunately, most people don't know much about his audience. Well, we are educated, intelligent, cerebral, and well-read and we know better. We know not to take Imus seriously all the time because that would drive us crazy.
4 Reviews
There's good news and bad news
RNMorton12 May 2004
The good news: frequent, surprisingly intelligent and fair discussion of the political hot topics of the day, occasionally in depth. The bad news: Imus revels in the role of cranky curmudgeon, unaware that his guests put up with him not because of his innate genius but rather for the national MSNBC exposure. The good news: frequent appearances by the few statesmen remaining in the U.S. (like John McCain), as well as the better reporters from the NBC stable. The bad news: when he's not engaged in lively discussions with the guests, Imus either beats up his staff (ala Howard) or obsesses about himself or his pet charity, "the Ranch". Whether you're watching at home or listening in your car, the perfect candidate for selective tuning - worth it when it's good (the interviews), miserable when it's bad (pretty much anything else).
Outstanding program - 10* +
caa8217 October 2006
I've been a fan of Imus for a long time. Since moving a few years ago, in our city, I can now only receive via the 3-hour MSNBC simulcast of the radio show. Over the past few years, the program has added more aspects for the television component, and MSNBC personnel provide on-air news and weather reports, and serve as foils for some of the humor.
The telecast is for only 3 of the 4-hour broadcast - but throughout the show's history, the "fourth" hour often contains some reprise items, and sort of "winds down" from the main featured guests and bits in the first three hours.
My schedule is such that I often work late hours, so I TIVO the show and listen/view later. I find it more entertaining than a lot of nighttime television, and can also just listen if doing other things. Watching/listening later also encompasses less time, without having to incur the commercial time.
No program with the number of hours, guests, on-air ensemble, etc., which "Imus in the Morning" has, can hit the proverbial "home run" every day, or with every featured guest, subject or "bit." But this program is a superb piece of entertainment, and far more informative and insightful than the smarmy talk shows (whether skewed to the far right by Limbaugh, Savage, Beck, et al - or Garafalo and her fellow protagonists on the far left), or the lame presentations of "Today," "The View," etc.
Imus interviews better than the network newscasters and their cohorts, lets the participants talk, and is a master of the simple, direct question.
Imus certainly is not lacking in ego, but this makes the events all the more interesting. His very competent colleagues are also outstanding - and the mix and movement among prepared features, spontaneous exchanges, shtick, and argument keeps things lively and fascinating. Often they all change "gears" among these the way Jeff Gordon shifts them in his Chevy.
If you haven't tried this program (or if you've only watched it briefly), give it a try - for at least a couple of weeks. If it's not "your thing," there are certainly plenty of alternatives. If you like it, as I do, it provides a major piece of entertainment in the midst of the plethora of mediocrity "out there."
-------------------------
I added this comment during 12/06 -- four months ago. In the past few days, Imus, his program and associates were first suspended for two weeks by MSNBC and CBS for the radio syndication -- and in the past couple of days, fired and permanently canceled by both.
Just as a broken clock is correct twice a day, and a blind squirrel can find an acorn -- the reverse is sometimes true: in this case, a host and program -- normally clever, humorous, usually incisive, admirably assisting many worthy causes, presenting great interviews and fresh perspectives from/about prominent persons and about world events -- nonetheless, made about the most stupid faux pas one can imagine, and one somebody with 1/40 of Imus' experience should have avoided.
I always found some of the racial parodies, and producer Bernard's roles in most of these, to be near or over the edge, and frequently not that funny. And recently, Imus' and Bernard's continuing barbs to sportscaster Chis, a portly fellow to say the least, about his weight and recent marriage seemed excessive as well.
With Imus being (admittedly) one of the more arrogant persons one will find, and Bernard, particularly, something of a younger "clone," the whole Rutgers matter was a case of those two, who delighted in taking this type of humor to the "edge," not only going too far, but falling off the metaphorical cliff.
Further, their whole exchange wasn't even vaguely humorous. While I'm no great fan of either Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton - and each has some incidents in his past in this same arena - they and everyone else who decried such a cheap shot at these young women are correct. Imus has leveled criticism and parody as a major part of his shtick forever, but normally towards prominent people, powerful politicians and celebrities, sometimes unnecessarily excessive, but with those who seem often to deserve it, and have the means to argue back if they choose.
These young women were not within this area.
Should he have been fired? In my opinion, absolutely not. But this guy, a superstar on-air, earning 8 figures annually, with four decades' experience, an obviously intelligent individual, seemingly one of the most intelligent and astute persons around, with connections at the highest level of his industry - should never have put everything at risk for what was one of the lamest bits ever presented on his program (in terms of its usual humor), and it seems unbelievable that such a weak stream-of-consciousness would have been permitted to (at least for now) end such a lengthy, prominent career.
The telecast is for only 3 of the 4-hour broadcast - but throughout the show's history, the "fourth" hour often contains some reprise items, and sort of "winds down" from the main featured guests and bits in the first three hours.
My schedule is such that I often work late hours, so I TIVO the show and listen/view later. I find it more entertaining than a lot of nighttime television, and can also just listen if doing other things. Watching/listening later also encompasses less time, without having to incur the commercial time.
No program with the number of hours, guests, on-air ensemble, etc., which "Imus in the Morning" has, can hit the proverbial "home run" every day, or with every featured guest, subject or "bit." But this program is a superb piece of entertainment, and far more informative and insightful than the smarmy talk shows (whether skewed to the far right by Limbaugh, Savage, Beck, et al - or Garafalo and her fellow protagonists on the far left), or the lame presentations of "Today," "The View," etc.
Imus interviews better than the network newscasters and their cohorts, lets the participants talk, and is a master of the simple, direct question.
Imus certainly is not lacking in ego, but this makes the events all the more interesting. His very competent colleagues are also outstanding - and the mix and movement among prepared features, spontaneous exchanges, shtick, and argument keeps things lively and fascinating. Often they all change "gears" among these the way Jeff Gordon shifts them in his Chevy.
If you haven't tried this program (or if you've only watched it briefly), give it a try - for at least a couple of weeks. If it's not "your thing," there are certainly plenty of alternatives. If you like it, as I do, it provides a major piece of entertainment in the midst of the plethora of mediocrity "out there."
-------------------------
I added this comment during 12/06 -- four months ago. In the past few days, Imus, his program and associates were first suspended for two weeks by MSNBC and CBS for the radio syndication -- and in the past couple of days, fired and permanently canceled by both.
Just as a broken clock is correct twice a day, and a blind squirrel can find an acorn -- the reverse is sometimes true: in this case, a host and program -- normally clever, humorous, usually incisive, admirably assisting many worthy causes, presenting great interviews and fresh perspectives from/about prominent persons and about world events -- nonetheless, made about the most stupid faux pas one can imagine, and one somebody with 1/40 of Imus' experience should have avoided.
I always found some of the racial parodies, and producer Bernard's roles in most of these, to be near or over the edge, and frequently not that funny. And recently, Imus' and Bernard's continuing barbs to sportscaster Chis, a portly fellow to say the least, about his weight and recent marriage seemed excessive as well.
With Imus being (admittedly) one of the more arrogant persons one will find, and Bernard, particularly, something of a younger "clone," the whole Rutgers matter was a case of those two, who delighted in taking this type of humor to the "edge," not only going too far, but falling off the metaphorical cliff.
Further, their whole exchange wasn't even vaguely humorous. While I'm no great fan of either Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton - and each has some incidents in his past in this same arena - they and everyone else who decried such a cheap shot at these young women are correct. Imus has leveled criticism and parody as a major part of his shtick forever, but normally towards prominent people, powerful politicians and celebrities, sometimes unnecessarily excessive, but with those who seem often to deserve it, and have the means to argue back if they choose.
These young women were not within this area.
Should he have been fired? In my opinion, absolutely not. But this guy, a superstar on-air, earning 8 figures annually, with four decades' experience, an obviously intelligent individual, seemingly one of the most intelligent and astute persons around, with connections at the highest level of his industry - should never have put everything at risk for what was one of the lamest bits ever presented on his program (in terms of its usual humor), and it seems unbelievable that such a weak stream-of-consciousness would have been permitted to (at least for now) end such a lengthy, prominent career.
I cannot get Imus in the morning
tetch-113 December 2006
Our cable company has switched to Comcast. They say my package does not include MSNBC which means I can't see Imus in the Morning. Given the political views of Mr Imus. I cant help thinking this is some kind of marketing scam put forth by our government. Are they trying to make a Ezra Pound out of him? Nathanal Hail where are you? I want to see Imus in the Morning! He is the closest thing we have to free speech. I can't live without my Imus in the Morning.
Don Imus is what this country needs to speak for the common man. Although he says he is a registered republican he sounds more like a spokesman for people who have no voice, like our injured war Heros, children with cancer.
Don Imus is what this country needs to speak for the common man. Although he says he is a registered republican he sounds more like a spokesman for people who have no voice, like our injured war Heros, children with cancer.
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