The public Don Imus was different. Grizzled, irascible, foulmouthed, an outrageous, confrontational growler with a buckram face, a battered cowboy hat and a gun on his hip, he spent decades on the air doing pranks and parodies that were often brutish, tasteless or obscene and sometimes racist, sexist or homophobic — all while surviving alcoholism, cocaine addiction, repeated firings and a nearly fatal fall from a horse.
In the more printable Imus lexicon, Dick Cheney was “a war criminal,” Hillary Rodham Clinton was “Satan,” Oprah Winfrey “a fat phony,” Newt Gingrich “a man who would eat roadkill,” Ted Kennedy “a fat slob,” Steve Forbes “a meanspirited creep,” Dan Rather “a loony,” Rush Limbaugh “a drug-addled gas bag.” Many listeners detected the toxins of Lenny Bruce, George Carlin, Mort Sahl or Groucho Marx.
Sponsors worried, but paid handsomely for airtime. His employers waffled, but took in $50 million a year and paid him $10 million. He was sued for defamation, denounced, ridiculed, shunned, hated and feared. But legions of devoted listeners — a drive-time audience of millions tuned in to 100 radio stations across the country and a cable television network — adored his irreverence and gut-fighter’s instincts.
After years on the edge of acceptable standards, however, Mr. Imus went too far on April 4, 2007, when, in his trademark drawl, he referred to the Rutgers University women’s basketball team, which had reached the N.C.A.A. finals and was composed mainly of African-Americans, as “rough girls” and “nappy-headed hos.”
An outcry by black organizations, women’s groups and the news media ensued. The Rev. Al Sharpton organized protest rallies. Advertisers withdrew. Senator Barack Obama of Illinois, who was running for president, called for Mr. Imus’s removal.
Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/27/arts/don-imus-dead.html?emc=rss&partner=rss
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