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04/11/2007: "The Infamous Imus Mouth Causes Advertisers to Flee. - Imus Cancelled on CBS"

Don Imus, shock jock with a proclivity to open his mouth and insert his boots, has caused his radio stations and television networks to lose big name advertisers.

As you know, Imus called the Rutgers women's basketball team "nappy-headed hos" during his show. This sexist and racist remark may prove his downfall. But it will also cost the stations and network who stood behind him and paid him the big bucks a lot of hard, cold cash.

Numerous advertisers said yesterday that they would refuse to sponsor the show in the future. Among the advertisers were General Motors, American Express, Sprint Nextel, GlaxoSmithKline, TD Ameritrade and Ditech.com.

According to today's Wall Street Journal,

"At least three advertisers associated with Mr. Imus's program on either radio or television -- including the nation's biggest marketer, Procter & Gamble -- suspended their ad support amid a growing controversy over racist remarks he made about the Rutgers women's basketball team last week.

The marketers' pullout came a day after CBS and NBC suspended the broadcast for two weeks starting next Monday. Mr. Imus's nationally syndicated program, which originates from CBS Corp.'s WFAN radio station, is simulcast on MSNBC, a unit of General Electric Co.'s NBC Universal.

The advertisers' reaction suggests fallout over Mr. Imus's remarks could persist. Marketers aren't saying whether their pullouts are permanent, and they are likely to watch carefully to see if the fuss dies down. But the withdrawal of more advertisers could potentially undercut support for Mr. Imus returning to the air. Civil-rights groups such as the NAACP have called for him to be fired, while the Rev. Al Sharpton is calling for advertisers and guests to boycott the program."

While I believe in freedom of speech, I am appalled at this statement. As a woman I am revolted. No man, white or black, has the right to degrade a woman in this manner. Or any manner. And if I were black, I'd be mad as hell. And as a business person I am angry that one man could cost the stations and network such a tremendous amount of money simply because of his need to degrade this group of women.

There has to be some civility in what people say in public --- regardless of how free our speech is. These young women did nothing but play on a sports team. They're athletes. They did not deserve to be talked about like this.

It's true that Jesse Jackson and other blacks have talked degradingly about Jews and whites and even other blacks. They too are to be blamed. No one has the right to run down a person or a group due to sex or race or sexual orientation.

I invite you to go to The Women's Sports Foundation Web site and send an email to the powers that be to try and get Imus fired. The Women's Sports Foundation has a link to walk you through the simple, quick process.

While you're there, you might consider giving a donation to women and girls in sports. The foundation has an A+ rating and is one of the finest organizations around.

Let's stop the wagging tongues of those who don't know when to shut up.

LATE BREAKING NEWS

5:55 P.M. - -- MSNBC is canceling its simulcast of Don Imus' radio show after he made racially charged remarks about Rutgers women's basketball team.

Disc Jockey Fired For Having Callers Imitate Imus

NBC President Explains Imus Decision - You Tube

CBS Director Hopes Imus Will Be Fired

Obama Calls for Imus to Be Fired

Thursday April 12, 2007 Update:

Imus Hints His Career May Be Ending

Imus Has His Say (Drudge)

4:00 P.M. April 12, 2007 - -- CBS cancels Don Imus' radio show, effective immediately, after uproar over his racist and sexist comments about Rutgers women's basketball team.