Don Imus, the controversial radio talk-show host, was suspended on Monday for two weeks for racially disparaging remarks he made last week about the Rutgers University women’s basketball team.
Following the team’s appearance in the national championship game, Mr. Imus described the players as “nappy headed ho’s,” prompting Richard L. McCormick, president of Rutgers, and Myles Brand, president of the NCAA, to issue a joint statement that called the shock-jock’s comments “unconscionable.”
In the past week, black leaders have called for CBS Radio and MSNBC to pull the plug on Mr. Imus’s show. On Monday both CBS and MSNBC temporarily suspended the radio personality. MSNBC called his comments “racist and abhorrent,” and said it would not tolerate insensitive remarks in the future.
On Monday Mr. Imus, appearing on a radio show with the Rev. Al Sharpton, offered an apology and described his comments as “repugnant, repulsive, and horrible.” He said he would like to apologize in person to the Rutgers team and its coach. In a statement released on Monday, Robert E. Mulcahy III, director of athletics at Rutgers, said, “I have relayed the message of Don Imus and his offer to apologize in person to the students and asked them to let me know how they wished to respond, if at all.” —Brad Wolverton
