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April 10, 2007
Don Imus Has A Reputation In Crisis After Calling Rutgers Women's Basketball Team 'Nappy-Headed Hos!'
PHOTO: Radio and TV star Don Imus
“But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” The Bible, Matthew 6:15
“The discretion of a man (or woman) makes him (or her) slow to anger, and his glory is to overlook a transgression.” The Bible, Proverbs 19:11
According to Reuters, the Rutgers University women's basketball team slammed Don Imus on Tuesday but plans to meet with the U.S. radio personality suspended for two weeks for calling them "nappy-headed hos."
Public apologies by Imus for his remarks, widely condemned as racially provocative and sexist, have been coolly received by black leaders who have called for a boycott of sponsors of his popular show and for him to be fired.
The predominantly black team will meet privately with Imus to discuss his comments, and members were noncommittal on the suspension or calls for his ouster. Rutgers Athletics Director Robert Mulcahy said the players can play a part in the U.S. debate about racism.
Racial comments by white entertainers and degrading racial and sexual lyrics in black-dominated rap music have provoked a growing debate over the limits of expression about race in American public life.
"We need to get to the point where we don't call women hos, we don't classify African American women as 'nappy-headed hos,"' said team captain Essence Carson.
Imus made the comments last Wednesday after the Rutgers Scarlet Knights team lost the national collegiate championship game to Tennessee. "Hos" is slang for whores. "Nappy-headed" is steeped in racism and viewed as a vile slur describing African American hair.
"We have experienced racist and sexist remarks," Rutgers head coach C. Vivian Stringer said at a team news conference. She called the comments "despicable" and "abominable" and contrasted them with academic accomplishments and professional potential of the team members who flanked her.
"These young ladies are the best this nation has to offer," she said.
PHOTO: Can't We All Follow Their Example?
CBS Corp. unit CBS Radio and MSNBC, which broadcasts the "Imus In The Morning" show on television, suspended Imus on Monday in a rebuke for the personality whose program draws top political and media figures.
"I think it is appropriate and I'm going to try to serve it with dignity," Imus said in an interview with the "Today Show" on NBC. "This two-week suspension is not insignificant."
Carson said the team has not yet decided whether to accept repeated public apologies Imus has made. She added she wanted to ask Imus: "After you meet me as a person, do you still feel that I'm a ho?"
Imus' radio show had about 3.5 million listeners per week in 2005, according to media research firm Arbitron. The MSNBC simulcast pulls in about 330,000 viewers per week, according to trade publication Talkers, which ranked him as the 14th most influential U.S. radio talk-show host.
Imus has said he would not resign, but black leaders including Jesse Jackson who led a small but vocal public protest in Chicago on Monday insist he should go.
"I think it is not nearly enough. It is too little too late," said civil-rights leader Al Sharpton, who interviewed Imus on his own radio show on Monday.
White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said President George W. Bush "believes that the apology was the absolute right thing to do," but it would be up to Imus' employer to decide on any further action.
The National Association of Black Journalists has charged that Imus has a history of making racial insults on his show. The association says Imus called journalist Gwen Ifill of the Public Broadcasting Service a "cleaning lady" and referred to columnist William Rhoden of The New York Times as "a quota hire."
MSNBC television and MSNBC.com are joint ventures of Microsoft Corp. and General Electric Co.'s NBC Universal News.
PHOTO: Rutgers Women's Basketball Team with Rutgers University President at Imus-Related Press Conference Today
A few comments from the Reputation Doctor regarding Don Imus's inappropriate comments toward the Rutgers University women's basketball team and the great opportunity for both parties in this reputation crisis:
Don Imus has a huge opportunity to be an example for us all.
Imus will soon meet privately with the women of the Rutgers Women's Basketball Team and ask them all for forgiveness. But he must do much more. He must examine his own heart first and be prepared to be honest with himself before he is honest with others. He must admit he has a history of making inappropriate comments on his radio and TV show for the "shock-jock" value of making money for himself, his sponsors and for the media networks and stations carrying his show. He must also admit he didn't really think about the impact of his words on the people he offended over the 30 years he has been in the business. He has not done a good job at all at empathizing with their pain. This self examination is important and it is just as important to offer sorrow for the pain of those he hurt now and in the past. We all can learn from this example.
A heart felt apology is very important, but so is the appropriate way to offer forgiveness to those who least "deserve it" and have hurt us the most.
Desmond Tutu and Nelson Mandela knew this after millions lived and died through many years of apartheid in South Africa. So did the Amish community in Pennsylvania after the tragic school shootings killed young and innocent children last year. I hope the amazing ladies on the Rutgers Women's Basketball Team are reviewing and listening to these examples of courage in forgiveness. We can not continue to let pain and anger eat us up alive! We must learn to forgive because there is great strength and faith in forgiveness. Judgment is for God! We are called to forgive! In doing so, we rise to a higher place of faith, self-esteem and overall well being.
Others jumping into the controversy have other agendas external to repairing reputations and offering long-term love and understanding on both sides.
Sadly, Rev. Jesse Jackson and Rev. Al Sharpton do not have track records of bringing mutual understanding to both sides of a racial crisis like this. Their goal is not to reduce the anger, but to build on it to highlight "injustice in America overall" and many times benefit from it themselves. As I said today in several media interviews, including interviews on Fox News Channel and CNBC, why can't these sad incidents become opportunities for true healing and reputation repair? Parties on both sides need to understand we must move past anger to witness understanding, apologies and forgiveness for all with a Christian heart. Doing so is very, very difficult, but ALWAYS worth the hard work to get there. The Rutgers Women's Basketball Team coach, C. Vivian Stringer, mentioned her Christian faith, God and the Bible in her comments at today's press conference. Imus, the coach and her team's comments come with tremendous responsibility and great opportunity for themselves and others who are watching their actions in the court of public opinion. I end by asking Coach Stringer and her team the all important question as a fellow Christian regarding forgiveness: What would Jesus do?
Remember, do the right thing when your reputation is in crisis and seek the counsel of an experienced reputation management expert. It will be a major challenge, but ultimately the rewards of repairing your reputation will be great. Why? Because Your Reputation Is Everything! ™
About Mike Paul
Mike Paul is editor of The Reputation Doctor blog. The Reputation Doctor is a nickname given to him by various clients. Mike's blog is located at www.ReputationDoctor.com. He appears regularly on Fox News Channel, CNN, MSNBC, Court TV, ABC News, ESPN, CBS News, BBC, and others as a weekly contributor and expert in the global news regarding corporations, CEOs, celebrities, athletes, politicians and other public organizations and public individuals with reputations in crisis. Mr. Paul is also president and senior counselor of MGP & Associates PR (www.mgppr.com), a leading strategic public relations and reputation management firm based in New York. For interview requests, speeches, senior counseling or other business opportunities with Mr. Paul, call 212-595-8500 or email info@mgppr.com.
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