"Shock jock" Imus finally faces music

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Pioneering U.S. radio "shock jock" Don Imus has insulted pretty much everyone -- blacks, Jews, Arabs, homosexuals, women -- in a 30-year career in which he may have finally gone too far.

Often his apologies are insults.

Take the time in December 2004, when Imus referred to publishers of a book called "The Christmas Thief" as "thieving Jews." Later, he apologized, saying the phrase "thieving Jews" was "redundant."

The list goes on and on: he's called Arabs "towelheads" and he said of an African-American woman journalist then working for the New York Times, "Isn't the Times wonderful? It lets the cleaning woman cover the White House?"

Reporter Gwen Ifill's supposed offense was that she had declined to appear on his show or even return phone calls.

But now the ex-Marine, who helped popularize "shock jock" radio of provocative disk jockeys who cast aside taste boundaries, is up against the wall.

Imus' lucrative career is either at an end or hanging by a thread because he called a group of young black women basketball players "nappy-haired hos," a slur referring to hair texture and a slang term for "whores."

He has had to apologize and do it in a way that people believe him. Not something he is used to or particularly good at.

So far few have forgiven him and Imus on Thursday said he had apologized enough, although he plans to meet the Rutgers University women's basketball team he insulted and apologize.

But it may be too late to change the situation. His major sponsors, who help him earn $10 million a year, have abandoned him. MSNBC has canceled its lucrative simulcast of his CBS radio show, which so far has not been canceled although it could be on the brink.

CBS Corp makes millions from the show and may do its best to save the program, or so some industry experts think.

Michael Harrison, editor and publisher of Talkers, a trade publication on talk radio, said: "Imus is estimated to be worth about $20 to $25 million a year to CBS and upward of a $100 million to the radio industry overall through his syndicated programs on affiliated stations."

"CBS would like to keep him if they can for financial reasons, but this is one of the worst reputation killers I've seen in years. The jury's out," he said.

Despite, or maybe because of Imus's gruff, locker-room demeanor, his radio show has become a magnet for discussion, both freewheeling and foul.

A Who's Who of the Washington political establishment has lined up to be on his show and schmooze with the "IMan," his popular nickname.

Connecticut Democratic Sen. Christopher Dodd announced recently he was running for president on the show. Being on Imus allows politicians to let down their hair and seem like a regular person to about 2.75 million listeners a week.

The book industry also loves Imus -- he sells books. Next to Oprah and Jon Stewart, Imus is the show that book publicists wants to get their clients on.

Some experts say that the only thing that should have surprised anyone is that people were so shocked over what Imus said, even though his three little words were clearly racist, sexist and obnoxious.

Experts say that is because what often passes for discourse on radio in America is often a cesspool of derogatory comments -- the fruits of the shock-jock revolution led by Imus and Howard Stern. Civility does not sell for the millions of commuters who drive to work and turn on the radio for company.

Now the end may be near. "It is about time that Imus has finally been called to account for engaging in racism and intolerance on his program," said Abraham Foxman, national director of the Anti-Defamation League, a Jewish civil rights group that has been tracking his remarks for years.