Imus Is A Jerk
Don Imus is a jerk. He may not be a bad person but he is a jerk.
In fact he and his brother in jerkdom, Howard Stern are just the tip of the jerk iceberg. Whether on the radio, on television or in person, we let jerks get away with being jerks if their jerkdom is couched in the guise of being funny.
It amazes me what the jerks get away with these days. On the radio especially the number of jerks and their level of jerkitude has reached an all time high. A big chunk of the jerkitude is calculated to attract the many radio listeners out there who want the opportunity to express their inner jerk vicariously through people like Imus. Nothing is off limits. No one's feelings need to be considered. No "joke" is too racist, too sexist, too nasty, too mean, too gross, too low class or too offensive. The more humiliating, the better.
If you dare to call out the jerks about their jerkdom, well that means you're against free speech. There's something wrong with you. You need to lighten up. You're old-fashioned, you just don't understand crude humor---the excuses go on and on.
Ultimately the problem lies with us. I've never listened to the jerks on the radio, but I don't do anything about them either. I tell myself, let the jerks listen to the jerks and I'll stay as far away as possible. But the problem is the jerkdom is spreading and destroying our sensibilities as human beings. It's like violence in television and movies...the more you see, the less it bothers you. The same goes for jerks and their passive aggressive so-called humor.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not against humor or poking fun, it's just this stuff is different and everybody, including Imus knows it.
Imus has five kids. I wonder how he'd feel if some jerk on a radio show said something about his kids similar to the comment he made about the women on the Rutgers University basketball team. I don't think he'd take too kindly to that, do you?
Now it seems his jerkitude has resulted in his being suspended for two weeks. Yeah, okay. Unfortunately, during that time there'll be some other jerk to take his place. I, for one...a black woman...am going to find out who his sponsors are and make sure they never get a dime of my money again.
