Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Oh, Imus: Don Imus's New Racial Contretemps
By
Jen Chung
Published Jun 23, 2008
Modified Jun 23, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jen Chung
Published Jun 23, 2008
Modified Jun 23, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Don Imus, who was fired from his CBS morning radio show after insulting the Rutgers' women's basketball team, is back in the spotlight today.
When Warner Wolf was discussing football player Adam "Pacman" Jones desire to drop the "Pacman" nickname (because of his many brushes with the law), Imus asks, "What color is he?" To which his sidekick says, "He's African-American." Then Imus said, "Well, there you go. Now we know."
While some wonder if this was another racist remark from the curmudgeonly radio personality, Imus told the NY Times, “I meant he was being picked on because he’s black." Imus added, "that Dick Gregory, a veteran comedian and activist who is black, would be a guest on his show on Tuesday, to discuss the death of George Carlin" and that he'd see what Gregory thought. The Reverend Al Sharpton said the remarks were "disturbing because it plays into stereotypes."
You can listen to the clip after the jump - if someone knows where a longer clip is, with more of the after-the-remarks discussion, let us know in comments (Imus did specifically hire two black sidekicks). And when he returned to the airwaves, Imus promised, he would "never say anything in my lifetime that will make any of these young women at Rutgers regret or feel foolish that they accepted my apology and forgave me.”
Tagged
Adam Jones
Adam "Pacman" Jones
don imus
Pacman Jones
race
radio
wabc
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Man shot and killed on Midtown subway platform Saturday afternoon, NYPD says
Police said they're searching for a person of interest.
By
Ryan Kost
Published Oct 17, 2026 at 1:16 p.m. ET
Modified Oct 17, 2026 at 2:04 p.m. ET
Have you seen this Yorkie? NYPD looking for adorable pup dognapped from her Queens home
Suspects were driving a Subaru Forester, police said.
By
Ryan Kost
News
Have you seen this Yorkie? NYPD looking for adorable pup dognapped from her Queens home
Suspects were driving a Subaru Forester, police said.
By
Ryan Kost
Being reigning champions is weird for Knicks fans, but we could get used to this.
By
Catalina Gonella
Tompkins Square Park is getting a makeover. Some say it's too much.
By
Willow Higgins
Deer are all over New Jersey roads looking for sex, state officials warn
By
Rosemary Misdary
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .