Move over Michael Richards. Beat it, Brittany Spears. And former astronaut Lisa Nowak? She is so last week’s news. Yes, another luminary (or would that be better expressed as “loony-ary”) hit the skids recently on all things pertaining to good taste. That squirrelly shock jock, Don Imus, crammed his big old cowboy boot so far into his mouth he may never pry it out.
OK, I confess that I don’t get it. This guy has always been a total bewilderment to me. Yeah, yeah, I know. Big time journalists and politicians regularly visit his morning program. Plus he’s raised mega bucks for his New Mexico ranch for children suffering from cancer and other blood disorders. I also know his claim to fame comes largely from his propensity to make fun of just about everybody in a questionable attempt at being clever and entertaining. And why ridiculing someone for who they are or what they look like is such a flourishing spectator sport, I haven’t a clue.
It’s especially goofy that Imus picks on people’s looks given that he is unquestionably no beauty himself. I mean, does he bear a striking resemblance to Norman Bates’ dead mother in “Psycho” or what? And could someone please take a Weed Eater to those eyebrows for the love of God? While we’re at it, could a little hair conditioner and a nice trim hurt?
Because CNN and other networks suffered some tragically slow news days, we were treated to repeated regurgitations of Imus’ disgustingly ugly remarks ad nauseam. It’s fascinating that the more offensive the words or actions, the more they are reiterated by broadcast media. So what’s up with that? Are offensive remarks supposed to get better by re-playing them constantly over the airwaves? Those same, by the way, publicly-owned airwaves that form a basis of the argument about Imus’ firing.
Not surprisingly, the usual suspects weighed in on the controversy. Some said Imus needed to be fired. Others defended his freedom of speech. The Rev. Jesse Jackson, who has himself suffered some “personal storms” (as he euphemistically puts it), said he had to go. Ditto for Rev. and former presidential candidate Al Sharpton who has sparked a little controversy of his own over the years. Some people thought suspension was enough in light of Imus’ brand of “humor” and the obvious good work that he’s done in the past for his various causes because let’s face it – if the guy is out, he can’t raise funds. Personally, I like my spouse’s suggestion: let Imus keep working while donating his salary for the next 12 months to Rutgers University. Works for me.
I waited for the inevitable “checking into rehab” news from the Imus camp, but it didn’t come. Instead, some celebrity mishaps that morph into firestorms are being tempered by an appearance on Al Sharpton’s radio program where a little groveling and mea culpa ensues as Imus did early last week. He wants forgiveness from the Rutgers girls’ basketball team that he demeaned so offensively along with, no doubt, a pass from his loyal audience and sponsors.
What I want to know, though, is how dumb do people in positions of high visibility have to be to continue committing such hateful diatribes and stupid actions? Geeze – don’t they get it? With the Blogosphere now capable of destroying entire careers (does anybody remember George Allen and what happened to him?) you’d think they might get a clue. In light of a shrinking world via the Internet and 24-hour news channels, we’ve seen apologies – or at least pseudo-apologies – from a whole spectrum of folks as diverse in nature as Rosie O’Donnell and Pope Benedict XVI. Nobody is immune.
Not surprisingly, the attention generated by a celebrity’s faux pas runs in fairly direct proportion to the amount of time that passes before the next major screw-up. When someone takes a turn on the hot seat, he or she likely prays big-time for the next idiotic move by a public figure. Lisa Nowak was on her way to becoming a household name when Anna Nicole Smith up and died, launching yet another media sleaze fest as hopefuls came out of the woodwork claiming to be Smith’s baby girl’s father. So if history is any indication, it won’t be long before the next celebrity indiscretion erupts, and Imus and his rudeness can slither back to where they came from.
Of course negative publicity doesn’t hurt everybody’s career. Rob Lowe came thunderously back after his fall from grace a few years ago. And we can hope to see better things from people like Imus or Michael Richards or Mel Gibson from these wake-up calls that prove nobody is invincible from public scorn when the situation demands it; at least it’s better than taking the easy – and instantaneous – out into a quickie rehab. Taking responsibility for a major blunder by facing the music seems a vital first step in rehabilitating a person’s character and possibly a career. Finally and most importantly, we can hope the Imus incident leads to further dialogue in dealing with racial and gender stereotypes across the board and particularly in the arena of negative forms of music.
That said, I’d like to express right now that should I act spectacularly stupid in the future, I’m all for a nice two-week getaway into rehab – if it, you know, makes me a better person and all. I mean, with big names out there messing up left and right, “regular” people like me should get a free pass to do something stunningly foolish someday. And if I do, I’ll be sure to take instant control of my wicked ways and check myself immediately into rehab. A really pleasant, vacation-y kind of rehab. Rehab … yeah, that’s the ticket!
Gale Hammond is a 23-year Morgan Hill resident. Reach her at Ga*********@*ol.com.
