Don Imus, Back in Buzz
by Molly McCallJun 24, 2008
On Monday, radio showman Don Imus was jawing with a co-host about Dallas Cowboys player Adam "Pacman" Jones. Upon hearing that the beleaguered cornerback has been arrested six times since 2005, the shock jock asked, "What color is he?" Response: "He's African-American." Imus: "Well, there you go, now we know."
And just like that, the Don bounded back into a media firestorm about race. A flurry of articles on the comment ignited in Buzz. "Imus in hot seat again," pronounced CNN. "Did Don Imus make another racial gaffe?" queried New York Magazine.
In Search, demand for "don imus" vaulted more than 4,700%, landing the professional jabber-mouth in our top 10 fastest movers for the day. Related queries for "don imus comments" and "don imus pacman jones" spiked.
On Tuesday, Imus lashed back at the brouhaha. He was making "a sarcastic point," he says, about the treatment of African-American men. A news story on the response immediately rose to the top of Buzz, where it drew hundreds of votes. Whether that's a good sign for Imus or not remains to be seen, though some bloggers have refused to be mollified. Portfolio.com ("Don Imus: Racist, or Just Clueless?") and Bleacher Report ("Why is this guy still on the air?") are just two of many skeptical blogs to gain traction in Buzz today.
