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Fashion Police
Imus Returning to the Airwaves
Don Imus is once again gainfully employed.
The disgraced radio host has inked a deal with Citadel Broadcasting that will have him back in cars, kitchens and wherever else the airwaves reach on Dec. 3. Imus' new morning show will be based out of Citadel's New York talk station, WABC-AM, and will be syndicated through ABC Radio Networks.
Imus, who was noisily fired from CBS Radio in April after referring to Rutgers University's women's basketball team as a bunch of "nappy-headed ho's," has been lying low since Imus in the Morning was yanked. But behind the scenes, the shock jock had been negotiating his return to radio for weeks.
"We are ecstatic to bring Don Imus back to morning radio," WABC president and general manager Steve Borneman said Thursday. "Don's unique brand of humor, knowledge of the issues and ability to attract big-name guests is unparalleled. He is rested, fired up and ready to do great radio."
The 67-year-old broadcaster's new venture, which will also include right-hand newsman Charles McCord and other members of his old team, is going to replace WABC's current morning team of Curtis Sliwa and Ron Kuby. There's no word yet on whether Imus' longtime producer Bernard McGuirk, who prompted the onair exchange about the Rutgers team and was also fired by CBS, is coming along, as well.
At WABC, Imus joins a roster of established radio hosts that includes Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham, all notable conservatives.
Imus filed a $120 million breach-of-contract lawsuit against CBS Radio in May, claiming he was hired in the first place to be edgy and un-PC, and that the network owed him some hefty damages due to all the pain and anguish he was forced to endure in the wake of his very public dismissal.
The two sides settled in August, although CBS denied it had placated Imus by awarding him $20 million, as the Drudge Report said at the time. Perhaps more importantly, however, the deal freed Imus to look for work again.
Kia Vaughn, a particularly aggrieved member of the Rutgers squad, sued Imus for defamation this summer, as well, but she dropped her suit against him in September, opting to focus on her studies and sports instead.
Al Sharpton, whose own New York radio show provided a forum for Imus to apologize, but who later called for Imus' dismissal, said Thursday that it's now Citadel's responsibility to prevent further "vile and biased behavior" on Imus' part.
"Mr. Imus has the right to make a living, but we have the right to make sure he does not come back to disrupt our living," Sharpton said in a statement. "Particularly since these are commitments he made personally."
Knowing that hiring Imus was going to turn a few heads, Citadel Broadcasting CEO Farid Suleman told the New York Times early last month that the controversial host had paid his dues since being raked over the coals for his inappropriate remarks.
"He did something wrong," Suleman said. "He didn't break the law. He's more than paid the price for what he did. I think he should be evaluated by what he does going forward."
Citadel can only hope that all those potential listeners out there are willing to do the same.
Meanwhile, Imus is reportedly looking for a separate TV deal, like the one he used to have with MSNBC, to simulcast his show. Per the Times, Imus was spotted lunching at Fox headquarters in Manhattan with Fox News Channel chief executive Roger Ailes.
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