Make no mistake about it, what Don Imus said on the air was wrong. It was hurtful to some, embarassing to others and possibly fatal to his career. Having sat behind a microphone for 16 years, I am well aware that you can say anything once. This may be the case for Don Imus. What's going to happen? Remember that Imus is big business. Big business cares about only one thing - THE BOTTOM LINE! Damage control will make sure that the least amount of money is lost due to this matter. How this is done will be most interesting. There is a second wave to this story. This wave is on the horizon and is not being addressed. This is it: Backlash. You cannot legislate respect. The FCC cannot, the legislative branch cannot, and neither Jesse Jackson nor Al Sharpton can. How will Don Imus fans react if he is fired? Should we care? Keeping Imus on the air or canning his ass...which will bring us closer together? Are Jesse and Al the ones to ask?
