Don Imus: For and Against...
For: Deirdre Imus, Bob Schieffer, John McCain...
Against: Bruce Gordon, MSNBC, American Express Co., Sprint Nextel Corp., Staples Inc., Procter & Gamble Co., General Motors, Bigelow Tea, the good Reverends Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson, Barack Obama, Al Roker, the Rutgers women's basketball team and the Morman Tabernacle Choir (okay so it's the Harlem boys choir)...
Not much support in terms of numbers of supporters - now let's look at the real numbers, the numbers that will decide whether the I-man stays or goes:
Annual revenue of his radio show: $13-15 million (includes WFAN, CBS Corp., MSNBC and Westwood One)...
Imuses annual salary: $10 million per year...
You do the math. So the big question is whether or not all of the above recipients of the revenue raised by Imus choose to lose the approximately $2-5 million profit they gain with Imus or not. Should they decide to part company with Imus, who can they hire to replace that revenue? Keep reading...
Mike Barnicle would probably fill the void temporarily until a permanent replacement is found. Controversial himself, Barnicle would be a good replacement in the short run because he is compelling and listenable, although highly opinionated. He's capable of good radio. Long term? My choice would be the duo that the I-man always used to refer to as 'Fruit Loops and Fatso" a.k.a. 'Frandog' a.k.a. Mike Francesa and Chris Russo, "Mike and the Mad Dog". It's usually not a good idea to weaken the daypart you're taking them from - afternoon drive but I believe they would be the strongest of all possible replacements and they're already well established at WFAN and have TV exposure too. And if they don't work out you can always bring in David Lee Roth or better yet, Micky Dolenz...
All kidding aside, I hope Imus survives this siege and returns. He's provided his radio and TV audience with good entertainment for almost 40 years now. It's my hope that he'll continue to do so. As for the I-man, you don't have to worry about him, because should he go, Mel Karmazin would hire him at Sirius in a minute..
I've got 2 videos, in glorious black & white that I think you'll find enjoyable. Look for the links in the "Grammy Gold" and "Recorded on this date" timelines...
Timeline Memories...
"Happy Trails": 1945] President Franklin D. Roosevelt dies of a cerebral hemorrhage in Warm Springs (GA) at 63. Harry S. Truman is sworn in as our new President...1989] Radical activist Abbie Hoffman is found dead at home at 52, an apparent suicide...1989] Former boxing champ Sugar Ray Robinson dies from complications of diabetes at 67...
Recorded on this date: 1954] "Rock Around The Clock" - Bill Haley & The Comets (Producer Milt Gabler: "I hope you guys don't need any rehearsal time with the clock song. We've only got time for a couple of takes"). Many regard this as the 1st Rock & Roll song. This is a live TV version of it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cY9niMeOwlg ...
Released on this date: 1954] "Shake, Rattle and Roll" - Big Joe Turner (this is the original version of a song that Bill Haley & The Comets will cover)...1969] "The Boxer" - Simon & Garfunkel...1972] "Exile on Main Street" LP - Rolling Stones...1975] "When Will I Be Loved" - Linda Ronstadt...
Flying High: 1606] England adopts the original version of the Union Jack as its flag. They also start a Union Jack format on the BBC...
Not civil at all: 1861] The Civil War begins as confederate forces fire on Fort Sumter...
The Tools of ignorance: 1877] The catcher for Harvard's baseball team, James Tyng (it should have been 'Pyng') wears a modified fencing mask behind the plate. It's believed to be the 1st catcher's mask ever used in a baseball game...
Blood letting: 1938] The 1st U.S. law requiring a medical test for a marriage license is enacted in New York. Drawing blood is no longer required, it's been replaced by fogging up a mirror...
Veeck as in Wreck: 1960] Bill Veeck and Chicago's Comiskey Park introduce the 1st exploding scoreboard...
Gold Standard: 1971] Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young's live album, "Four-Way Street" reaches gold status...
Grammy Gold: 1961] Ray Charles walks off with 4 Grammy's including "Best Male Vocalist" for 'Georgia on My Mind". Here's a great live TV version of it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Thls_tMuFkc ...
Rock & Roll Wreck: 1966] Jan Barry (Jan & Dean) crashes his car at Dead Man's Curve, (good song title) is seriously injured but survives...
#1 on this date: 1966] "(You're My) Soul and Inspiration" - Righteous Brothers...1987] "I Knew You Were Waiting (for me)" - Aretha Franklin & George Michael (Aretha's 1st chart topper in almost 20 years, the 4th for George)...
Vote For Me: 1988] Sonny Bono is elected mayor of Palm Springs (CA)...
Gitchy Gitchy yaya dada: 1995] Drew Barrymore jumps on David Letterman's desk, lifts her sweater up with her back to the audience and gives Letterman an eyeful as a birthday present...
"D-I-V-O-R-C-E": 1992] Lisa Bonet files for divorce from Lenny Kravitz. They were married on her 20th birthday in 1987...
Outta space: 1985] Utah Senator Jake Garn finally listens to his constituents who pleaded for the senator to get lost. He becomes the 1st senator to fly in space as the Discovery lifts off from Cape Canaveral. John Glenn will be the 2nd senator to do it several years later (but he's one up on Garn with 2 flights, the first as an astronaut)...
Concentrated juice: 2004] Barry Bonds ties Godfather Willie Mays for 3rd place with his 660th home run. Henry Aaron just said he will not be there when Bonds breaks his record. Bonds is about 20 short now...
[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in each timeline]...
Commentary...
"Happy Trails" to author Kurt Vonnegut ("Slaughterhouse-Five", "Cat's Cradle", "Breakfast of Champions") who passed away last night at 84. A life-long smoker, Vonnegut died as the result of brain injuries after falling at his Manhattan home weeks ago...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
Claire Danes (28), Shannen Doherty (36), Vince Gill (50), Andy Garcia (51), David Cassidy (57), author Tom Clancy (60), David Letterman (60), Steppenwolf's John Kay (63), Herbie Hancock (67) and Jane Withers (81)...
Timeline Countdown: 16 days until the NFL draft and 46 days until Memorial Day...
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