[olldflame]

You are clueless RM. Of course he isn't but he was the only one who badgered members of congress ranging from Rick Santorum on the right to John Kerry on the left until they got that death benefit raised. This is documented, and these men point to him as the moving force behind it.

Country isn't my fav music either, but you have your head in the sand if you don't think it sells. Alison Kraus' album is not the #1 best selling COUNTRY CD on Amazon, it is #1 period. It is also very well known within the music industry that Today and GMA have ZERO effect on record sales.

[jmdickens]

You really have to watch this and hear what this guy says

[RubberMallet]

You are clueless RM. Of course he isn't but he was the only one who badgered members of congress ranging from Rick Santorum on the right to John Kerry on the left until they got that death benefit raised. This is documented, and these men point to him as the moving force behind it.

tons of people we've never heard of badger politicians into doing things...thats nothing new...you are talking liek imus is some huge influential person in the minds of a majority of americans....hes not.....most people have no idea who he is....kids only know him as howards stern's nemesis...nobody 3 days ago gave a flying flip what imus had to say unless you are some political loon who watches newschannels all day...

Country isn't my fav music either, but you have your head in the sand if you don't think it sells. Alison Kraus' album is not the #1 best selling COUNTRY CD on Amazon, it is #1 period. It is also very well known within the music industry that Today and GMA have ZERO effect on record sales.

what does imus have to do with any of this....they are highly popular attractive looking country singers...they were destined for the top of the charts whether or not they made a visit to imus' show or not....

[olldflame]

OK RM, since you fail to see the cause and effect, let's look at it from the other direction. If Imus has no influence, why do all of these talented artists and authors even bother getting up so early in the morning to appear on his show? On the book end he has a hard and fast rule that if you go on Today or any other show first, he won't have you on. Almost invariably these best-selling authors go on his show first.

[Libertine]

OK RM, since you fail to see the cause and effect, let's look at it from the other direction. If Imus has no influence, why do all of these talented artists and authors even bother getting up so early in the morning to appear on his show?

Because he has one. Every show has an audience. It doesn't mean that his show is the audience.

On the book end he has a hard and fast rule that if you go on Today or any other show first, he won't have you on. Almost invariably these best-selling authors go on his show first.

Because they're used to accomodating primping prima donnas.

Personally, I hate country music but I love Allison Krauss. I'd buy her CD even if she we were only promoting it through Danish company newsletters.

[LUconn]

Bluegrass is good sometimes. Country is never ever good. Unless Bluegrass is considered a type of country music. Then I guess it can be good sometimes.

[RubberMallet]

OK RM, since you fail to see the cause and effect, let's look at it from the other direction. If Imus has no influence, why do all of these talented artists and authors even bother getting up so early in the morning to appear on his show? On the book end he has a hard and fast rule that if you go on Today or any other show first, he won't have you on. Almost invariably these best-selling authors go on his show first.

these people also appear on late night with carson daly which is the butthole of talk shows period.....whats your point...

listen just because you seem to have this wierd enfatuation with this:



and probably get your fill of it each day for 3 hours doesnt' mean that anyone else does....people go to his show because its 35+ YEARS OLD and has longevity....though as i said 15 of those years he's mailed it in....

his ratings are going down drastically and hopefully soon he'll ride off into the sunset.....

look i love the fact that he holds this non-partisan non pushy format and congratulate him on his ability to do so but that doesn't stop the fact that his opinion has become/is becoming irrelevant

[RubberMallet]

Bluegrass is good sometimes. Country is never ever good. Unless Bluegrass is considered a type of country music. Then I guess it can be good sometimes.

bluegrass is good...does wnrn still play it on sunday mornings?...

[LUconn]

it's my "on the way to church" music. Bluegrass Sunday Mornings with Scotty B.

[01LUGrad]

You really have to watch this and hear what this guy says

Wholy Krap!

I don't think there is anyone who actually believes this (except for the people in the audience who clapped for his statements...)

[RubberMallet]

it's my "on the way to church" music. Bluegrass Sunday Mornings with Scotty B.

this is my on the way to church music....



..meanwhile opening the door and just jumping looks more and more attractive each sunday....

[El Scorcho]

Country is never ever good.

I disagree. I think country went down the crapper when the Garth Brooks era began. There was plenty of good country before that, and there has been some since. It just hasn't necessarily been popular.

Example: I would rather be beaten repeatedly than have to listen to Big & Rich, but a week rarely goes by when I don't listen to Johhny Cash's series of "American" albums.

[RubberMallet]

Country is never ever good.

I disagree. I think country went down the crapper when the Garth Brooks era began. There was plenty of good country before that, and there has been some since. It just hasn't necessarily been popular.

Example: I would rather be beaten repeatedly than have to listen to Big & Rich, but a week rarely goes by when I don't listen to Johhny Cash's series of "American" albums.

old dogs and george jones fan here...

and chieftans too

[LUconn]

you two are obviously just a couple of skin-headed honkies.

[fsn32]

First off, Tally saved me a lot of typing because that was very well said.

For those who called for him to be fired... they should try to do an edgy talk show 4 HOURS A DAY, 20 HOURS A WEEK, ALMOST 1000 HOURS A YEAR without saying something they regret. That doesn't excuse his comment... it was over the line... but it gives context. Considering all the good Imus does, (including years of supporting Sickle Cell research) he deserves his apology being accepted.

Jackson and Sharpton are using this for their own personal gain and it's shameful. If these men are supposed to be men of God, how do you not show a willingness to forgive? Al Sharpton didn't even know what the government was doing for sickle cell research and when Imus said that he could help raise money one of Sharpton's cronies said "we don't need your help."

I believe for the first time in my life I agreed with something Bill Maher said... he asked why is it necessary after a person makes one mistake, for their livelihood to be taken away? It's a good question.

Al Roker (who I like) said that Imus needed to go because the shtick was getting old and making fun of people wasn't funny. Last year he came on Imus show and basically said for Imus to die. He was being funny but now he wants Imus gone. Judge not lest ye be judged. On the Imus show IMUS is the biggest butt of the joke and if you understand the context of the program, it was an attempt at humor gone bad... that should be a forgivable offense.


BTW, OldFlame is right, Imus has a VERY influential audience... books that have NO business being on the best seller list, go to the top after someone appears on his program. I bet Amazon and I-tunes could track the amount of hits they get for books and songs he promotes and it would be amazing. His nationwide name recognition is down in the last 5 years, but it wasn't that long ago he was on Time's most influential Americans list and also the cover of Newsweek. People that may not know his name would be surprised at how much he has influenced the radio (and entertainment) industry in the last 30 years... there are hundreds of bits and comedic styles that originated on his program.

[RubberMallet]

His nationwide name recognition is down in the last 5 years, but it wasn't that long ago he was on Time's most influential Americans list and also the cover of Newsweek.

[fsn32]

His nationwide name recognition is down in the last 5 years, but it wasn't that long ago he was on Time's most influential Americans list and also the cover of Newsweek.

I don't understand your point.

Write a book, have it linger around 1000 on Amazon and then go on Imus and watch it go to the Top 5.

His audience is several million per day and it is a lucrative demographic. Trust me, people in the industry know the influence of his show, regardless of his pop status at the moment (which btw, is moving back up the charts every time Rev. Al mentions his name).

[alabama24]

Good Call on the Johnny Cash El Scorcho. The American Albums are exceptionally good. Does your wife appreciate them? Mine can't stand it! Thats what I get for marrying a yankee!

[El Scorcho]

Does your wife appreciate them?

Oh good grief, yes. My wife is a North Carolina girl through and through. She can sing you just about any country lyric from the last thirty years as a result of her upbringing. I love her anyway.

[thepostman]

not sure how this turned into a conversation about country music...but Garth Brooks is a guilty pleasure...and I know you old time Country fans will hate that...but the fact is I like Garth Brooks, but feel ashamed that I do....but i guess you already knew that since i said it was a guilty pleasure

go ahead and make fun of me...i see it coming

[4everfsu]

Garth Brooks was nothing but a rock and roller wearing a cowboy hat. I didn't like him

[thepostman]

which is probably why i like him and hate anything else country....though if you listen to his cd's he for sure has country songs on there...just none of them made it to radio...

[RubberMallet]

His nationwide name recognition is down in the last 5 years, but it wasn't that long ago he was on Time's most influential Americans list and also the cover of Newsweek.

I don't understand your point.

Write a book, have it linger around 1000 on Amazon and then go on Imus and watch it go to the Top 5.

His audience is several million per day and it is a lucrative demographic. Trust me, people in the industry know the influence of his show, regardless of his pop status at the moment (which btw, is moving back up the charts every time Rev. Al mentions his name).

who cares about books? i'd say 10% of the us adult population actually takes time to read paper books...library traffic nowadays only goes to computer usage, not checking out books. its unfortunate but the truth...the majority of people in america could give two flips about what don imus has to say....howard stern used to have 3-4 times the listeners on only half as many stations...as i said people still hold onto imus's show because its been around so long....kind of like my morning calvin and hobbes comic thats in my inbox each day....i've already heard it, it rarely makes me chuckle but i've been doing it so long, i continue to do it even though it really adds no value to my day whatsoever....imus had to say something so above his normal stupidity to get pub....

[fsn32]

I don't understand your point.

Write a book, have it linger around 1000 on Amazon and then go on Imus and watch it go to the Top 5.

His audience is several million per day and it is a lucrative demographic. Trust me, people in the industry know the influence of his show, regardless of his pop status at the moment (which btw, is moving back up the charts every time Rev. Al mentions his name).

who cares about books? i'd say 10% of the us adult population actually takes time to read paper books...library traffic nowadays only goes to computer usage, not checking out books. its unfortunate but the truth...the majority of people in america could give two flips about what don imus has to say....howard stern used to have 3-4 times the listeners on only half as many stations...as i said people still hold onto imus's show because its been around so long....kind of like my morning calvin and hobbes comic thats in my inbox each day....i've already heard it, it rarely makes me chuckle but i've been doing it so long, i continue to do it even though it really adds no value to my day whatsoever....imus had to say something so above his normal stupidity to get pub....

Book publishing is a multi-billion dollar industry in the US. Christian book sales alone were in the neighborhood of 5 billion per year and going UP. The NEA did a study and it showed that 2 years ago 50% of Americans read books. That is less than previous surveys, but still a LARGE market of book buyers. (and a bit more than your 10% guess.)

It's not just books, it's the music industry as well. There is a reason artists get up at 4:00 in the morning to come on his how... his audience buys albums. Period.

It's true that Howard Stern had more listeners before he went to Sirius... but Imus's WFAN was still the #1 booking station in the country... meaning his audience generated more revenue in ad sales because of the demographic.

You may not like him and you may think he is past it... but his audience is still there and they are a powerful group that have caused political and economical change.... ask Joe Barton in Texas, ask Joe Lieberman in CT, ask the widows of veterans who saw Imus and his audience push the hand of Congress into increasing the death benefit... ask the supporters of the Tomorrow Children’s Fund, CJ Foundation for SIDS or the parents at the Imus Ranch for kids with cancer and they will tell you about the 100 million dollars his audience has raised for those charities.

If I had a national radio show, I would take Imus's audience any day. Comparing him to Stern is crazy. Would John McCain appear on Stern? Tim Russert? GHW Bush? Rick Santorum? Harold Ford? GE Patterson? Tom Brokow?

How many people could raise 10 million dollars for a private military recovery hospital in less than a month... maybe Oprah... but I doubt any other radio talk show hosts... certainly not Stern.

[RubberMallet]

haha....when did i ever say i didn't like imus? i love imus...you guys just loooove imus