Imus meltdown draws oodles of comments

When people search Google for info on the Don Imus-Contessa Brewer fight, our April 1 and April 13 posts are prominently displayed. Hence, most of the reader comments have been directed to those posts. Here are some of them:

At 11:02 AM, Anonymous said...
I used to really like Imus. But over the years he seems to go out of his way to engage in this behavior with the female news readers: there is the one you point out, before her there was Christy Musumeci, whom Imus and the gang went out their way to belittle, now Contessa. Then the continual whining about being bullied about his ranch and then the outing of Anderson Cooper. All of this in a "boys will be boys" kinda of atmosphere. The schtick is wearing thin for me.

At 5:57 PM, Anonymous said...
He is trying to compete agaisnt Stern. I think it is disgusting what they are doing to Contessa.


At 8:09 AM, Anonymous said...
Contessa Down and Dirty!!
I think the "bosses" at MSNBC are keeping her on a tight leash while trying to preserve their dignity as a "News organization". I think Contesa if left to her own with no censorship from them could mix it up with Imus and the rest of his stooges with no problem. I've seen flashes of it but she always seems to stop short. Hard to serve two masters for her I guess.
Come on MSNBC, loosen the H--L up and let Contessa do her thing!!


At 5:48 AM, Anonymous said...
Poor Don, Contessa would eat him alive and his stooges too...wish he would pick on his good buddy the donald dick trump...ask him sometime I-man why he was fired here in Indiana by the Gaming commission,,,because he's a Loser...GO Contessa


At 8:57 AM, Anonymous said...
Not sure what Imus is doin latelyb around show. It seems to be in transition. Sid was sick. Imus (for the millionth time) tells how sick the Wall Street Journal was to question his intentions on the ranch. ENOUGH DON! Now one of the highlights of the morning, Contessa, gets overly dished by Bernard on understanding complete details of story she is reading. I would love to see her return with an attitude...


At 8:14 AM, Anonymous said...
I really don't think that maniac and his stooges could ever find anyone to stay on the show and put up with their locker room gutter talk except the likes of that equally tough-talking traffic reporter who has no aspirations of ever been mistook for a lady.


At 10:39 PM, Anonymous said...
Is Contessa still on MSNBC, or was she fired. If anything, she should fire back a sexual h. lawsuit, because she didn't ask for the type of ribbing she got. It was pretty bad from the get go, when they started in on Amy, and she figured out she wanted out in a week, and then Contessa got in, and it started again. You know where Don was asking her if she had problems saying the word masteurbation, and she said she practiced last night.....on the word, and the audience erupted in laughter, and she was so embarrassed, and then the traffic hag, got on her about not having any talent, a big nose, and a mustache to boot. It was so mean, that I thought it might be a put on, but you just never know with Imus. I really like the show, and all the guests, and don't consider myself a prude by any means, but when a gentle, kind, classy, and beautiful woman was attacked like that, I have to tell you that I felt very uncomfortable about it, and I just wish Contessa the best. I'll miss seeing her in the morning, and certainly preferred her to the horrific Katie Couric. I haven't watched the today show for years now, and it appears others are following my lead by leaving the Today show in droves. THat started for me when the window to the world was opened, and I had to hear all the wannabees screaming their heads off, and all the Regis and Kathy type stories with weddings of people we don't know or care about, and making a huge deal out of it. Being a guy, I doubt any guy would be interested in that type of fluff, and want good, interesting banter like Don provides, and NEWS. Don has news, book reviews, famous folks, politicians, professionals of all sorts, and ofcourse Don himself. I can definately understand the hate for him by some people, but for me, I really enjoy it. Well, I've gone on too long, and I'll catch ya later, Mrk


At 11:50 PM, Bob Armstrong said...
Contessa was the best thing to happen on the IMUS show. Bernard sucks and should get a job at Wal Mart.

Regis shoud fire Kelly, with all the kids and wantabe actor husband, who the f cares. Hire Contessa Regis.


At 11:19 AM, Anonymous said...
During her short stint on IMUS Contessa Brewer showed that she had the intelligence, wit and class to handle the whole crew with aplomb and even respond with barbed one-upmanship. Seeing this they, even Charles, descended into gutter humor that no one, and especially no woman, should have to put up with. Ms. Brewer apparently had the good sense to leave.

I went so far as to call WFAN and MSNBC and commment that IMUS and "friends" were way over the top in their persecution of Ms. Brewer. I assume others did also.

I was a fan of Don Imus back when his show was topical, humorous and satirical. Now it seems that he has become a shill for NBC, Newsweek and all of the other ilk owned in whole or in part by NBC. Some of his guests are interesting. Some, like Andrea Mitchell, are overexposed, boring and are pitched irrelevant, softball questions. Others, like Donald Trump and the leigon of NBC, NY Times and Newsweek never-was reporters are an obvious, transparent and pathetic attempt to boost NBC viewership. Hey Donny! How about asking 'ole Andrea why her husband is repeating the very steps that tanked the economy back in 2000? Now THERE is a question my boy!

I used to respect Bernie, not much any more after his sexually-charged questions to Contessa and I'm utterly amazed that IMUS' wife., a supposedly liberated and active "do-gooder" hasn't threatened to sleep on the couch until he learns to respect women. Makes one wonder what their home life is like. Does Chuck McCord have a dress-up doll of her too?

Donald, what your show NEEDS is someone like Contessa Brewer to lend it a bit of class and in case you haven't noticed, your fall book ratings sucked! Does this tell you anything?


At 8:01 AM, Anonymous said...
Not surprised to see Contessa gone so soon. She always looked uncomfortable.

This morning, the boys were bagging on her, even called her a b-tch. I didn't catch the whole thing but it was something about what Contessa recently said in public. Anybody know more about this?


At 8:17 AM, Gurdravieff said...
This morning (4-29) it appears Contessa has been fired for calling Imus a "cantakerous old fool" at a bar in the village, which was overheard by someone who reported it in a gossip column somewhere. I missed the details, and have yet to find it on the web. Imus and the rest on them spent a good deal of time this morning personally attacking Brewer. So she has been lambasted and castigated for speaking the truth. Why are we not surprised? Imus, what an ass.


At 8:28 AM, acbalint said...
I hate when Imus is on vacation, there is no where else to go in the morning, fox news makes me puke in the morning. I think Imus'long vacations over the holidays is what made his ratings take a dump by 25%, his viewers and listeners went somewhere else and got hooked. I'm a female and an Imus fan for over 9 years. I don't mind the banter except for Sid. Sid is a dumb, boring crack head. Sid does not make up the ground that Bernie used to provoke and inject outrageousness into the show! Bernie is a bang of a humor! It's sad that Lou no longer joins the banter 'cause he is very witty. Sid is no replacement of Lou neither. Anyway, I'm sick of the drone of ladies for news during the day after 10 years... went to Court TV for daytime viewing. People can read news anywhere, anytime!


At 9:55 AM, Anonymous said...
This morning's Imus show and attacks on Contessa was the last straw. I blocked MSNBC from my TV and wrote a letter to MSNBC.

As a woman who has watched Imus for years - overlooking the vulgarity of Imus and his cohorts because of the interesting parade of guests, this morning I felt shame that I was watching such a spectacle.

To all of the women of the world, I am sorry that I watched that show. I assure you that I will not watch MSNBC again until Imus is gone. Not only has the station been blocked in my home, but it has been blocked in my office as well. My employees are now invited to listen to commercial-free internet radio. I don't care if Imus is off the air by the time my employees come to work. MSNBC should not support this type of hate mongering trash.

A modicum of civility by Imus and his wierd friends is not a lot to ask for.


At 10:07 AM, Anonymous said...
I didn't get the whole story about Contessa Brewer this morning. But--Imus and crew went way over the line in the things they said about her. I thought she was a class act and very easy to look at. She should have never been subjected to the stupid, teenager-ish comments from Bernard and others. If she doesn't sue them I'll be surprised.


At 10:52 AM, Anonymous said...
There are two sides to every story, and Contessa's side will probably never be heard. To be sure, Imus' comeback to Contessa's comments was predictably repetitive and so pathetic, calling her fat, as if that is what got her fired. What surprised me about this is the mean comment Charles made about her reading abilities. It seemed they had a friendly and professional relationship on camera and for him to pile on, taking his cue from Bernie and Imus, made me mad. Talk about women bashers. Do you remember what they did to Janice Dean? Any self-respecting woman who would agree to join this cast must have a death wish.


At 10:54 AM, Anonymous said...
with all due respect, contessa should have been smart enough up front to know what she was getting into...if she wasn't then perhaps the comments about her intelligence are not that far off. Amy sized up the situation pretty quick and left with her dignity and reputation intact. When that happened I suspect that Contessa thought this was a great opportunity to raise her profile given that Imus' show has some of MSNBC's highest ratings. I'm sure she's a nice girl but she made two mistakes: 1 - she went on the program thinking she could handle the crew and 2 - she stayed too long


At 2:11 PM, Anonymous said...
I knew Contessa's stint would be short-lived a few weeks ago when it was apparent she knew very little about the Imus Ranch for Kids. You could see the I-Man bristle.


At 3:24 PM, Anonymous said...
i think don imus treats the women on his show the way he does out of disgust for his control freak wife.
he could not talk to her in this manner, but would like to.

he is a dying old man, old junkie paying the price as he ages, no longer owns his microphone.

i think he should move to florida and finish the dehydration process.


At 4:38 PM, Anonymous said...
I too am an woman who has always watched Imus on MSNBC with mixed feelings, he does have some of the best interviews of politicians and others on the air, but it is obvious that Imus himself and especially that Bernie just hate women, I am sure that Imus probably hates them due to his super agressive wife, Bernie's must be the same. But, that said, I find I can no longer watch MSNBC AT ALL now, just due to this Contessa Brewer thing, especially if they fired HER for her private conversation with friends in a restaurant. WHERE does MSNBC get off firing HER over him and his crew with what they have said over the public airwaves about her? I hope she sues the pants off of MSNBC and Imus himself (and Bernie too) as he is always bragging about how much money he has, he can pay her millions like Bill O'Reilly did to that other woman.
I not only sent a complaint letter to MSNBC but also to the FCC!
Gee, why is it always the woman who gets fired???


At 4:54 PM, Anonymous said...
Might I make a suggestion? Those who wrote a complaint letter to MSNBC about the Imus gang's on air 'rape' of Contessa Brewer, or those who intend to write a complaint letter, also write them to the commercial sponsors of MSNBC and also specifically those who pay for commercial air time broadcast during the Imus show, those who are paying the huge money to buy commercial air time should realize that their products are being associated with this type of woman hating tirades, which MSNBC must agree with.


At 7:08 PM, Anonymous said...
Calling it an "on air rape" od Contessa is obnoxious and stupid--especially for people who have been raped. Contessa, presumably, heard the show and knew what she was getting into.


At 7:43 PM, Anonymous said...
To all you idiots out there that can't see past your pathetic anger,any woman that has been on the Iman's program has gone on to bigger and better things beause of the stage presence they get from Imus's show. Brewer should be kissing his ass for even letting her sit on the same set with him and Charles. Get a life you losers.


At 9:05 PM, Anonymous said...
The last guy who wrote as to where all the previous women went couldn't find them with a fine tooth comb. Where is Christy and where is Janice Dean? Amy Robach wsa smart enough to get off after just a few days. If MSNBC were smart they would drop Imus whose audience is rapidly declining anyway.
His remarks and those of his weak livered compatriots today- most particularly Bernard the Anti-Semite and anti everything particularly women and McCord who couldn't get another job in radio or TV if his life depended on it were totally uncalled for and shameful.

Enough of these stupid boors already- this is the 21st Century and these guys are still in the dark ages.


At 10:03 PM, Anonymous said...
I was shocked by the ugly attack on Mize Brewer. I thought she was an asset to the show. It was charming the way She was always appropriately embarrassed when the crew pried into her private life. The viciousness of the attack makes me think there is something else going on. Maybe Imus or Charles put some O riley style moves on her and got rebuffed.


At 12:00 AM, Anonymous said...
1. Contessa was not fired from MSNBC - just the Imus gig.

2. She wasn't fired for the comments that appeared in the paper - those came several days later.

3. Imus didn't say anything negative about Contessa after she left the program - not until the printed comments from her about the I-man came out. Then Imus went to war. It was shock and awe. It was also over the top entertainment.


At 7:11 AM, Anonymous said...
Janice Dean has changed her hair from the Old Woman look and now is on fox doing weather wit Shep Smith. I would say it was a promootion even if she went to another network. Listen for her Janice Dean the weather machine is what they call her.


At 11:32 AM, Anonymous said...
why don't you give it a rest?


At 9:08 AM, Anonymous said...
I think what was said and done to Contessa was so outrageous that it calls for some sort of law suit. The whole Imus crew has gone so far over the line that it threatens to destroy the program. Contessa was way to classy for that locker rooom bunch. You had to ask yourself what in the world was a classy woman like that doing among those brain dead hooligans. It has gotten so that the only one who looks right on that show is the idiotic Bo Dietl, the constant visitor who makes me appreciate my mute button. If the usual sycopants like McCain and Russert don't wise up they are going to find themselves going down hill with the Imus train wreck that is coming. That ego driven idiot can't last too much longer. He seems to have gotten increasingly out of control. He should retire to his vegetarian ranch.


At 9:09 AM, Anonymous said...
http://www.nypost.com/seven/04292005/gossip/23600.htm
and the follow up...
http://www.nypost.com/gossip/43320.htm


At 12:51 PM, Anonymous said...
I agree that Imus is an ass, a charitable ass, but an ass nevertheless. His adolescent humour is nothing but a coarse display of what those in his entourage really think...it is how they are...howard fineman, andrea mitchell, joe lieberman or Mary Higgins Clark, i believe, would have nothing to do with Imus without the relationship with MSNBC. His entourage is loyal and put up with his incessant nagging, bitching, and egoism, because he signs their check. Imus had the ratings, and the media is all about what can be billed based on your show's popularity. Imus's book is apparently downtrending. It's all about the money, honey. Plus, i think Bernie writes all the hard questions anyway. They oughta give him his own show.

I think it is time for an Imus paradigm shift. His life experience and success are valuable, but he might want to try being more sincere and share that within the framework of a morning show with some good music and interesting quests who might want to be there for a change. He could share some of the wisdom he has garnered through his interesting life, take a view, share a thought. He needn't continue to make actionable "fun" out of those who have less power than him. He acts like a psychopath toward some people. The people watching Imus in the morning aren't doing so because they want to see that shit. They watch MSNBC because its a little less propaganistic than Fox. But neither MSNBC, or Imus have any balls. Imus thinks he wants to follow Howard to satelite, and probably will, but i can't see people paying to listen to imus, i will pay to listen to Howard.

If Imus had a ball left, he'd figure out if those children with cancer are really benefiting from his ranch experience, and if his wife's attempt to green the hospitals of this country has any chance of sustained success, and then "retire" to the vegetarian ranch, write a book, dedicate his life to the kids, drop out of show business, and then go about "gittin' 'er done".


At 2:43 PM, Anonymous said...
Imus is offensive, tasteless, classless, clueless, and drags down the otherwise-acceptable quality of MSNBC. On the MSNBC set he looks more like a senile bingo caller than anything else. His tasteless, clueless tirade about Contessa Brewer was totally out of line. Thank god for freedom of choice; I have switched from MSNBC to more relevant, meaningful and entertaining programming.


At 2:50 PM, Anonymous said...
Imus Ranch. Brother Fred. Idiots at Wall Street Journal. Contessa the stupid slut, fat ass, can't read the news, hideous without makeup. And so on. Imus in the Morning is boring, repetitive and mindlessly predictable; MSNBC should replace it with a better program.


At 4:45 PM, Anonymous said...
I watch Imus every morning on MSNBC. For the same reasons that most people can't resist looking at bad car accidents....After this fiasco, I quit! I can always listen to the stereo in the morning.

The powers that be at MSNBC (idiots...) apparently thought it would be a good idea to add a "news bunny" to Imus' program. When Amy Robach showed up I thought she must have lost a bet or something. She must have put her foot down and refused to participate in the career killer any longer. They then throw Brewer to the wolves...

What's wrong with her calling him a "cantankerous old fool"? He freely admits it himself. What his cronies at the show call him is much worse. But, ooohhh ooohhh, let Brewer say something and he lets rip with the fat and ugly comments, neither of which Brewer is, by the way...What a bunch of no-class, misogynistic creeps...

Imus blames his plummeting ratings on Brewer. Yeah, right, Don...I'm sure your falling numbers have nothing to to with the fact that you've been droning on, ad nauseum, for months, about mercury in vaccines and boring your listeners to death...

Imus insists that he can insult anyone he wants any time he wants. Go ahead Imus. I'm sure you're immune to cancellation. Heh, heh, heh...Isn't it pathetic how Imus has become what he probably detests the most- a cheap Howard Stern wannabe....


At 9:34 PM, Anonymous said...
DON IMUS NEEDS A GOOD MEAL, A GOOD DRINK, A SOFT,CUDDLEY WOMAN LIKE CONTESSA AND MAYBE A CIGARETTE AFTERWARD. HE IS SIMPLY UNHAPPY AND SPREADS HIS MISERY!

At 7:00 AM, Anonymous said...
I don't even think that Robin Quivers is subjected to the kind of stuff that Contessa put up with. I know what Imus's show is about and I watch it regularly but they were just acting like a bunch of horney 14 year old idiots who have never been around a woman before. And I think that it was a case of once they knew they had her unnerved they piled on constantly. I would like to see her file a harrassment case against them. I felt bad for her and thought it was out of line. Today now that she is gone they constantly made comments about how big her butt was and crap like that. First amendment is one thing but its still a job and to me it was just out and out harassment. They acted like a bunch of bullies and jerks and now she is gone. Stern would never treat Robin like that.


At 7:43 AM, Anonymous said...
That is because Robin Quivers is one of the brightest women on the radio. Cuntessa Brooder is just a pretty face and all women should be angry about having a pretty face shoved into their morning enjoyment ONLY because they have a face. If you can FIND a picture of here wide ass, post it here. She's a dumb idiot who did not deserve the shot she got.


At 9:32 AM, Anonymous said...
I was an avid listener to IMUS until i head them call her a slut this morning . IMUS also said he fired her and that she is a stupid bimbo and that she shouldnt have made the comments she did on a MSNBC webpage. She should sue them .They have driven all the women off the show.


At 1:57 PM, Anonymous said...
Last time I checked, Tracey Burgess was still doing every traffic update in the morning so pay attention. She obviously understands what it takes to survive and actually contribute to the show each morning, unlike that bozo Contessa Brewer. She took the gig reading the news on Imus because she figured she had nothing to lose, nobody knew who she was anyway. This was her chance to have her name heard by millions and she didn't want to play the game by Imus' rules. Well guess what? It's his show! You know the scene going in, don't complain about it now.


At 3:29 PM, Col. C.A. said...
Why is it every time the I-Man acts like the I-Man people are offended? This is not unlike the 1994 (or was it 1995) White House correspondents' dinner all over again. For some reason, people expect Imus to act like Larry King or some other media sychophant if they fawn all over him. But Imus has demonstrated time and time again that he has integrity and isn't going to change his ways. That's what makes him and his show so refreshing.

Was Contessa Brewer surprised that Imus, Bernie, et al. acted like a bunch of frat boys? That's what they are, and that's a big part of their appeal. Besides, if you watch/listen to Imus for a few days, it's pretty clear that they are equal-opportunity assholes -- they are assholes equally to everyone. Even Imus is the butt of jokes -- no one is spared and no one should be expected to be spared.

And, in defense of Imus, the humor is never mean-spirited. Even though it's often blunt and at times crude, it's never hateful.

And, as others have pointed out, Brewer is much better known because of her association Imus than she would have been if she had remained a news reader. She served her time in purgatory, so to speak, and is getting to move along.


At 9:55 PM, Anonymous said...
I was shocked by the ugly attack on Mize Brewer. I thought she was an asset to the show. It was charming the way She was always appropriately embarrassed when the crew pried into her private life. The viciousness of the attack makes me think there is something else going on. Maybe Imus or Charles put some O riley style moves on her and got rebuffed.


At 1:38 PM, Anonymous said...
On 4/29/2005 I watched the most disgusting attack of Contessa Brewer by Imus and his staff. I am joining the growing boycott of his show and the shows of his guests and have written the FCC. Free speech may be protected by the 1st amendment, but such speech is not protected during daylight hours when children may be watching.


At 2:25 PM, Anonymous said...
col c.a.,
Imus is the poster-boy for every insecure, obnoxious frat-rat asshole that I have ever met, in the Marine Corps, or elsewhere in the world. I enjoy self-effacing "over-the-top" comedy, but this jerk's campaign against Ms. Brewer (because of a remark which she was supposedly "overheard" making at a restaurant) is way out of line. Since when is calling a lady "a fat pig" and inferring that "her fat butt is stuck in the Holland Tunnel" to be considered harmless?
Get this over-the-hill dried fruit off the air. Bernie will have to go back to selling hot dogs at Shea, but, hey, that's life!
Sick of Donald


At 8:57 PM, gilliel said...
I like Imus generally, but find the childish, locker-room mentality they sometimes exhibit ridiculous. I ususally switch stations when they start that garbage.

Contessa did right to leave, although she was a positive to the show. She's been on later in the day anchoring msnbc.