The Proposal Is Right

Here's a guy who's having a very good day on "The Price is Right." He could use a little help in the wardrobe department though. Maybe he'll buy some long pants with his winnings.

glumbert.com - The Proposal Is Right

Scruffy A Hump Addict? Get Him A Hotdoll

From Gizmodo.com

Is your dog in heat and humping anything it can wrap its horny little legs around? Are you constantly having to pry your promiscuous pooch off the legs of guests, parents and members of your church? Protect your leg from a hump attack by getting Scruffy a Hotdoll. Yes, it's a sex doll for dogs. It's shaped like a dog and it'll allow your tension-filled pet to go to town as much as his little heart desires, humping away until he passes out in exhaustion, leaving a wispy coil of friction-singed dog-fur smoke wafting into the air.

Chardonnay, Sex and Twentysomething Women

A group of girls sitting around talking about sex, relationships and whatever else comes to mind. That's the premise of a new Internet video blog called Twentysomething TV . It's hosted by 25-year-old Jill Clark who created the show... "to help women navigate their way through this decade of growth, because it’s definitely a decade nobody warns you about. You’re learning who is effective in your life, who you don’t want in your life, who you want to be." Each episode kind of reminds me of The View, except all the girls are always drinking Chardonnay and they make a hell of a lot more sense than Rosie, Joy, Elisabeth and Barbara. While it's made especially for women in their 20's, men in their 20's (and some in their 30's) can get a lesson or two on what women really think. Of course I watch it for the great production values -- honest.

The Buzz

Alec Baldwin Calls Daughter A "Little Pig"

Actor Alec Baldwin unleashed a verbal tirade on his 11-year-old daughter Ireland recently, calling her a "thoughtless little pig." A family law judge was so alarmed after hearing the tape of the phone call that she's temporarily barred Baldwin from having any contact with the child he shares with actress Kim Bassinger. TMZ has the audio.

Ride The "Orgasm Tunnel" At X-Rated Theme Park

London has opened up a new theme park that promises to make Mickey Mouse blush. At Amora Sex Theme Park , visitors can expect to learn all about the dirty deed from flirting and foreplay to climax and -- some other things. Oh yeah, and you can also take a ride in the "Orgasm Tunnel."

Shower Shock...The Ultimate Clean Buzz
A little too rushed in the mornings to have your cup of joe? No problem. Now you can get your caffeine fix while taking a shower. The guys over at ThinkGeek.com have a new soap they promise will give you a morning jolt!

Black Donnellys End Up On The Web

After a premature death on network television, NBC.com has posted two unaired episodes of The Black Donnellys for anyone who got hooked on the show during its short run. Two more episodes still haven't seen the light of day, but should pop up on the site soon.

Six Degrees To Be Posted Online April 27th

And while I never watched ABC's Six Degrees, there's a report that the network will post some episodes of the cancelled series on April 27th.

Fast Food: Real vs Fake

Fast food connoisseurs might want to take note of this site.Fast Food Ads These folks bought some popular items at different fast food chains and then rushed home to take photos of their meals. They then compared how the real thing stacked up against the product's advertisement. Shown here...KFC's Famous Bowl.Each item was purchased, taken home, and photographed immediately. Nothing was tampered with, run over by a car, or anything of the sort. It is an accurate representation in every case. Shiny, neon-orange, liquefied pump-cheese, and all.

Warning: Looking at some of the photos might cause slight indigestion.

VA Tech Families Cancel "Today" Show Appearance

C Goodman

NBC is feeling the backlash over its decision yesterday to air the disturbing video and photos of Virginia Tech shooter Cho Seung-Hui. On the network's "Today" show this morning, co-host Meredith Vieira acknowledged the fallout from the controversial decision."We had planned to speak to some family members of victims this morning but they canceled their appearances because they were very upset with NBC for airing the images." Cho, a student from South Korea mailed photographs of himself posing with the guns he bought and video railing against rich kids and debauchery. The package to NBC News was mailed after he killed his first two victims on Monday morning but before he cut down 30 more people in classrooms.

NBC News President Steve Capus said that while the images could be hard for the victims' families to watch, the organization had a journalistic obligation to put them on. "This is I think as close as we will ever come to being inside of the mind of a killer, and I thought that it needed to be released," he said on MSNBC. "Pretty much every single news organization all around the world has made the same decision, that it was appropriate to release this information."

Wow, what a week for Mr. Capus and NBC.First, they cave to pressure and fire Don Imus. Now, they're victimizing the Virginia Tech community over and over with non-stop images of this bastard. Would Tom Brokow have allowed all this nonsense to happen if he were still sitting in the anchor chair? No wonder people are switching over to Charlie Gibson at ABC. Besides being an excellent journalist, Gibson at least has a heart and some morals -- and probably most importantly, credibility. NBC is now bankrupt on all those counts.

Lily Allen Cancels Most US Shows

C Goodman

Maverick British pop star Lily Allen has cancelled most remaining shows of her US tour. She made the announcement on her personal blog: "I am tired, but more than that I don't think I have been giving my best performances recently.I have been getting really drunk because I've been so nervous about doing bad shows, and I don't want people spending money on going to see a show that isn't the best it could be. I am not falling apart at the seams, I am not suffering with exhaustion, I am not pregnant, and I am not going to rehab."

Allen will remain in the US to continue promotion and record a new album. Her major New York, LA and festival commitments will go ahead as planned.

"Idol" Says Sayonara To Sanjaya!

C Goodman

There was a collective sigh of relief across the country last night as Sanjaya Malakar was given the boot from American Idol. After weeks of torturing the audience with his hideous hair and pathetic singing, the popular underdog finally ran out of gas. He can blame country music for his downfall. Tuesday night -- country night -- Sanjaya sang a painfully flat rendition of Bonnie Rait's "Something to Talk About." None of the judges, not even Paula, liked it. Neither did his nine-year-old fans throughout America. For the first time in weeks, he was in the bottom two -- alongside LaKisha. The media had built this kid up so much that at one point you honestly found yourself thinking that LaKisha could be the one to go home. But the Idol gods smiled down on the voting and Simon Cowell couldn't have been more pleased. The smirk said it all. As the video of his Idol journey played, the 17-year-old could be seen crying -- obviously he had bought into the hype and believed he could make it to the end. But it wasn't meant to be. Next on his list of things to do: a duet with William Hung.

A Star Is Born

C Goodman
YouTube.com has its first bonified mass murderer superstar. A multi-media package arrived on the doorstep of NBC News today. Inside was several photographs and a video of Cho Seung-Hui, the South Korean immigrant who went on that horrific shooting rampage at Virginia Tech Monday morning. He apparently found time between the killings to drop the package in the mail -- then he got back to the bloodbath.News outlets were all too eager to get their hands on what's being called Cho's "multimedia manifesto." Images of this nutcase have been popping up on television and on the Internet all afternoon. The media seems enamored with this guy, talking about his "articulate" manner of speaking on the videotape and his ability to plan out the bloody rampage with such precision.

At one point on the videotape, Cho is said to mention the names of the killers in the Columbine tragedy -- a tragedy that happened eight years ago this week. In the years since Columbine, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold have become synonymous with evil. Anytime there's a shooting on a school campus, their names are immediately evoked. So it shouldn't come as a surprise that the two bastards from Columbine have become heroes in this underground community of psychos. The mere mention of their names on Cho's videotape indicates some form of idol worship -- Harris and Klebold were his role models.

And now it's all happening again. The next generation of would-be campus killers have a new idol. In this day of viral video, Cho's on-camera manifesto will forever be available on YouTube and other video sharing websites to provide inspiration to these sicko cowards.
NBC News claims it was their "journalistic responsibility" to share Cho's rants with the American public. They say it's important to provide insight into the mind of a killer. According to them, it's evidence of why he "snapped" and killed 32 people before turning the gun on himself.

Congratulations NBC(and other media organizations who aired portions of the video.) You gave this piece of shit exactly what he wanted -- martyrdom. Cho obviously wasn't stupid. He had made it through almost four years of college and was very aware of the world around him. He knew that by making and sending off the videotape, his name, face and voice would forever be linked to death. He would achieve the recognition he sought in life from the grave using his weapon of choice -- the media. It was a part of his master plan and, once again, the media fell for it.

When will we realize that the worst thing we can do after these tragedies is to transform the perpetrators into cult heroes? At first, they start off as "unidentified gunmen." By the day after, we know their names, their possible "motives," their favorite color, whether they watched "Grey's Anatomy," and what size underwear they wore. They're instant celebrities, achieving the fame they couldn't fathom in real life. Ultimately, they have won.

Wouldn't it be better if we never knew who these bastards like Harris, Klebold and Cho were? If they simply remained "murderers" or "unidentified gunmen?" They can't be held accountable for their crimes in death, so what's the point in knowing who these scumbags were? I believe there should be an across-the-board policy at media organizations to not publish or air any specific information about these people. Simply identify them as a "23-year-old man" or "the unnamed killer." The media shouldn't be giving them a platform to spew their hate or a spotlight to become martyrs.

So what's happened in the hours since NBC received Cho's "multimedia manifesto?" Cho's face is everywhere -- he'll probably even make the covers of Newsweek and Time, maybe even People. Meanwhile, the misery he caused to countless families and friends of the victims at Virginia Tech is pushed to the backburner. The victims have been victimized again. Cho is now the story. And once again, the bastards have won.

Gasp! Simon Rolls Eyes After Virginia Tech Condolences

C Goodman

"American Idol" judge Simon Cowell is catching all kinds of flack today after he rolled his eyes on last night's edition of the FOX show. The offense happened after the abrasive Brit had gotten into a debate with contestant Chris Richardson following his performance of a country song. Simon commented that Chris sounded "nasally." The 23-year-old Virginia native defended himself -- claiming that "nasally" is a style of singing.After several seconds of back and forth with Simon, Chris abruptly ended the debate by sending a shout-out to all those affected by the Virginia Tech shootings. Just as Chris was finishing up his condolences, the director cut back to the judge's table where, gasp, Simon was caught rolling his eyes.

Switchboards at FOX affiliates nationwide immediately lit up -- viewers angry with Simon for making light of the tragedy. When asked backstage about Simon's antics, Chris himself fanned the flames by saying that he was "sad" and hurt by the eye roll. "Idol" producers released a statement today saying, "This is a sad time for everyone, so it is especially disheartening that a quick camera cutaway could have been misinterpreted. We're sorry for any grief caused by this misunderstanding, but Simon was not reacting to Chris at that point. He had turned to speak to Paula and didn't actually hear Chris' final comments. Everyone at 'American Idol' feels compassion for those affected by this tragedy. We opened the show with those thoughts and Simon later expressed sincere condolences on behalf of the judges, recognizing the challenges we all face in dealing with this horrible event."

When I was watching this live last night, I knew immediately someone was going to have some explaining to do today. Only morons could look at the tape in context and conclude Simon was being disrespectful toward the Virginia Tech victims. As a former director myself, I know how you sometimes catch things on camera that you wish you could take back. In that seat, you have a lot of power -- either to make your subject look very good or very bad. If the fault lies with anyone on this latest "Idol" controversy, it should rest with the person pushing the buttons in the director's booth. It was an unfortunate mistake that didn't have to happen.

Virginia Tech Shooter Identified

C Goodman

Cho Seung-Hui. That name will forever live in infamy -- synonymous with the largest mass shooting incident in U.S. history. Earlier today, authorities released the name of the 23-year-old English major as the shooter in yesterday's killings at Virginia Tech University. Officials say Seung-Hui moved to Virginia from South Korea in 1992. He was in his senior year at Virginia Tech and has been described as a sullen loner whose creative writing in English class was so disturbing that he was referred to the school's counseling service. Seung-Hui was also reportedly taking medication for depression and those who knew him say his behavior was becoming increasingly erratic and violent. Investigators also found a note that he left in his dorm in which he railed against "rich kids,""debauchery" and "deceitful charlatans" on campus. School officials admit that they're finding it difficult to find out information about Seung-Hui because he was a loner.

Faculty, students, parents and even President Bush and First Lady Laura turned out Tuesday afternoon for a memorial service at Virginia Tech's basketball arena. In a six-minute speech before thousands, Bush said, "To all of you who are OK, I'm happy for that. To those of you who are in pain or who have lost someone close to you, I'm sure you can call on any one of us and have help anytime you need it." Quoting Scripture, he told those angered by the killings not to be overcome by evil. "People who have never met you are praying for you," Bush said. "They're praying for your friends who have fallen and who are injured. There's a power in these prayers, a real power. In times like this, we can find comfort in the grace and guidance of a loving God."

Seung-Hui killed 32 people in his attack.

Indians Burn Effigies of Richard Gere

C Goodman

Richard Gere might want to steer clear of India for a little while. Angry crowds in cities across the country have taken to the streets and many are burning effigies of the once-popular American actor.It all started after newspapers splashed images of Gere across their front pages embracing Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty. The pictures show Gere holding Shetty in his arms and kissing her several times during an AIDS awareness event. India is a country where such public displays of affection are largely taboo.

In Mumbai, members of the right-wing Hindu nationalist group Shiv Sena beat burning effigies of Gere with sticks and set fire to glamourous shots of Shetty. Similar protests have broken out in other cities. Shetty has since tried to reduce the firestorm. "I understand this is his culture, not ours. But this was not such a big thing or so obscene for people to overreact in such manner," she told the Press Trust of India news agency. "I understand people's sentiments, but I don't want a foreigner to take bad memories from here."

Bloodbath At Virginia Tech

C Goodman

It's being described as the deadliest mass shooting rampage in U.S. history. A gunman this morning walked onto the campus of Virginia Tech University in Blacksburg and opened fire on anyone in his path. At least 32 people were killed in just a matter of hours. The gunman also died when he took his own life. Investigators have offered no motive for the attack. The gunman's name has not been released and officials don't know if he was a student. At least 26 other people were injured in the rampage, some seriously.

Until Monday, the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history was in Killeen, Texas, in 1991, when George Hennard plowed his pickup truck into a Luby's Cafeteria and shot 23 people to death, then himself.

The massacre Monday took place almost eight years to the day after the Columbine High bloodbath near Littleton, Colo. On April 20, 1999, two teenagers killed 12 fellow students and a teacher before taking their own lives.

It was second time in less than a year that the campus was closed because of a shooting. Last August, the opening day of classes was canceled and the campus closed when an escaped jail inmate allegedly killed a hospital guard off campus and fled to the Tech area. A sheriff's deputy involved in the manhunt was killed on a trail just off campus. The accused gunman, William Morva, faces capital murder charges.

Don Ho Dead At 76

Hawaii's most popular entertainer has died. "Tiny Bubbles" star Don Ho passed away yesterday at the age of 76. Ho had a history of heart problems and The Honolulu Advertiser newspaper said he suffered a heart attack at his home in Waikiki early on Saturday. Ho underwent an experimental stem cell procedure in Thailand in 2005 to strengthen his heart. His health improved markedly and he returned to doing shows at a Waikiki hotel twice a week.The son of bar owners, Ho started singing in a famous Waikiki lounge in the 1960s. By 1966, his fame had spread to the U.S. mainland after he performed in Los Angeles' Coconut Grove and recorded the hit song "Tiny Bubbles." Ho's record sales declined after the late 1960s, but he remained a fixture on the show circuit in Las Vegas and Hawaii for many years and appeared on a number of television programs in the 1970s, usually playing himself.
Reuters

The Woman Who Would Have Been Queen

C Goodman

There's still hope for young women across the world who want to snag a prince. British newspapers are reporting that Prince William and his longtime girlfriend Kate Middleton have called it quits.There's been no official confirmation from the royal family, but the reports have apparently been verified by credible sources. Of course the news will come as a big shock to most Brits since it was assumed for months the couple was on the fast track to marriage.

The 25-year-old Middleton had won praise for her poise and fashion sense. But sources say she was uncomfortable being constantly pursued by the paparazzi. The relationship was also said to be further strained because William was away alot on official duties and just didn't pay her enough attention. So for all you women who dreamed of one day marrying a prince, here's your chance. Buckingham Palace is now accepting applications. For us men, we're just waiting for Kate to show up in Maxim.

Imus Aftermath: Let's Neuter Snoop Dogg!

C Goodman

Now that Don Imus has been canned twice this week and the critics have gotten their way, hopefully we can all move on with our lives -- eventually. But really, where is all of this phoney outrage going to take us? Many predict the Imus affair will have a chilling effect on broadcasters, forcing them to stay squeaky clean. Others think that the hip-hop community should be the next target of the thought police. They say rappers should remove every offensive term from their lyrics. "Send Snoop Dogg to the dog house -- make him clean up his act!" they shout. Wow, wouldn't that be a boring world? Snoop Dogg neutered -- not being able to say "pimp," "ho," or the b-word?

I have to wonder though, if we confiscated the iPods of each of the "offended" girls on the Rutgers basketball team, just how many would have 50 Cent or Ludacris or Akon on their "Most Played" list? I really can't see them listening to Barry Manilow during their morning workouts. "Copacabana" might be good if you're really drunk, but not if you're doing leg presses.

So much has been made in the past week about the Rutgers players and how "they didn't ask for this." They "aren't in the public eye. They're not public figures. They should be off limits to scrutiny and ridicule." Give me a break! These ladies played for the national championship in women's college basketball -- a game that just so happened to be broadcast across the country live on ESPN.That is the definition of a public figure. If we can single the top two scoring players out and talk about their "stats" in sports columns and during the TV highlight reel, they can certainly be made fun of because of their appearance. Did Imus go too far? Of course he did. But to say these women are off-limits, that they're not public figures, is the bogus argument of the decade.

If you're in the news, chances are someone somewhere might make fun of you. What, did these girls not know the cameras were there that night? Shouldn't the post-game press conferences and the questions from reporters have been a hint that people were watching? That the outside world might be interested in their little game?

It's time we stop taking ourselves so seriously in this country. We really have become a nation of victims and whiners. Due to pressure from black community leaders such as Rev. Sharpton and Rev. Jackson, the Rutgers girls went before the nation in their press conference and portrayed themselves as victims. One girl even said that she had "been scarred for life" or something. What? How can a cranky old white man wearing a cowboy hat and playing country tunes scar you for life? Don't tell me that Don Imus has that much power over you. These girls didn't even know Imus existed until they were told about him and forced by black leaders to be "outraged."

But I digress. Again I ask, where will it all end? Should Rosie O'Donnell lose her seat on "The View?" Why is Howard Stern allowed to degrade women every day on the air? Why can't Rush Limbaugh choke on one of his cigars? Wouldn't the world be a better place if Snoop Dogg could just sing "Like a Virgin?"

And then there's this. I believe the thought police might target Ryan Seacrest after seeing this clip.

I rest my case.

Daily Show's Take On Imus Scandal

Leave it to Jon Stewart and The Daily Show to expose the hypocrisy of the media in the whole Imus affair.

Get Your "Nappy-Headed Ho" Stuff

C Goodman

Sometime between the now infamous Don Imus comment about the Rutgers women's basketball team and his termination from both MSNBC and CBS Radio, a new cottage industry sprung up. And of course it had to happen on the Internet. Google stores have been flooded in recent days with "Nappy-Headed Ho" merchandise. There seems to be something for everyone -- well almost. From a teddy bear wearing a "Nappy-Headed Ho" t-shirt to an infant bodysuit sporting the catch-phrase of 2007, someone somewhere is probably gonna make a lot of money on Imus' mistake. The product descriptions include: "Let everyone know you're a nappy-headed ho!," "Nappy-Headed Hos for Imus," and "Show them you're a ho and you support Imus!" So the question now arises, should Imus trademark "Nappy-Headed Ho?"
Here's the link.
http://www.cafepress.com/nappyheadedho

Columnist Says Imus Isn't The Bad Guy

Now that radio talk show host Don Imus has been fired from both MSNBC and CBS, it's time for the analysis to begin. I'll have my own in a few days. Until then, here's an article by columnist Jason Whitlock of the "Kansas City Star." He made several interesting points. It's a MUST READ.

Imus isn’t the real bad guy
By JASON WHITLOCK
Columnist - Kansas City Star

Thank you, Don Imus. You’ve given us (black people) an excuse to avoid our real problem.You’ve given Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson another opportunity to pretend that the old fight, which is now the safe and lucrative fight, is still the most important fight in our push for true economic and social equality.

You’ve given Vivian Stringer and Rutgers the chance to hold a nationally televised recruiting celebration expertly disguised as a news conference to respond to your poor attempt at humor.

Thank you, Don Imus. You extended Black History Month to April, and we can once again wallow in victimhood, protest like it’s 1965 and delude ourselves into believing that fixing your hatred is more necessary than eradicating our self-hatred.

The bigots win again.

While we’re fixated on a bad joke cracked by an irrelevant, bad shock jock, I’m sure at least one of the marvelous young women on the Rutgers basketball team is somewhere snapping her fingers to the beat of 50 Cent’s or Snoop Dogg’s or Young Jeezy’s latest ode glorifying nappy-headed pimps and hos.

I ain’t saying Jesse, Al and Vivian are gold-diggas, but they don’t have the heart to mount a legitimate campaign against the real black-folk killas.

It is us. At this time, we are our own worst enemies. We have allowed our youths to buy into a culture (hip hop) that has been perverted, corrupted and overtaken by prison culture. The music, attitude and behavior expressed in this culture is anti-black, anti-education, demeaning, self-destructive, pro-drug dealing and violent.

Rather than confront this heinous enemy from within, we sit back and wait for someone like Imus to have a slip of the tongue and make the mistake of repeating the things we say about ourselves.

It’s embarrassing. Dave Chappelle was offered $50 million to make racially insensitive jokes about black and white people on TV. He was hailed as a genius. Black comedians routinely crack jokes about white and black people, and we all laugh out loud.

I’m no Don Imus apologist. He and his tiny companion Mike Lupica blasted me after I fell out with ESPN. Imus is a hack.

But, in my view, he didn’t do anything outside the norm for shock jocks and comedians. He also offered an apology. That should’ve been the end of this whole affair. Instead, it’s only the beginning. It’s an opportunity for Stringer, Jackson and Sharpton to step on victim platforms and elevate themselves and their agenda$.

I watched the Rutgers news conference and was ashamed.

Martin Luther King Jr. spoke for eight minutes in 1963 at the March on Washington. At the time, black people could be lynched and denied fundamental rights with little thought. With the comments of a talk-show host most of her players had never heard of before last week serving as her excuse, Vivian Stringer rambled on for 30 minutes about the amazing season her team had.

Somehow, we’re supposed to believe that the comments of a man with virtually no connection to the sports world ruined Rutgers’ wonderful season. Had a broadcaster with credibility and a platform in the sports world uttered the words Imus did, I could understand a level of outrage.

But an hourlong press conference over a man who has already apologized, already been suspended and is already insignificant is just plain intellectually dishonest. This is opportunism. This is a distraction.

In the grand scheme, Don Imus is no threat to us in general and no threat to black women in particular. If his words are so powerful and so destructive and must be rebuked so forcefully, then what should we do about the idiot rappers on BET, MTV and every black-owned radio station in the country who use words much more powerful and much more destructive?

I don’t listen or watch Imus’ show regularly. Has he at any point glorified selling crack cocaine to black women? Has he celebrated black men shooting each other randomly? Has he suggested in any way that it’s cool to be a baby-daddy rather than a husband and a parent? Does he tell his listeners that they’re suckers for pursuing education and that they’re selling out their race if they do?

When Imus does any of that, call me and I’ll get upset. Until then, he is what he is — a washed-up shock jock who is very easy to ignore when you’re not looking to be made a victim.

No. We all know where the real battleground is. We know that the gangsta rappers and their followers in the athletic world have far bigger platforms to negatively define us than some old white man with a bad radio show. There’s no money and lots of danger in that battle, so Jesse and Al are going to sit it out.

CBS Caves To Pressure; Fires Imus

C Goodman

Less than 24 hours after NBC's decision to drop Don Imus from its airwaves, CBS Radio followed suit. Black community leaders, including Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, met with CBS executives earlier today, demanding the company drop the talk show host. Just this morning, Imus was back on his radio show hosting a radio-thon for children's charities. During the program, there were several references to the show possibly being his last broadcast at WFAN. He and his sidekick Charles McCord even jokingly said that they needed to raise "100-million-dollars" this time because it could be their last radio-thon. Imus has been raising the money for different charities over the last 18 years. The funds go to the Tomorrows Children's Fund for kids with cancer, the CJ Foundation for SIDS and the Imus Ranch.WFAN is reporting that Imus' wife Deidre and McCord will take over hosting duties tomorrow morning to continue raising money for the charities.

Just In: MSNBC Drops Imus

C Goodman

MSNBC has announced it will no longer simulcast the "Imus in the Morning" radio show.
The network gave into growing pressure from black community leaders who called for Don Imus' termination. Last week, Imus drew criticsm for calling members of the Rutgers women's basketball team "nappy-headed hos." He has repeatedly apologized for the remark.

Steve Capus went on MSNBC's Hardball to discuss to discuss the decision with fill-in host, NBC White House correspondent David Gregory. Here's some of what Capus said.
"I've received hundreds, if not thousands of emails, both internal and external, with people with very strong views about what should happen. I've listened to those people with their comments. And many of them are people who have worked at NBC News for decades, people who put their lives on the line covering wars and things like that. These comments were deeply hurtful to many, many people," Capus said.

Here's some of the Capus interview.

Imus Firestorm Continues To Grow

C Goodman

The Don Imus fallout continues. The FCC announced today it has officially launched an investigation into Imus' racially insensitive comments about the Rutgers women's basketball team. That news came as several advertisers on the "Imus in the Morning" program decided to withdraw their sponsorship. General Motors, GlaxoSmithKline and American Express announced that they were pulling ads from Imus' radio or TV broadcasts. On Tuesday, Procter and Gamble pulled ads from his show on MSNBC.

Meanwhile, the calls for Imus' removal continues to get louder from the black community. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama said today Imus should be fired.

Giuliani, Got Milk? Not Lately

C Goodman

Republican presidential contender Rudy Giuliani might want to stop by the market on his way home tonight. While campaigning in Alabama Tuesday, the former New York City mayor was asked by a reporter about the price of some basic staples. He said that a gallon of milk is "probably about a $1.50, a loaf of bread about a $1.25, $1.30." Mr. Giuliani obviously thought it was April 10, 1982. A check of supermarkets in Montgomery, AL show that a gallon of milk goes for about $3.39 and bread is about $2.

This isn't the first time a Republican has had difficulty on the "store front." In 1992, President George H.W. Bush expressed amazement at a high-tech supermarket scanner, prompting critics to argue that he was out of touch with average Americans.

Fire Destroys Johnny Cash Home

C Goodman

The lakeside home of late country singer Johnny Cash was destroyed by fire on Tuesday. The blaze started after 1 pm CST at the home in Hendersonville, TN. Fire crews arrived on the scene quickly, but the structure was already engulfed in flames. A few hours later, there was almost nothing left of the home that Cash and his late wife June Carter Cash had lived in since the late 1960s. By the end of the day, only brick chimneys and the steel frame remained. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

The property was purchased by Barry Gibb, a member of the Bee Gees, in January 2006. Gibb and his wife, Linda, had said they planned to restore the home on Old Hickory Lake and hoped to write songs there. Gibb's spokesman, Paul Bloch, said the singer and his family are "both saddened and devastated by the news."

Girls Gone Wild Founder Arrested

C Goodman

Girls Gone Wild founder Joe Francis has been arrested at the Panama City, Florida airport. Officials were seeking his arrest on a contempt of court charge. Although Francis told FOX News's Geraldo Rivera on Monday that he would surrender to authorities, the arrest was carried out by airport police who recognized him before he could present himself to the Marshal's Office. A judge ordered Francis's arrest last week after Francis reportedly changed the terms of a settlement deal stemming from a 2003 lawsuit in which seven women accused him of victimizing them by filming them in sexual situations while they were on spring break in Panama City.

Rutgers Women Meet The Press

C Goodman

Racist, sexist and deplorable. That's how Rutgers women's basketball coach C. Vivian Stringer described the comments made by radio talk show host Don Imus about members of her team at a news conference this morning. Last week, Imus drew criticism for calling the predominately black team "nappy-headed hos" and said they were some rough looking girls. Imus has since apologized for the offensive remarks, but that's done little to stop calls for his termination from civil rights leaders like the Reverend Al Sharpton.

But the biggest news to come out of the Rutgers press conference was word that team members have agreed to sit down with the broadcasting legend to discuss the comments. Team member Essence Carson said she and the other players were angry and disgusted but would meet with Imus. They stopped short of saying whether they thought he should be fired for calling the team "nappy-headed hos."

The Imus controversy even found its way to the White House today. Spokeswoman Dana Perino was asked if President Bush thought Imus' punishment was strong enough. "The president believed that the apology was the absolute right thing to do. Beyond that, I think that his employer is going to have to make a decision about any action that they take based on it."

No word on when a meeting between Imus and the girls might happen.

He's The Daddy!

C Goodman

DNA test results released today in the Bahamas reveal that Larry Birkhead is the father of Anna Nicole Smith's baby girl Dannielynn. Soon after today's court hearing, Birkhead jubilantly emerged from the courthouse saying, "I told you so! My baby's going to be coming home pretty soon."

Howard K. Stern, who all along claimed he was the father of the baby, said he would not fight for custody. "I'm obviously very disappointed but my feelings toward Dannielynn have not changed," Stern said, adding Birkhead can come to his Bahamas home to visit Dannielynn at any time.

Smith's mother Virgie Arthur, also sought custody, but said she was happy with the test results.

Iraqis To America: Get Out!

C Goodman

Tens of thousands of Iraqis took to the streets of Najaf, Iraq today demanding that the U.S. get out of their country. The angry protests came on the four year anniversary of U.S. forces toppling the regime of former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein.

The protesters in Najaf were rallying in support of powerful anti-American cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, who wants the U.S. to set a timetable for withdrawl of forces from the war-torn country.

Some of Monday's protesters burned and ripped apart American flags and tromped across a Stars and Stripes rug.


Now every American -- Republican and Democrat, hawk and dove, Senators McCain and Lieberman -- should ask, why are our men and women dying for these people? They don't care about us, they don't care about freedom, they don't care about peace. They want us out, so maybe the Bush administration should listen for once.

Just In: NBC Suspends Imus For Two Weeks

Five days after radio talk show host Don Imus described members of the Rutgers women's basketball team as "nappy-headed hos," NBC has suspended the veteran broadcaster. NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams made the announcement tonight. Imus's nationally-syndicated radio show is simulcast daily on NBC-owned cable news network MSNBC. Executives say the suspension will take effect next Monday.

UPDATE: In a statement, Steve Capus, president of NBC News said that, "This comes after careful consideration in the days since his racist, abhorrent comments were made. Don Imus has expressed profound regret and embarrassment and has made a commitment to listen to all of those who have raised legitimate expressions of outrage. In addition, his dedication - in his words - to change the discourse on his program moving forward, has confirmed for us that this action is appropriate."

The previously scheduled Imus radiothon in support of the Tomorrow's Children's Fund, the CJ Foundation for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome research and the Imus Ranch will air, as scheduled, this Thursday and Friday on MSNBC.

UPDATE: CBS Radio has joined with MSNBC is suspending Don Imus for two weeks. CBS owns New York sports radio station WFAN, which airs the "Imus in the Morning" program.

Fact Check On Rev. Al Sharpton

With the Reverend Al Sharpton once again putting himself in the middle of another controversy, it's only fair that we point out that the civil rights leader has a history of making offensive and sometimes bigoted remarks. Here's some information from Wikipedia.



Controversies

Tawana Brawley Controversy
See also: Tawana Brawley Case

In the Tawana Brawley case, a 15-year-old black girl was found smeared with feces, lying in a garbage bag, her clothing torn and burned and with various slurs and epithets written on her body in charcoal. Brawley claimed that she had been assaulted and raped by six white men, some of them police officers, in the town of Wappingers Falls, New York.

Alton H. Maddox, C. Vernon Mason joined Sharpton in support of Brawley. A grand jury was convened; after seven months of examining police and medical records, the jury determined that Brawley lied about being assaulted by the police. Sharpton, Maddox and Mason were later successfully sued for statements made in connection with the case, and ordered to pay $345,000 in damages. All three falsely accused the case prosecutor, Steven Pagones, as being among those who abducted and raped Brawley. The jury found Sharpton liable for making seven defamatory statements about Pagones, Maddox for two and Mason for one.

Crown Height Riots

The Crown Heights Riot occurred after a car accident involving the motorcade for the Lubavitcher Rebbe killing a young boy Gavin Cato. A riot was sparked after a private Hasidic ambulance came to the scene and, on the orders of a police officer, removed the Hasidic driver from the scene. Gavin Cato and his cousin Angela were picked up soon after by a city ambulance. Caribbean-American and African-American residents of the neighborhood then rioted for four consecutive days fueled by rumors (in part driven by Sharpton), that the private ambulance had refused to treat Cato.

Al Sharpton became the de-facto representative for the Cato family. During the funeral he referred to "diamond merchants" considered a code word for Hasidic Jews, for shedding "the blood of innocent babies" leading marchers shouting "No Justice No Peace". Sharpton did not start the riots but his rhetoric was seen as inflammatory and unhelpful in easing the tension between the black and Jewish communities. A visiting rabbinical student from Australia by the name of Yankel Rosenbaum, 29 years old, was killed during the rioting by a mob shouting "Kill the Jew".

Freddie's Fashion Mart

It is also alleged that after calling a Jewish shopkeeper a "white interloper," he looked on while an associate of his suggested the man's shop should be burned down. When a black member of the crowd did so, killing several people and himself, Sharpton initially denied having been present. When confronted with a video tape showing his presence, he said: "What's wrong with denouncing white interlopers?"

While Sharpton has every right to call for radio talk show host Don Imus' termination over remarks he made about the Rutgers women's basketball team, Sharpton's record of controversial statements and outlandish behavior shouldn't be forgotten or ignored.