I'm Rooting For Nibbles

Instead of Don Imus spending all his time saying he was a good person, what if he had said, You know, I’ve been thinking about what a schmuck I am and I’m embarrassed that someone who has my kind of media power could say the things I said, so I’m going to take a few weeks and really think through what I did. Then when and if I come back, I’d like to have more women and people of color on the show and I want to learn how to be more sensitive (without losing my humor) to the people I have offended.

If he had done it himself, instead of letting Alpo Sharptongue and Jesse Helms (oops I mean Jackson—but they’re one in the same.) become the power in the conversation, I bet he would never have been fired. The networks didn’t want him to go or they would have done it immediately. For them it’s all about the money. Now, what could these two civil wrong bullies have said to make the networks cave? My guess is nothing. It was the big foot of GM and other advertisers, (with the threats from Jackson and Sharpton) that caused the Imus demise.

The shame of all of this (and I don’t care about Imus as a self absorbed personality) is that he is a powerful figure with powerful friends and he could have made a difference with a real change and real conversation, for that jaded world of news/entertainment. Woe is all of us.

When Jesse Jackson ran for President I had the opportunity to see how he operated, because my company was hired by the DNC to choreograph a trip around the country with all the Presidential candidates. It was 1984. We leased two planes and I was the trip director on the one with Gary Hart, Jesse Jackson, John Glenn, Fritz Hollings--I think and there were others -- but who can remember so many names. Anyway, Jesse and his wife—who showed me a cool knitting stitch, were part of the traveling show. He was deliberately difficult about things that were uncomplicated. I had the feeling that he was new at playing Presidential politics and he didn’t know how to be Presidential—so he was just unpleasant. We have all heard stories about his conversations with CEO’s. Who knows if he strong arms them or embarrasses them into supporting whatever his cause, but he’s been pretty successful. Look at Imus -- I have often wondered what caused him to become a bully while a real leader like Rep. John Lewis, became so elegant and an important—not loud voice. Without rhymes, or tactis, just truth.

Which reminds me, one of our guest bloggers, Clay—who is very sensitive, sent me this hilarious ridiculous story I thought I’d share with you because it’s just that kind of a day.

Rogue Seal Devours Pit Bull
Key West, F. (April 12) - Nibbles the elephant seal is defying his tame nickname by killing and eating anything that gets in his path. Yesterday he attacked a small kayak and ate an eighty pound pit bull that was knocked overboard. Later that evening he then rammed repeatedly the pilings at Mallory Square during the nightly sunset celebration causing the cat trainer "Hugo" to fall into the harbor. It was only due to a daring scuba diver who fired a spear
into Nibbles that caused him to spare Hugo. Nibbles was last seen heading toward Sunset Harbor with a twelve foot long spear sticking out of his backside and howling for all he was worth.

What does this story have to do with Sharpton or Jackson or Imus? Well today Alpo Sharptongue said that there is nothing wrong with hip hop music. The lyrics are fine and it is a wonderful art. Nothing bad about hip hop. No siree. Nothing bad about calling women ho’s. Not a thing. The seal story is not even close to being as ludicrous as the behavior of these supposed Black leaders—who by the way could use a good dose of Nibbles. We’re just sayin...