Imus Fired, Bernard McGuirk, Hannity & Colmes

SHARPTON: 'TERRORIST'

In Fox Interview, Fired Imus Producer Blasts Away







During the height of the recent Don Imus firestorm, did Al Sharpton "terrorize" network executives until they met his demands?

That's the explosive charge levelled last night by fired Imus producer Bernard McGuirk. In an interview on FOX's Hannity & Colmes, McGuirk said corporate suits were stuck "in a fetal position under their desks" while apparently cowering in fear of Sharpton and Jackson.

From ABC News:

But McGuirk said he and Imus had engaged in the same locker-room humor for many years, and received pats on the back and raises from their superiors before CBS Radio fired them this time.

He sharply criticized the Rev. Al Sharpton, who led the campaign to get them fired.

"It seemed like he terrorized broadcast executives," he said. "It seemed like they were in a fetal position under their desks sucking their thumbs on their Blackberrys, trying to coordinate their response."

The concept of "crossing the line" is hard to under- stand when it's not clear where the line is, he said.

"It's a horrible thing for this country where people can't poke fun at each other and just joke around, have a good time, without fear of being hammered by the PC police or lose your livelihood over it," he said.

And from the New York Post:

April 27, 2007 -- Fired shock-jock Don Imus' longtime producer ripped the Rev. Al Sharpton last night, blaming him for blowing out of proportion the I-man's infamous "nappy-headed ho's" comment and unfairly driving their show off the air.

"The media treated him like he was Nelson Mandela, for God's sake, without asking him about his past comments, this sanctimonious skunk," Bernard McGuirk said on Fox News Channel's "Hannity & Colmes."

McGuirk, speaking publicly for the first time since the April 4 comments about the Rutgers University women's basketball team, said there was "legitimate anger" following the radio rant - but he and Imus never should have been fired.

"They caved to this guy with that record," he said, referring to CBS axing Imus on April 12 after Sharpton demanded the firing. "They appeased this terrorist here. It's almost like free-speech surrender."

While McGuirk does make some good points here, it's hard to know what to do with him. Is he a racist? Yes, that has long been quite clear.

In addition, he's the one who got Imus in trouble in the first place.

On the other hand, we now have Sharpton and Jackson with veto power over NBC and CBS. That is completely unacceptable.

What's next for McGuirk? He's so closely associated with the I- Man that it's hard to see him doing much of anything else. In addition, the Imus team has alienated nearly the entire broadcast industry over the years, leaving him with few places to turn.


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