KEY POINTS:
NEW YORK - Radio host Don Imus was dumped by CBS Radio today in an inglorious end to a 30-year career that erupted in controversy over racist and sexist comments about a women's college basketball team.
The decision by CBS to pull the plug on the popular Imus in the Morning Show, which blended locker-room humour with talk with A-list politicians and other leading lights.
The move came one day after he was jettisoned by MSNBC, which had broadcast his radio show on television and after several major advertisers backed out after he called the mostly black Rutgers University team "nappy-headed hos."
"Nappy" is a slur describing the tightly curled hair of many African-Americans, and "ho" is slang for "whore," usage of which has exploded in hip-hop music and popular culture.
"From the outset, I believe all of us have been deeply upset and revulsed by the statements that were made on our air about the young women who represented Rutgers University ... with such class, energy and talent," CBS President and Chief Executive Officer Leslie Moonves said in a statement.
Imus was not immediately available for comment.
CBS said the cancellation was effective immediately. The show was carried on 61 stations across the United States. CBS Corp unit CBS Radio made millions of dollars annually from the show and had originally said it would suspend him for two weeks starting Monday while it mulled what action to take.
The move came just hours after what turned out to be Imus' final broadcast today -- his annual drive to raise money for children with cancer.
Imus, 66, holds an annual fundraiser for sick children. That fundraiser continues tomorrow and was the main reason the planned suspension was not to begin until Monday.
But earlier today, in what was apparently his last on-air appearance for CBS, the curmudgeonly radio host called the media hypocritical in its coverage of the flap and said he had apologized enough for his remarks.
He said he would apologise to the team in person in the coming days and hinted at what was to come from CBS.
"I don't know if this will be my last radiothon, my suspicion is it will be," Imus said.
Earlier, the coach of the Rutgers team, Vivian Stringer, told The Oprah Winfrey Show "there will be a catharsis of sorts" at the meeting and that "we'll have an opportunity to put this to rest."
Team captain Essence Carson said Imus' comment "stole our moment of joy."
"It seemed like the whole world came down on us ... And you know, it is just so sad because no one actually pays attention to who actually won the game," Carson said.
Tennessee defeated Rutgers in the championship game.
Earlier today, civil rights activist Rev. Al Sharpton met with CBS executives to demand that Imus be fired.
Before the CBS announcement, it had become apparent the furore meant that Imus would have a hard time drawing the celebrities and leading politicians who often used the programme to promote their works or candidacies.
US Sen Barack Obama of Illinois, a Democratic presidential contender who is black, had said he would never again appear on Imus.
Major advertisers -- General Motors Corp, GlaxoSmithKline Plc and Ditech.com, a unit of GMAC Financial Services -- yesterday pulled their advertising. They joined Procter & Gamble Co and Staples Inc., which previously pulled out.
MSNBC television is a joint venture of Microsoft Corp and General Electric Co's NBC Universal News.
- REUTERS
