Racist Shock Jock Don Imus Dead At 79 [VIDEO]

The New York Times reports:

Don Imus, who tested the limits of shock radio with his irreverent attacks on celebrities, politicians, racial and ethnic groups, women, gay people and practically anyone whose head stuck up out of the foxhole, died on Friday in College Station, Texas. He was 79.

The cause was not specified. On his “Imus in the Morning” show on March 16, 2009, Mr. Imus disclosed that he had prostate cancer. He was advised to have radiation treatments, but said he had chosen to treat the disease holistically.

Newsweek reports:

Many looked upon Imus as a racist and a homophobe, and some of the things he said certainly played into that. His statements about the Rutgers University women’s basketball team were enough to get Imus suspended in 2007.

“That’s some rough girls from Rutgers,” Imus said. “Some hardcore hos. That’s some nappy-headed hos there, I’m going to tell you that.” Barack Obama, still a senator from Illinois at the time, called for Imus to be fired over the remarks.