It took Don Imus decades to get to the pinnacle of the radio world, and about a second to utter the five syllables that would ruin him.
After an eight-day media drumbeat and unrelenting pressure from activists, advertisers, a member of CBS Corp.'s own board of directors and its staff, CBS Corp. announced on Thursday afternoon that the "Imus in the Morning" radio program would cease to be broadcast "effective immediately, on a permanent basis." His MSNBC TV simulcast was canceled the day before.
The firing came after a 75-minute meeting Thursday at CBS' headquarters in New York, nicknamed "Black Rock." Civil rights and feminist leaders urged CBS President and Chief Executive Leslie Moonves and four of his executives to take a stand against Imus' sexist and racist comments.
Don Imus: An article in Section A on Friday about CBS firing talk-show host Don Imus concluded by quoting remarks Imus made Thursday night on the "Conway & Whitman" show on Los Angeles radio station KLSX-FM (97.1). The comments were not made by Imus but by the program's co-host, Brian Whitman, who was doing an impression of Imus. Imus was not a guest on the program.
At one point during the meeting -- which was described variously as "very pleasant," "emotional" and "tense and confrontational" -- Moonves was asked whether he or his lieutenants had daughters. Yes, Moonves answered, he has a daughter in college.
The Rev. Jesse Jackson, who was at the meeting, said network executives were also asked, "What are your standards? Is referring to women as 'hos' or to Hillary Clinton as a 'bitch' or saying Venus Williams should be in National Geographic, is this your standard? And if it is, you should declare that, and if not, you have a decision to make."
And when would Moonves make that decision?
"Soon," he replied.
Three hours later, the controversy that began April 4 when Imus called the Rutgers University women's basketball team "nappy-headed hos" had culminated with the decision to end Imus' CBS radio career. In an e-mail to CBS employees announcing the firing, Moonves reflected on how the controversy had ballooned beyond Imus and cast a spotlight on demeaning speech in general.
"One thing is for certain: This is about a lot more than Imus," the e-mail read in part. "As has been widely pointed out, Imus has been visited by presidents, senators, important authors and journalists from across the political spectrum. He has flourished in a culture that permits a certain level of objectionable expression that hurts and demeans a wide range of people. In taking him off the air, I believe we take an important and necessary step not just in solving a unique problem, but in changing that culture."
For Imus, 66, it was an abrupt and unexpected end to a career that was beyond successful by any standard.
