Imus Meets Sharpton, Apologizes for Remark

U.S. radio personality Don Imus appeared on the Rev. Al Sharpton’s New York radio show Monday, apologizing for comments that critics called racist.

In the context of the conversation, I wasn’t thinking that it was a racial insult, Imus said. I understand it’s not funny … and I’m sorry I said it.

Sharpton repeated his request for Imus to leave the airwaves. I’m going to say what you said was racist and you should be fired.

Imus last week described Rutgers University’s women’s basketball team as nappy-headed ho’s.

During his Monday radio broadcast from New York televised live by MSNBC, Imus said he was embarrassed, The New York Times reported. I’m not a bad person; I’m a good person, but I said a bad thing, he said. But these young women deserve to know it was not said with malice.

Protests, including one led by the Rev. Jesse Jackson, were planned around the country. The New Jersey chapter of the NAACP demanded that Imus resign or be fired.

A spokeswoman for CBS Radio — Imus’s employer and the owner of his New York radio home — said the company was disappointed, characterizing Imus’ remarks as completely inappropriate.