Comedy: An Excuse?

Don Imus, host of the radio show Imus in the Morning (which is also broadcast on MSNBC), is in hot water…again.

As you have no doubt heard, Imus made a very derogatory remark about the Rutgers University women’s basketball game the morning after they lost to the Tennessee Lady Vols in the NCAA Division I championship game. If you have not heard or read his remark, we will not reprint it here.

The statement, understandably, has been debated on many TV and radio shows, and many groups have called for Don Imus to lose his job. Beginning Monday, he will be suspended for two weeks from both CBS Radio and MSNBC, but many want him to be fired.

To his credit, Imus is trying to apologize and will meet face-to-face with the entire women’s team from Rutgers. At that private meeting, he has promised to issue an apology, although he says he doesn’t expect the young women to accept.

Part of his apology, though, confuses me. Yesterday, Imus appeared on the Today show, and the interview was also live on his broadcast. In the middle of his apology, which, at first, seemed heartfelt, Imus said that he is not a “news-man.” Then he added, “This is a comedy show…context is important.” Admittedly, he went on to say that this did not give him a right to say the words that have gotten him in so much trouble.

Do we not often, though, use the same excuse that Imus is using? If something is funny, we excuse it. Comedians are often said to be “pushing the envelope.” Just because something makes us laugh, though, does not make it right.

We often watch movies or TV shows and afterward say, “They didn’t have to use all that language to make it funny.” Question: Then why did we watch?

There is nothing wrong with being entertained. There is nothing wrong with comedy. But, we need to be sure that we don’t excuse our viewing habits (or the actor’s habits) just because someone is funny.