Customer Reviews

Everything Imus: All You Ever Wanted to Know About Don Imus

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4 star:		(3)
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1 star:		(4)

 

 

In my humble opinon this book does not even touch the mean streak and obnoxiousness that was Don Imus during the 60's and 70's as a former intern at WNBC there are many things that the author of this book either did not know about the real Don Imus or did know but did not publish it.

As one of the original I-Fans, I am ashamed to say that this book told me things that I should have already known. While I have listened to (and now watch) Don Imus since 1972, Jim Reed, a man irritatingly 15 years my junior, knows so much more about this topic than I do! Using a time-line style of writing, Reed has carefully, though probably unintentionally, exhumed the fact that Imus' best years are clearly behind him. In what I believe to be the first biography of Don Imus, Reed chronicles not only the amazing speed in which Imus rose to fame, but also how rapidly he managed to let his success almost cause his death. Mr. Reed has enabled the reader to watch Imus' career move along without allowing the details get in the way of the enjoyment of reading. Nowhere in "Everything Imus" does Reed allow a chapter to become a roadblock. In fact, I found myself eager to complete each chapter so I could go on to the next and find out where it would take me. Mr. Reed's style of writing is one that more authors should employ as it allowed me to read what essentially is history without it causing me to flash back to my high school years where reading assignments were ordered regardless of whether I had a chance of enjoying these assignments. Unlike a vanity rendition of the history of a celebrity, "Everything Imus" does not glamorize what must have been a very lonely existence for Imus prior to his meeting his current wife. Any "Imus in the Morning" fan who does not add this book to his or her collection of Imus things will be lacking the glue that holds together the many pieces of what is now the Don Imus story. I have read many books and certain authors have become favorites of mine. I am happy to add Jim Reed to my relatively short list of preferred writers. I anxiously look forward to Jim Reed's next book, whatever it may be. I recommend this book to anyone, even if you have never heard of Don Imus. "Everything Imus" is written so well that you will walk away knowing not just "All You Ever Wanted to Know About Don Imus" but far more!

Being an Imus fan I was looking for something a little more substatnial than this. If you're interested in the book, go to the library and check it out. Don't bother buying it,

OK so it's not a pulitzer prize winner, but so what? Mr. Reed's book is written for the true Imus fan without the fancy words and long-winded accounts that make some books boring. If you like the Don Imus show, this book is a must. It takes you behind the scenes, introduces the cast of characters, as well as revisits Don's past. It's well researched and an enjoyable read.

Although this is Reed's first foray into the world of publishing, the material is delivered in an informative and interesting style. It is a very enjoyable read for all fans of Don Imus.

Jim Reed does an outstanding job writing about the career of radio legend Don Imus. This book is one of those that once you pick up, you cannot put it down. I am a seven year listener of the Imus in the Morning show and Reed told me things about Imus and his career I never knew about. Great behind the scenes stories about Imus , his crew and the people at MSNBC, who do a daily television program of the radio show.

I wish Jim Reed much success with this book and encourage all fans of the Imus in the Morning program to read this book.

Sure, I'm an I-fan. Okay, maybe there are some tidbits of trivia in this book that are of some interest. However, this has to be one of the worst-written books ever to see the light of day. As intriguing as the subject matter might be, Jim Reed has done no favors for Don Imus by producing this terribly written book. Don't waste your time or money. Just listen to WFAN and get it from the horse's mouth (or other part of the anatomy).

Don't waste money on this boring read. Instead, Imus fans should go to the library and dig up the 11/3/72 edition of Life magazine for a vivid portrait of the I-Man in his prime.

You'll find this book somewhat amusing. It's everything you need to know about this "happy-headed Joe"* named John Donald "Don" Imus. Riverside,California-born Imus' radio career began back in the sixties somewhere in his native California. He wound up fired from one station for mentioning the word "hell" on the air. Now,how controversial can that be? That was a "picnic" compared to the offensive and upsetting comment he made on April 4. Secondarily,Imus was once a stand-up comedian recording a few albums. From 1971 to April of this year,Imus broadcast from New York-based WFAN 660 AM(originally WNBC) on and off. Throughout his career,he sparked some controversy several times,delivering slurs to various races. A quarter-century ago,Imus met his new fellow WNBC employee,Howard Stern who had just come from DC 101 in Washington,D.C. Prior to the events of April 4,not many people labeled Imus a "shock jock" as much as Stern. Also,a quarter-century ago,Imus was New York's(and probably America's) #1 disc jockey. Stern would later surpass Imus in the Arbitron ratings. Every disc jockey has his/her own fortes,Imus' being politics and country music and Stern's being supermodels,adult film actresses,heavy metal music and dysfunctional individuals. Although they later became friends,Imus refused to meet Stern when he arrived at WNBC in August 1982. Stern was instead given a "F--- OFF!" by Imus(you can see this in the 1997 Paramount film PRIVATE PARTS starring Stern and based on his autobiography of the same title). Imus remained at WNBC in September 1985 when Stern got the boot(the same happened to Stern at some of his previous stations). The call letters were changed to WFAN on October 8,1988 and the station became round-the-clock sports discussion. Subsequently,Imus married his current wife Deidre in 1994 and they had son named Wyatt. Imus and his brother Fred wrote a short large-print book and both marketed a line of edibles. Now for the April 4 events:Imus was talking about on his long running program "Imus In The Morning",the basketball game between two college teams,New Brunswick,New Jersey-based Rutgers University Scarlet Knights and the other,Tennessee-based. Imus watched the game on television when it aired the previous evening. It was okay to label the all-female players as "cute" and say they have tattoos. Unfortunately,one RUSK player,who is black,heard the comment Imus made and it offended her. Another player,who is also black,even sued Imus. So the offended players got a hold of WFAN and the station took action along with Reverends Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson. Imus and his producer Bernard McGuirk,who himself made an offensive comment as well,got the boot from WFAN. Imus delivered an on-air apology before his firing and also on Jackson's radio show. Despite the apology,Imus was not forgiven by the offended. This,I believe,will not be the end of 67-year-old Imus' career. If he hasn't yet done so,Imus will have to tame his schtick in order to return to the public airwaves. He should re-join Stern on Sirius(pay) radio and if that happens,there will be no censorship at all. Stern left New York-based WXRK(K-Rock) 92.1 FM in 2005 after 20 years with the station because of higher salary offers and he let his contract with Infinity,the company that owns K-Rock,run out. You can check out some sample telecasts of IITM,which made its television debut in 1995 on the cable channel MSNBC,on youtube.com. The TV broadcasts went along with Imus' firing in April. My father and my late maternal grandfather loved listening to Imus' radio program. May Imus continue his career for many more years. *The need-not-be-mentioned comment rhymes with this quote.