Imus Plans Lawsuit

[wyldwolf]

Imus won't go quietly
The talk show host has hired a top First Amendment lawyer, and an unusual clause in his contract could give him a $40 million payday, writes Fortune's Tim Arango.

By Tim Arango, Fortune writer

Don Imus, the tousled and acerbic radio host whose racial remarks engendered a media storm that triggered a swift upending of his career, is not going away quietly even if the imbroglio has all but disappeared from the national conversation in the wake of the Virginia Tech massacre.

For Imus, who made a career out of operating in the murky space between sophomoric humor and high-brow political talk, there is the little matter of about $40 million left on his contract with CBS Radio - whose boss Les Moonves fired the shock jock on April 12. CBS' lawyers contend Imus was fired for cause and not owed the rest of the money.

But Imus has hired one of the nation's premiere First Amendment attorneys, and the two sides are gearing up for a legal showdown that could turn on how language in his contract that encouraged the radio host to be irreverent and engage in character attacks is interpreted, according to one person who has read the contract.

The language, according to this source, was part of a five-year contract that went into effect in 2006 and that paid Imus close to $10 million a year. It stipulates that Imus be given a warning before being fired for doing what he made a career out of - making off-color jokes. The source described it as a "dog has one- bite clause." A lawsuit could be filed within a month, this person predicted.

http://money.cnn.com/2007/05/01/news/newsmakers/pluggedin_arango_imus.fortune/index.htm?

[Kagemusha]

1. Sounds to me like Imus will win big.

I am not one bit surprised. But hey, CBS made its choice. No one forced it to fire Imus.

[partylessinOhio]

2. Very good news. I hope Imus wins. I miss watching him every morning.

I hope he comes back on air soon.

:applause:

[chemenger]

3. So who didn't see this one coming.

So much for Imus' act of contrition. Didn't even wait for the body to cool down. His premiere First Amendment attorney will get half and he'll walk away with the other half. Some satellite broadcasting station will pick him up at double what he was making with CBS Radio and the Rutgers womens' basketball team will go on with their lives.

If the "tousled and acerbic radio host" (aka ... asshole) had any class what-so-ever, he would donate every last penny of the settlement to the Rutgers womens' athletics.

[hoboken123]

7. What's your logic here?

If the "tousled and acerbic radio host" (aka ... asshole) had any class what-so-ever, he would donate every last penny of the settlement to the Rutgers womens' athletics.

His contract apparently gets breeched and he should pay?

With all the free recruiting time coach Stringer got, I doubt Rutgers needs the money.

[primative1]

9. You are joking right ...

"he would donate every last penny of the settlement to the Rutgers womens' athletics."

What a self righteous statement.
Imus will likely continue to donate heavily to actual charity, you know kids stricken with diseases ..
Judging by the latest contract given to the Rutgers coach, the involuntary student donors to that "charity" give way more than it is due.

[Tellurian]

4. If they think they had trouble picking a jury for Cheney...

[SaveElmer]

5. Typical right wing mentality...

Never take responsibility for your own actions, always blame someone else, always the persecuted victim...

Imus got what he deserved....I hope CBS fights him tooth and nail!!!

[Tellurian]

6. Or ties it up in court for 20yrs..

and you're exactly right. He's reaping the whirlwind.

Have a nice vacay, Don- permanently.

[Big Pappa]

8. CBS and Imus

are both assholes. CBS only fired Imus after sponsors left. What about all the other shit this guy has said and CBS did nothing. They deserve each other.