The Imus-Limbaugh Dialectic

Racially-charged stupidities uttered on the air: it’s not just for Don Imus anymore.

Actually, half a month before Imus revealed his impressions about the hair stylings and sexual habits of the Rutgers women’s basketball team, Rush Limbaugh sang a little ditty called “Barack, the Magic Negro.”

Inspired by an L.A. Times op-ed, Limbaugh composed a song so bad he had to do it twice, the second time a more elaborately staged version performed by a “comedian” doing the song as the Rev. Al Sharpton.

(Is it possible to describe it as being in blackface? Is there a radio equivalent of blackface? Blackvoice? Listen for yourself.)

Unlike Imus, who went on an apology tour that was the most important news event since seat belts and eventually was fired, Limbaugh is still at it.

Two bloviated, untalented hacks; two racially charged utterances; two completely different outcomes.

Perfect fodder for the Deconstruction Function!

	Imus	Limbaugh
N-Word	Nappy	Negro
Delivery	Gravel-voiced grumbling	Sung to the tune of a drug-related children’s favorite
Premeditation	Spontaneous utterance	Carefully rehearsed, orchestrated, performed twice
Scope of Insult	Entire Rutgers women’s basketball team	Barack Obama
Identity Determinants Affected	Race Gender (One away from the trifecta!)	Race
Unintended Consequences	Corzine crash	Ruining favorite children’s song forever and ever