From PRI, Public Radio International and KCRW Santa Monica, this is To the Point.

Why did Don Imus go down in flames?

Hello again, I'm Arminowley, and this is To the Point from Public Radio International.

A daily look at the issues, Americans care about most.

Time magazine's called Don

Imus one of America's 25 most influential people. He's in the National Broadcaster's Hall of Fame.

But he's out of a job for the moment for calling the Rutgers women's basketball team Nappy-headed

hose. On to the point, Imus called Arabs ragheads and Jews money grabbing.

How did he last as long as he did?

Why did presidential candidates and network news stars appear on his program?

Was Imus worse than other shock jocks or rappers?

And why was last week's comment, The Last Straw?

On reporter's notebook later on, the late Kurt Vonnegut and the liberation of language.

First here's the news.

Support for To the Point comes from subscribers of KCRW Santa Monica and from the Public Radio

International Program Fund, whose contributors include the Ford Foundation and the John

D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

Hello again, Mormon. I'll only back with To the Point. Radio Shock Jock, Don Imus, had a record of vulgar attacks on ethnic groups and women,

but celebrity politicians and news figures were regulars on his program. On To the Point,

why was the slur on the Rutgers basketball team the last straw?

What does the episode illustrate about America's popular culture?

I'm a reporter's notebook, Kurt Vonnegut, the free speech movement, and today's bitter disputes about language.

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