DON IMUS EXPECTED TO GET SOME PAYBACK MONDAY

Roker, Russert, Ford Jr., Newsweek editors reportedly in line of fire; Najee Ali announces protest.

When Don Imus returns to the airwaves Monday for the first time since his firing last April over racist and sexist remarks, word has it that he's fixin' to unleash eight months of pent-up frustration at the public figures who abandoned him during the controversy.

"I think he will have some scores to settle," Page Six quoted of Phil Boyce, the general manager of Imus' new radio home at New York's WABC.

Private eye Bo Dietl, who will join Imus in the 8 a.m. hour on Monday, told Page Six that former Imus regulars Harold Ford Jr. and Al Roker may be called out by Imus on his first day.

"They turned their backs on him so fast," Dietl said. "Al Roker had his stomach stapled - he should have had his mouth stapled."

One longtime listener wondered: "Will Imus ever give Newsweek editors another chance to plug their books on his show since they cut and ran when Al Sharpton started his crusade to get him off the air?"

Dietl said Imus' "nappy-headed hoes" remark "brought attention to that Rutgers basketball team. They really benefited. It turned out to be a positive thing."

Meanwhile, activist Najee Ali of Project Islamic HOPE says a coalition of Los Angeles and black leaders from across the nation will participate in a national day of silent protest Monday at 11 a.m. from ABC radio's Los Angeles affiliate, KABC (3321 S. La Cienega Blvd.).

"Don Imus and his quick return to radio is a blatant slap in the face to black women," Ali stated. "Imus shouldn't return to radio until he makes amends and helps repair the damage that he has done with his racist and sexist comments. Shame on ABC Radio for giving him a national platform to continue his campaign of sexist rhetoric."

Ali says the coalition will also call for a national boycott of Don Imus sponsors who are supporting his radio program.