BLACK CO-HOSTS ADDED TO DON IMUS RADIO SHOW

Plus, jock blasts Wayans and Hughley for agreeing with his racist/sexist comments.

Don Imus made his big return to radio on Monday with two African Americans added to his cast of morning show regulars and a promise to stay edgy without resorting to racist and sexist comments.

Joining regular sidekicks Rob Bartlett and Charles McCord are African American comedians Karith Foster and Tony Powell. Foster was described in the New York Post as "a black Texas Jew with New York roots and an Oxford education."

"We now have the opportunity to have a better program, to obviously diversify the cast... but the program is not going to change," Imus said at the start of his new daily radio show on Citadel Broadcasting Corp's ABC Radio Networks.

Eight months ago, Imus was fired from his longtime syndicated CBS Radio show for calling the Rutgers University women's basketball team "nappy headed hoes." ABC Radio Networks signed Imus in November for a reported $5 million.

"I will never say anything in my lifetime that will make any of these young women regret or feel foolish that they accepted my apology or forgave me," Imus told ABC's Barbara Walters as part of her upcoming "10 Most Fascinating People of 2007" special.

Imus also spoke out against black comedians Damon Wayans and D.L. Hughley, who have each joked publicly that the radio host's offensive comments were accurate.

"None of us should say it. They should talk to those women at Rutgers if they want to know how they feel about it," Imus said. "It was demonstrated to these young women that there are consequences to what you say."

DON IMUS RETURNS TO THE AIRWAVES

DON IMUS returned to the air MONDAY morning on CITADEL Talk WABC-A/NEW YORK and in syndication with a live broadcast from NEW YORK's TOWN HALL, introducing the members of his broadcast crew and guest performer LEVON HELM, who opened the show with "Ashes of Love." CHARLES MCCORD, BERNARD MCGUIRK, and, back at the studio, LOU RUFINO were introduced as returning to IMUS' show, and HACKENSACK MEDICAL CENTER aired a special spot as the first returning advertiser.

In the course of a long opening mea culpa for the controversy that got him fired in APRIL from CBS Sports WFAN-A/NEW YORK and WESTWOOD ONE, IMUS told the audience, "I think what happened is what should have happened... you don't get to decide, nor should you, how the news media is gong to treat a remark you made." Blaming himself for having made the remark, IMUS said that CBS' LES MOONVES called him before his scheduled meeting with the RUTGERS women's basketball team and told him that CBS couldn't handle the pressure and would fire him, although he praised MOONVES as "honorable."

Sens. CHRIS DODD (D-CT) and JOHN MCCAIN (R-AZ), historian DORIS KEARNS-GOODWIN, and pundits JAMES CARVILLE and MARY MATALIN were IMUS' scheduled guests for the opening broadcast.

At WABC, former morning co-host CURTIS SLIWA and newsman GEORGE WEBER handled 5-6a TODAY.

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.

RADIO DJ PULLED OFF AIR FOR REMARKS ABOUT URBAN SCHOOLS IN MICHIGAN

WHNN Apologizes, Pulls Host From Air Over 'Math Test'

CITADEL Oldies WHNN/SAGINAW, reacting to criticism from FLINT COMMUNITY SCHOOLS, has taken morning man JOHNNY BURKE off the air for now for posting a joke math test on the station website taking shots at FLINT's troubles, including questions using drive-by shootings, drug deals, and prostitution as examples. The station issued a statement offering "sincere apologies" and said, "It was not the intent to embarrass any children, teachers or staff of the FLINT COMMUNITY SCHOOLS." The apology appears on the front page of whnn.com.

Before his suspension, BURKE told ABC affiliate WJRT-TV/FLINT, "All urban districts across MID-MICHIGAN should take this test. It would not have been nearly as effective as singling out one district to be the worst of all of them and I believe the FLINT SCHOOL DISTRICT is the worst. I honestly believe that you can print that.... I'm upset with the way the FLINT schools are being run."

Seven high schools in the FLINT area made a list of schools characterized as "dropout factories" in a JOHNS HOPKINS/AP analysis of EDUCATION DEPARTMENT data.

DON IMUS BACK ON THE AIR DECEMBER 3RD

Confirmed: Imus-Citadel Pact A Done Deal

Back In Business

The ASSOCIATED PRESS has confirmed what has been widely speculated: DON IMUS will take over mornings at Talk WABC-A/NEW YORK, starting DECEMBER 3rd.

IMUS will return longtime news reporter CHARLES McCORD, and other members of his morning team -- although the CITADEL announcement did not specifically mention producer BERNARD MCGUIRK, who was fired along with Imus.

"We are ecstatic to bring DON IMUS back to morning radio," said WABC Pres./GM STEVE BORNEMAN. "DON's unique brand of humor, knowledge of the issues and ability to attract big-name guests is unparalleled. He is rested, fired up and ready to do great radio."

THE NEW YORK POST earlier reported that the five-year deal will pay IMUS $5-8 million annually, and will "more likely than not" include syndication to other CITADEL/ABC stations, starting with Talk KABC-A/LOS ANGELES.

A separate TV deal is in negotiations, LAURIA reports. IMUS will be replacing CURTIS SLIWA in mornings; SLIWA's co-host RON KUBY recently left the station. Ironically, the AP story noted that SLIWA and KUBY routinely beat IMUS in the mornings when he was on WFAN-A.