New York – Don Imus reached a settlement Tuesday with his former employer that allows him to return to the airwaves at a new station four months after he made a sexist and racist remark about the Rutgers women’s basketball team.
Imus and CBS Radio agreed to a settlement that pre-empts the fired radio personality’s threatened $120 million breach-of-contract lawsuit against CBS, the company and Imus’ attorney said in a statement Tuesday. Terms of the settlement were not disclosed.
A person familiar the situation told The Associated Press that Imus has had informal talks with several broadcasters, including WABC in New York, about a possible comeback.
Imus had referred to the Rutgers women’s basketball team as “nappy-headed hos” on his nationally syndicated radio program. He became the target of heated protests, and the remarks led to his firing.
Also Tuesday, a member of the basketball team sued Imus and CBS, claiming his comments damaged her reputation.
Kia Vaughn filed the lawsuit alleging slander and defamation of character in state Supreme Court in the Bronx. Her suit, believed to be the first by a player in the case, says Imus and his former co-host Bernard McGuirk, along with CBS Corp. and CBS Radio, are legally responsible for damage done to her character and reputation. There is no dollar amount listed in the suit. Vaughn was humiliated, embarrassed and publicly mocked for the comments, the lawsuit claims.
