Don Imus

John Donald Imus, Jr. (born July 23, 1940)

Radio: comedy and music bits

Imus then found his calling. He started as a radio disc jockey in 1968. At KXOA in Sacramento, California, his pranks, such as calling up a restaurant and ordering 1,200 hamburgers to go, made his show immensely popular and raised ratings. He recorded a comedy album, One Sacred Chicken to Go in 1970.

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Disc jockey - 1968 - Sacramento, California

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After a stint at WGAR-AM in Cleveland, Ohio, Imus moved to New York City in 1971 where he gained a reputation as a loose cannon who often favored crude humor. In 1977 WNBC-AM Radio fired all of its on-air talent, including Imus. As a result, Imus went to work again in Cleveland. However, Imus was reinstated two years later as WNBC's morning drive time host. From 1982 to 1985, the station also employed shock jock Howard Stern. Although Stern's show aired later in the day, Imus and Stern often made brief appearances on each other's shows, giving the audience an occasional glimpse of an on- and off-air rivalry that continues to this day.

Related Topics:
Cleveland, Ohio - 1971 - 1977 - WNBC-AM Radio - Drive time - 1982 - 1985 - Shock jock - Howard Stern

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During this time Imus was most known for a satiric character he voiced, Billy Sol Hargus, a radio evangelist who was a cross between infamous real-life radio and television preacher Billy James Hargis and infamous real-life Texas fertilizer swindler Billie Sol Estes. Imus, as Billy Sol Hargus, touted on-air the merits of the "First Church of the Gooey Death and Discount House of Worship." Imus published the novel God's Other Son in 1981 that further described Billy Sol Hargus' adventures. The novel was later republished in 1994 and overall spent considerable time on the New York Times bestseller list.

Related Topics:
Evangelist - Billy James Hargis - Texas - Fertilizer - Swindler - Billie Sol Estes - New York Times bestseller list

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In addition to radio, WNEW-TV Channel 5 in New York gave Imus a late-night program which only lasted one season. Imus was also the inaugural video jockey for the launch of the VH-1 cable network in 1985.

Related Topics:
WNEW-TV Channel 5 - Video jockey - VH-1 - 1985

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In 1988 WNBC-AM was sold to Emmis Broadcasting; as a result, WNBC-AM permanently signed off the air and Emmis's WFAN-AM was moved from its 1050 AM spot to WNBC's former spot, 660 AM. "Imus in the Morning" remained at 660 AM among WFAN's sports programs. Throughout this period, Imus's music and comedy bits were staples of the program.

Related Topics:
1988 - Emmis Broadcasting - WFAN

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