Longtime radio shock jock Don Imus died Friday at age 79.
The host dubbed "The I-Man" had reportedly been hospitalized since Dec. 24 at Baylor Scott and White Medical Center in College Station, Texas.
A cause of death was not provided by his family. Imus has battled various illnesses over the years, and in 2009 he said he had prostate cancer.
"Imus in the Morning" was on the radio for nearly 50 years, reaching its peak on New York's WNBC and WFAN. Imus was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1989.
During his career he often stirred controversy for his on-air social and political commentary.
In 2007, he drew widespread backlash for referring to the Rutgers University's women's basketball players as "nappy-headed hos." He later apologized to the African American players.
But many advertisers withdrew from his show, and several politicians publicly criticized Imus for his comments.
“He didn’t just cross the line,” then-Sen. Barack Obama
Barack Hussein ObamaWhat Trump understood and Biden gets right about America's new role in the world FEMA has funds to cover disasters — for now 13 Cuban migrants land on Key West beach MORE said at the time. “He fed into some of the worst stereotypes that my two young daughters are having to deal with today in America.”
Barack Hussein ObamaWhat Trump understood and Biden gets right about America's new role in the world FEMA has funds to cover disasters — for now 13 Cuban migrants land on Key West beach MORE said at the time. “He fed into some of the worst stereotypes that my two young daughters are having to deal with today in America.”Imus's remark prompted MSNBC to drop its simulcast of his show, leading to the creation of "Morning Joe" with co-hosts Joe Scarborough
Charles (Joe) Joseph ScarboroughScarborough pleads with Biden to mandate vaccines for teachers, health workers Trump ramps up attacks on media Scarborough hosts critical race theory debate on 'Morning Joe' MORE and Mika Brzezinski
Mika Emilie BrzezinskiEx-NBC anchor Kasie Hunt to join CNN Biden nominates Mark Brzezinski to be U.S. ambassador to Poland Kasie Hunt headed to CNN after NBC departure: report MORE. Imus was also fired from CBS radio for the comment.
Charles (Joe) Joseph ScarboroughScarborough pleads with Biden to mandate vaccines for teachers, health workers Trump ramps up attacks on media Scarborough hosts critical race theory debate on 'Morning Joe' MORE and Mika BrzezinskiMika Emilie BrzezinskiEx-NBC anchor Kasie Hunt to join CNN Biden nominates Mark Brzezinski to be U.S. ambassador to Poland Kasie Hunt headed to CNN after NBC departure: report MORE. Imus was also fired from CBS radio for the comment.After eight months off the air, he returned to the air on New York's WABC-AM.
Imus retired from broadcasting last year.
March 29th, 2018, will be the last 'Imus in the Morning Program.' Turn out the lights...the party's over.
— Imus (@WhereMyImusAt) January 22, 2018
