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Bernard J. McGuirk (born October 26, 1957) is the executive producer

Executive producer

An executive producer is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production...

 of the Imus in the Morning

Imus in the Morning

Imus in the Morning is an American radio show hosted by Don Imus on Cumulus Media Networks , and simulcast for television on Fox Business Network....

radio program

Radio programming

Radio programming is the Broadcast programming of a Radio format or content that is organized for Commercial broadcasting and Public broadcasting radio stations....

. He was born and raised in the South Bronx, New York, where he also worked in his younger years as a taxicab

Taxicab

A taxicab, also taxi or cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choice...

 driver. McGuirk has worked in radio and television since 1986 after he graduated from College of Mount Saint Vincent

College of Mount Saint Vincent

For the university in Halifax, Nova Scotia, see Mount Saint Vincent University The College of Mount Saint Vincent is a Catholic liberal arts college located in the northeast corner of the Riverdale section of The Bronx, New York, adjacent to the Yonkers border. It is the northernmost location in...

 in the Riverdale

Riverdale, Bronx

Riverdale is an affluent residential neighborhood in the northwest portion of the Bronx in New York City. Riverdale contains the northernmost point in New York City.-History:...

 section of the Bronx, New York

New York

New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...

 in the Monroe Projects. According to the MSNBC website, McGuirk is married with two children and resides in Long Beach, New York

Long Beach, New York

Long Beach is a city in Nassau County, New York. Just south of Long Island, it is located on Long Beach Barrier Island, which is the westernmost of the outer barrier islands off Long Island's South Shore. As of the United States 2010 Census, the city population was 33,275...

.

On air persona

In addition to serving as the show's producer, McGuirk's role on air was that of antagonist

Antagonist

An antagonist is a character, group of characters, or institution, that represents the opposition against which the protagonist must contend...

 to Don Imus

Don Imus

John Donald "Don" Imus, Jr. is an American radio host, humorist, philanthropist and writer. His nationally-syndicated talk show, Imus in the Morning, is broadcast throughout the United States by Citadel Media and relayed on television by the Fox Business Network.-Personal life:Imus was born in...

, often referring to him as "a wrinkled-up old buzzard" or "scrotum face", while Imus referred to him as a "bald-headed stooge".

McGuirk was also known for his humorous impersonations

Impressionist (entertainment)

An impressionist or a mimic is a performer whose act consists of imitating the voice and mannerisms of others. The word usually refers to a professional comedian/entertainer who specializes in such performances and has developed a wide repertoire of impressions, including adding to them, often to...

 of notable celebrities, including Cardinal John Joseph O'Connor, Cardinal Edward Egan, C. Ray Nagin, Muhammad Ali

Muhammad Ali

Muhammad Ali is an American former professional boxer, philanthropist and social activist...

, and Maya Angelou

Maya Angelou

Maya Angelou is an American author and poet who has been called "America's most visible black female autobiographer" by scholar Joanne M. Braxton. She is best known for her series of six autobiographical volumes, which focus on her childhood and early adult experiences. The first and most highly...

. While working at WFAN

WFAN

WFAN , also known as "Sports Radio 66" or "The FAN", is a radio station in New York City. The station broadcasts on a clear channel and is owned by CBS Radio...

, he famously called in to other shows as "Antwan from the Bronx" and "Jamal from Jamaica."

Controversies

On the Imus in the Morning show, McGuirk was not known to shy away from saying whatever was on his mind, and always in a heavily accented "Brooklyn cabdriver" deadpan that seemed to both amuse and horrify Imus in equal measure. Imus' sidekick, Charles McCord, often played the role of the instigator, doing his best to egg on McGuirk's famously insensitive but humorous remarks and quips.

For example, after the release of Christian Science Monitor reporter, Jill Carroll

Jill Carroll

Jill Carroll is an American former journalist who was kidnapped and ultimately released in Iraq. Carroll was a reporter for the Christian Science Monitor at the time of her kidnapping...

, who was kidnapped in Iraq, McGuirk stated:

"She strikes me as the kind of woman who would wear one of those suicide vests. You know, walk into the tent or try and sneak into the Green Zone."

McGuirk, whose political views appeared to skew to the center-right of the political spectrum, often made leading Democratic leaders the subject of his scorn. Regarding Presidential aspirant, Barack Obama

Barack Obama

Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...

, McGuirk stated:

“He’s a neophyte, no experience, it’s all because he’s half black, it’s patronizing, he’s Oprah’s guy.”

After Imus tried to interrupt him, McGuirk went on again to say it was patronizing to support Obama, and referred to him as, “...a jug-eared neophyte.”

On March 16, 2007, while broadcasting from Boston in honor of Saint Patrick's Day, under the guise of Cardinal Egan, McGuirk referred to Imus as a "satchel-faced bastard", a "clueless old creep", and a "Jurassic jerkoff". Continuing his skit, McGuirk later asked Imus as to whether, "...Anderson Cooper

Anderson Cooper

Anderson Hays Cooper is an American journalist, author, and television personality. He is the primary anchor of the CNN news show Anderson Cooper 360°. The program is normally broadcast live from a New York City studio; however, Cooper often broadcasts live on location for breaking news stories...

 was taking it in the pooper", and then accused Imus of being a "Brokeback

Brokeback Mountain (short story)

"Brokeback Mountain" is a short story by American author Annie Proulx. It was originally published in The New Yorker on October 13, 1997, and was subsequently published in a slightly expanded version in Proulx's 1999 collection of short stories, Close Range: Wyoming Stories. The story won an O....

-looking 'ol lizard", whose wife was having an affair with younger men the moment that Imus left New York City.

Rutgers basketball controversy

McGuirk played a role in an on-air incident on April 4, 2007 that caused a nationwide controversy and ultimately led to Imus and him being fired. During a discussion of the Rutgers University

Rutgers University

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...

 women's basketball team, Imus characterized the players as "rough girls with tattoos." McGuirk responded in his familiar "urban-speak" vernacular by referring to them as "hardcore hos". The ensuing "urban-speak" conversation involved Imus describing the girls as "nappy-headed hos" and McGuirk wondering if Imus meant to imply that the two teams looked like something out of Spike Lee's film School Daze

School Daze

School Daze is a 1988 American musical-drama film, written and directed by Spike Lee, and starring Laurence Fishburne, Giancarlo Esposito, and Tisha Campbell-Martin...

, the "jigaboos versus the wannabes"; apparently referring to the two teams' differing appearances. Imus said "Yeah." Al Sharpton

Al Sharpton

Alfred Charles "Al" Sharpton, Jr. is an American Baptist minister, civil rights activist, and television/radio talk show host. In 2004, he was a candidate for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. presidential election...

 and Jesse Jackson

Jesse Jackson

Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr. is an African-American civil rights activist and Baptist minister. He was a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988 and served as shadow senator for the District of Columbia from 1991 to 1997. He was the founder of both entities that merged to...

 condemned Imus for engaging in and condoning the use of racial slurs and racially insensitive words. Sharpton and Jackson demanded Imus's immediate firing.

On April 11, 2007, MSNBC announced that it would immediately stop simulcasting the show. Originally, both CBS and MSNBC had announced a two-week suspension of the program. The next day, CBS fired Imus and canceled Imus in the Morning, effective immediately. CBS President and Chief Executive Officer Leslie Moonves

Leslie Moonves

Leslie Moonves is President and Chief Executive Officer of CBS Corporation.Moonves served as co-president and co-chief operating officer of Viacom, Inc., the predecessor to CBS Corporation, from 2004 until the company split on December 31, 2005...

 stated:
The day before, CBS chairman Sumner Redstone

Sumner Redstone

Sumner Murray Redstone is an American media magnate. He is the majority owner and Chairman of the Board of the National Amusements theater chain...

 said he trusted Moonves would "do the right thing", but didn't elaborate.

McGuirk was noticeably absent the following week when other Imus contributors, including newsman Charles McCord and sportscaster Chris Carlin, were on the air with the WFAN replacement team of Mike Francesa

Mike Francesa

Michael Patrick "Mike" Francesa, Jr. is an American radio talk show host and television commentator. He is primarily known in his former role co-hosting the popular Mike and the Mad Dog show on WFAN in New York City...

 and Chris “Mad Dog” Russo

Chris Russo

Christopher Michael Russo , known as the "Mad Dog," is an American sports radio personality who is best known as the former co-host of the widely popular Mike and the Mad Dog sports radio show with Mike Francesa, which was broadcast on WFAN in New York City and simulcast on the YES Network...

.

McGuirk was fired by WFAN on April 19, 2007.

Post-firing

On April 26, 2007, McGuirk appeared on the Fox News Channel

Fox News Channel

Fox News Channel , often called Fox News, is a cable and satellite television news channel owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a subsidiary of News Corporation...

 program Hannity & Colmes

Hannity & Colmes

Hannity & Colmes was a live television show on Fox News Channel in the United States, hosted by Sean Hannity and Alan Colmes, who respectively presented a conservative and liberal perspective. The series premiered on October 6, 1996, and the final episode aired on January 9, 2009. It was the...

to discuss his dismissal. On May 14, 2007 he reappeared on the program to debate Al Sharpton on the events that led to the cancellation of the Imus in the Morning program.

On May 2, 2007, McGuirk made a guest appearance on Jay Severin

Jay Severin

Jay Severin, , is an American political talk radio personality. Severin has signed a multi-year contract with Boston's WXKS-AM Talk 1200 as an on-air personality...

's radio program. Although there was some speculation in the media that the sometimes controversial station might be auditioning McGuirk for a job, executives of WTKK

WTKK

WTKK is a New England commercial talk radio station, first broadcast out of Boston on 96.9 FM beginning in 1999. It can be heard in eastern Massachusetts, the northernmost area of Rhode Island, southern New Hampshire, and southern Maine...

 denied that this was the case.

Boston, Massachusetts talk radio station WRKO

WRKO

WRKO is a radio station based in Boston, Massachusetts, currently owned by Entercom. Its transmitter is located in Burlington, Massachusetts, next to the Burlington Mall.-1920-1940:...

 had scheduled McGuirk to appear as a co-host with Thomas Finneran

Thomas Finneran

Thomas M. Finneran , is a radio talk host and former Massachusetts Democratic politician who served as Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from April 1996 to September 2004...

 from May 23, 2007 to May 25, 2007, but canceled the appearance after enduring several days of public criticism.

Return to the airwaves on WABC

McGuirk returned to the airwaves with Imus on December 3, 2007. Along with serving as the executive producer, he also has an on-air role. The program is now heard on WABC in New York as well being carried on stations owned by or affiliated with the ABC Radio Network. The Fox Business Network

Fox Business Network

Fox Business Network is an American cable news and satellite news television channel that began broadcasting on October 15, 2007. It is owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation...

 simulcasts the program.

McGuirk was one of the several people who rotated hosting of the post-Imus midday slot in from May to October 2010 on WABC, a job that eventually went to Joe Crummey

Joe Crummey

Joe Crummey is a conservative American radio talk show host, hosting a local political talk show on WABC radio in New York City. He took over the 10 a.m...

.

External links

• The Imus Show Blog
• Rutgers controversy (Media Matters
  Media Matters for America
  Media Matters for America is a politically progressive media watchdog group which says it is "dedicated to comprehensively monitoring, analyzing, and correcting conservative misinformation in the U.S. media." Set up as a 501 non-profit organization, MMfA was founded in 2004 by journalist and...
  
  )