Don Imus

His first marriage was to Harriet who he divorced in 1979. During this marriage he had adopted Harriet’s two daughters from a previous relationship. Harriet and Don also had two daughters of their own.

Don Imus married his second wife, Deirdre Coleman in 1994. This marriage produced one son. Both he and Deirdre are vegans.

He announced to his audience in March 2009 that he was diagnosed with Stage II prostate cancer. He also suffers from some respiratory issues.

John Donald Imus, Jr. was born on July 23, 1940, in Riverside, California, U.S. to Frances E. (née Moore) and John Donald Imus, Sr. He had a younger brother, Fred.

His father owned a sprawling cattle ranch in Arizona where John was raised. He had a tough childhood and did poorly at school. He had changed a number of schools by the time he was in his late teens. His parents’ divorce when he was 15 also had a great negative impact on him.

He dropped out from high school and joined the Marine Corps in 1957. He was discharged after three years in 1960.

His miseries continued even after his discharge from the corps. With no formal education or vocational training, the young man struggled to find stable employment. He worked in a series of short-lived jobs including stints as a window dresser and a rock 'n' roll musician. As a young man he also became addicted to alcohol.

Without a proper job, Don Imus found himself homeless for a while. After working for some time in uranium and copper mines, he found work as a brakeman for Southern Pacific Railroad.

During this time he won a talent contest at Johnny Otis's nightclub. This gave him an opportunity to embark on a career as a singer/songwriter, managed by Otis.

Don Imus regularly listened to radio and approached the owner of a nearby radio station asking for a job. Soon he was appointed as a radio disc jockey at radio station KUTY in Palmdale, California, in 1968.

After a few months’ stint at KUTY, he moved to KJOY, a small radio station in Stockton, California, in 1969. He soon gained a reputation for his rude comments and controversial statements that not only made him popular, but also got him into trouble sometimes. He was fired from KJOY for saying "hell" on air.

Don Imus is best known for hosting the show ‘Imus in the Morning’, a highly popular show that was broadcast almost every weekday morning for 36 years on radio and 11 years on MSNBC until it was canceled on April 12, 2007. The program was once among the most listened to radio talk shows in the United States.