WASHINGTON -- A popular morning radio host is at the center of a controversy after making some racially insensitive comments about the women's basketball team from Rutgers University, which played in the NCAA championship Tuesday night.

Don Imus hosts a syndicated talk show that is broadcast on MSNBC, which is owned by WRC's parent company, NBC Universal. He was talking to three guests when he said about Rutgers, "That's some nappy-headed hos there," after his executive producer, Bernard McGuirk, called the team "hardcore hos."

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McGuirk went on to make another slur, referencing the Spike Lee film "School Daze."

Later, the show's fill-in sportscaster, Sid Rosenberg, said, "It was a tough watch. The more I look at Rutgers, they look exactly like the Toronto Raptors."

The local chapter of the NAACP called the comments racist and unacceptable, News4's Miguel Almaguer reported.

Thursday evening, MSNBC released the following statement:

"While simulcast by MSNBC, 'Imus in the Morning' is not a production of the cable network and is produced by WFAN Radio. As Imus makes clear every day, his views are not those of MSNBC. We regret that his remarks were aired on MSNBC and apologize for these offensive comments."

According to The New York Times, Imus also said people should relax and "not worry about some idiot saying something meant to be amusing."