Michael Richards said Monday he spewed racial epithets during a stand-up comedy routine because he lost his cool while being heckled and not because he's a bigot.

“For me to be at a comedy club and flip out and say this crap, I'm deeply, deeply sorry,” the former Seinfeld co-star said during a satellite appearance for David Letterman's Late Show in New York.

“I'm not a racist. That's what's so insane about this,” Richards said, his tone becoming angry and frustrated as he defended himself. A clip from the show played on CBS before Late Show aired Monday night.

Richards described himself as going into “a rage” over the two audience members who interrupted his act Friday at the Laugh Factory in West Hollywood. Richards responded to the black hecklers with repeated use of the “n word” and profanities.

Jerry Seinfeld, who had issued a statement saying he was “sick over this horrible, horrible mistake” and calling it offensive, was scheduled as a Letterman guest Monday. He encouraged Richards to make a satellite appearance to talk about the incident, a CBS publicist said.

Richards, 57, who played Seinfeld's eccentric neighbour Kramer on the hit 1989-98 sitcom and whose major credit since was a failed 2000 comedy, hadn't spoken publicly about his remarks before the Late Show.

Richards deserved the chance to apologize, Seinfeld said on the Late Show. Seinfeld added: “He's someone that I love, and I know how shattered he is about” the incident.
At one point, however, Richards expressed second thoughts about appearing on the Late Show when his use of the term “Afro-American” proved funny to some audience members.
“I'm hearing your audience laugh, and I'm not even sure that this is where I should be addressing the situation,” he said in a tape of his appearance shown by CBS to reporters.

Comedian Paul Rodriguez, who was at the Laugh Factory on Friday during Richards' performance, said he was shocked.
“Once the word comes out of your mouth and you don't happen to be African-American, then you have a whole lot of explaining,” Rodriguez told CNN. “Freedom of speech has its limitations and I think Michael Richards found those limitations.”

His Laugh Factory tirade began after the two club-goers shouted at him that he wasn't funny. A videotape of the incident was posted on TMZ.com.

Richards retorted: “Shut up! Fifty years ago we'd have you upside down with a [expletive] fork up your ass.”
He then paced across the stage taunting the men for
interrupting his show, peppering his speech with racial slurs and profanities.

“You can talk, you can talk, you're brave now [expletive]. Throw his ass out. He's a nigger!” Richards shouted before repeating the racial epithet over and over again.
Moderating his tone at one point, Richards tells the audience, “It shocks you, it shocks you” and refers to “what lays buried.”

While there is some chuckling in the audience throughout the outburst, someone can be heard gasping “Oh my God” and people respond with “ooh” after Richards uses the n-word.
Eventually someone calls out: “It's not funny. That's why you're a reject, never had no shows, never had no movies. Seinfeld, that's it.”

I actually saw the video and it looked like he really was in a rage. You can view it here:

http://www.tmz.com/2006/11/20/kramers-racist-tirade-caught-on-tape/

Sad that we still live in a world where the color of one's skin determine how they will be treated or if people will support them in their endeavors.

I saw Letterman last night when I couldn't sleep (a whole other problem) and he looked physically ill from this episode. I can't watch the video because my computer has no sound (yet another problem), and he did apologize on the show. He should be sick because he lost respect from all nationalities. Sadly, I think racism against color and religion is a problem that will never be conquered.

And I thought Streisand was dumb.

Louisa

I'd like to know what the heck is going on with these celebrities. First Tom Cruise on the Oprah show and the Today show (re: Brooke Shields), then Streisand, then Richards, and today the latest is Rosie and Kelly Ripa. Follow the script guys, you certainly get paid enough.

It has got to be tough to always be in the public eye. However, Micheal Richards was WAY out of line. No matter how angry you get, there is no excuse in my mind to use the "N" word. I heard Kelly Ripa was mad about a guest host? Have not heard the latest on Rosie - but I have to wonder why Rosie is on the View.

Yes Anne, I was at work today but saw the piece of it on Entertainment Tonight. Apparently, Kelly and Clay Aiken had a tiff on Regis show (Clay was sitting in for Regis), and Rosie said something about it on the View and called the remark that Kelly made a "homophobic" statement. They then got Kelly on the phone and they had "words" on the air. Now I heard that all their publicists are involved. Such nonsense...when I watch a show I am not looking for all this crap going on. Stick to the entertainment, maybe some people think that's what it is, but I don't.

Well other than Seinfelds show, Richards has no other experience as an actor and certainly not as a stand up comedian. On a controlled TV sound stage every one admired him because he was funny. Scriped funny, but he pulled it off well. But as a stand up comedian, which is some of the hardest comedy to do, he stank and these rather anebriated gentlemen told him so. He was I believe feeling frustrated trying to carry his show and he knew he was failing and he freaked out and took it out on these two men....Paul Rodriquez a veteran stand up comedic super star said, he didn't even flinch at these mens comments and didn't think it was heckling. The entire incident was unfortunate and now instead of Richards being remembered for the years of entertainment and hysterical laughter he gave us on Seinfeld, he will probably end his career in disgrace. So sad....what a waste.

Two of the men that Richards attacked were on the Today show this morning. Seems Richards used the "N" word earlier than the video we have been seeing shows. I agree, Chatty - what a waste.

Do you think this is the end of his career or will people forget? I always liked him and read an article by a woman who got to be an extra on the Seinfeld show and she said Kramer was the only one who spoke to the extras and was very nice. The rest of the cast were very unfriendly.