Michael Richards (Kramer) racist comments

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.

Its sad that he made a serious error in judgement but its the "media whores" that will milk it for all its worth. Should those two rude hecklers been put on TV? Hell NO! Its a word, get over it already....We have all made mistakes and no one has the right to judge this man. His career was all but over and this did the trick. Bye, bye Cosmo Kramer and his alter ego Michael Richardson as well.

I know about the others, but I missed Barbara. What happened? I keep missing things...

I have always liked him too, but seems he was pretty out of line this time. Mistakes are mistakes, and yes, we all make them, but calling blacks niggers is unacceptable in any circumstance. I despise hecklers, but it seems to be a part of the job when you are a stand up comic. I have a difficult time accepting that being heckled allows a comedian to become so incredibly offensive.

I hope his career is not over. I don't think he has been able to find his place since the end of Seinfeld. It may take some time, but I do think he will once again find his place.

I heard on the late news, 1:00 A.M. Friday morning that Micheal Richardson has asked to meet with Al Sharpton and Jessie Jackson for a sit down damage control. No word yet as to whether they plan to meet with him. I think he should leave well enough alone, apologize again, and let it go to die a boring death.

He was totally out of line. If you can't interact in a positive, funny way with the audience, then you shouldn't be a comedian.

Has anyone heard if he was messed up at the time? It's not an excuse by any means. I'm just wondering.

I think that for M. Richards to say that he is "not a racist" is ridiculous! Maybe he doesn't think he is, or pretends not to be but deep down, those words and feelings had to come from somewhere. Granted, it wasn't right for the hecklers to do what they did either, but surely Richards has been heckled before - what comedian hasn't, at some stage of his/her career? You have to have some standard lines to use in a case like that.
I think his ego is very bruised from not having been successful after "Seinfeld", and those hecklers just touched a nerve with him...but it is unforgiveable.

Mel Gibson has recovered from his tirade and has moved forward but he also did a lot of damage control too.

This entire incident is very sad.

We had a short discussion about Michael Richards at our Thanksgiving dinner table yesterday. I would say half of our guests say he WILL make a come-back and half say NO-WAY!

Sad to say but some people who get in this kind of fix come back better than ever due to their publicist work. Didn't OJ get a book company's eye? And royalty mega bucks?

I'm like everyone else in thinking how could he NOT be a racist? The only answer I can come up with is that they attacked his professional pride, his act on stage, which I understand wasn't going well, so he was probably wanting to strike out at them. He knew what would hurt. The N word. It is never acceptable and no, I'm not saying his action was validated. On the contrary. I'm just trying to understand the WHY.

Should he be forgiven? Did Christ forgive?

Should he be in the entertainment biz? If it were me and I had done this, I'd be checking in the want ads. I don't know that I could have forgiven myself.

I DO NOT believe that Al Sharpton and Jessie Jackson will help to heal this riff.

Christ did forgive others. The last thing He reportedly said before dying on the cross was "Forgive them Father for they know not what they do.."

The question is did Michael Richards not understand his actions or what he was saying? After all of the commotion, did he take a moment to apologize to the audience for his outburst? No--he just walked off the stage
and then came back the following night as if nothing ever happened.

And NO---Al & Jessie don't help matters--they tend to agitate.


Peace & Blessings,
Beverly Mahone
Author, Whatever! A Baby Boomer's Journey Into Middle Age
http://www.talk2bev.com

“I’m not a writer because I wrote a book. I wrote a book because I was inspired by God.”

The two men who were insulted by Michael are demanding a face to face apology and...money. I knew that was coming.

I agree Beverly. He knew what he did. Put yourself in his shoes...would YOU have known? Of course you would. Now as far as them getting money for it, puleaseeeee....that's being opportunist. In my book, it makes them no better than him.

It always comes down to money, doesn't it? As if money could make them feel better about the experience.

My take on this is, no one knew these two men, who they were, what their names were, nothing. They were two faces in the crowd, even after they opened their obnoxious mouths and started the whole thing by their LOUD insults. Yes Micheal was dead wrong, he should have known better, but so were these two men. Since when do we reward bad behavior??
I've been on stage in the spotligt and believe me when someone is loud and obnoxious in the audience it makes your stomach hurt; and these were times no one was targeting me, they were just drunk and being rude. I feel sorry for him on several levels, he is an inexperienced stage comic, he isn't very funny, and I feel he was the target. Was it planned, who knows. What we do know is they started it and he fell into the trap.

I know that fear makes us angry. When they heckled him he probably feared that he was being exposed as a fraud (he probably new he wasn't funy) and he became angry and attacked with the wrong words. Self-assured comics handle hecklers with wit and humor, turn the tables on them and continue their show. Wrong place, wrong time...

I agree that racist or vulgar remarks are never funny.....And yes, I did note how Richard's "victims," went on national TV with lawyer Gloria Allred to demand money for the lifelong emotional trauma her clients will be suffering. Isn't it odd that millions of parents don't file a class action suit toward the music industry for all the racist and vulgar lyrics that their children are exposed to by rap artists and gangsta rappers? How about comedians Chris Rock and all the movies which allow for "N"-talk as PC, but only when used by blacks? Is that not damaging to both blacks AND all other races? Talk about a crazy mixed-up world we're now living in.......When I was a 1950s kid living in the projects, it was NEVER appropriate to call other kids names and be vulgar. My parents or the nuns would have KILLED us! But back then, some things were more black and white....in a different way. I think we called it respect for all people.

The "N" word--NO MATTER WHO USES IT--is just plain wrong. Richards just said what he felt. How many of us have "thought" it but never said it. To me that's still the same because you still have the feelings in your heart.

Peace & Blessings,
Beverly Mahone
Author, Whatever! A Baby Boomer's Journey Into Middle Age
http://www.talk2bev.com

“I’m not a writer because I wrote a book. I wrote a book because I was inspired by God.”

Saying you're not a racist doesn't mean you're not a racist.
I truly hope he takes the time to evaluate his response and his anger.

Again, I am reminded of the movie Crash. If you haven't seen it, you should.

Diane Sawyer had a spot on her show with one of her African American associates. Think about all the things we might say that are reminders of slavery----slaving over a hot stove. I had never considered that, not once, but it could be an insult to someone.