Kramer pipes up with the n-word (Seinfeld's Kramer gone wild)

AP via Sydney Morning Herald ^ | 11/21/2006 | Staff

[Dark Skies]

Former Seinfeld star Michael Richards stunned a comedy club audience, shouting racial insults at people who made fun of him during his performance, it was reported.

The 57-year-old actor-comedian, best known for playing Jerry Seinfeld's eccentric neighbour Kramer on the hit TV show, was performing at the Laugh Factory in Los Angeles on Friday night when he started the insults, according to video posted on entertainment website TMZ.com.

The tirade apparently began after two black audience members started shouting at him that he wasn't funny.

Richards answered: "Shut up! Fifty years ago we'd have you upside down with a f--king fork up your arse."

He paced across the stage taunting the men for interrupting his show.

"You can talk, you can talk, you're brave now mother-f--ker. Throw his arse out. He's a nigger!" Richards shouted before repeating the racial insult over and over again.

An audience member heckled back: "That was uncalled for, you f--king cracker-ass motherf--ker."

Richards retorted: "Cracker-ass? You calling me cracker-ass, nigger?"

While there was some audible chuckling in the audience, someone could be heard gasping, "Oh my God."

Another audience member is heard to call out: "It's not funny. That's why you're a reject, never had no shows, never had no movies. 'Seinfeld,' that's it."

Richards performed the next night at the Laugh Factory without incident.

Calls to Richards' representatives were not immediately returned early today.

He refused to comment on-camera when reached by CNN, but the news network reported that he said off-camera he felt sorry for what had happened and had made amends.

Former co-star Jerry Seinfeld issued a statement saying he was "sick over this".

"I'm sure Michael is also sick over this horrible, horrible mistake. It is so extremely offensive. I feel terrible for all the people who have been hurt," Seinfeld said.

Comic Paul Rodriguez, who was at the club, said he thought Richards' remarks crossed the line.

"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," he said.

"Freedom of speech has its limitations and I think Michael Richards found those limitations."

Comedian George Lopez told Los Angeles television station KTLA that he thought Richards' lack of stand-up experience may have been a factor.

"The question is you have an actor who is trying to be a comedian who doesn't know what to do when an audience is disruptive," Lopez said.

"He's an actor whose show has been off the air, he shouldn't ever be on a stand-up gig."

[Dark Skies]

Just saw this on Fox.

[Perdogg]

I have the vid link if I won't get expelled for posting it.

[cripplecreek]

"The question is you have an actor who is trying to be a comedian who doesn't know what to do when an audience is disruptive," Lopez said.

"He's an actor whose show has been off the air, he shouldn't ever be on a stand-up gig."

Well sure, that explains it all.

[MarkeyD]

What does freedom of speech have to do with this?

[kenth]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1741505/posts

[unkus]

Damn, Krame went crazy. Libs aren't supposed to say those things. They are supposed to keep such things to themselves when in public.

[Dark Skies]

Post it...if it turns out too obscene, the mods can always pull it.

[Dog Gone]

It's already been posted here.

[aynrandfreak]

I love how the Austrailians change the quote to 'arse'

[lmr]

"Freedom of speech has its limitations and I think Michael Richards found those limitations."

Spoken like a true Liberal.

Of course, people can say politically incorrect and racial eptihets like this if they want, but they probably will lose face and damage their reputation. Not to mention, risk getting their butt kicked by somebody, or losing their fans.

"Paging Natalie Maines, please pickup the white courtesy phone..."

[Dark Skies]

I'll see if the mods want to freeze this thread.

[ErieGeno]

Just another reason that I never watched a show that was 'something about nothing'.......

[Perdogg]

View at your own risk, blatant racism and profanity. By clicking on the the link, I take full responsibility

[My2Cents]

Bush's fault.

[kenth]

ah hahah... I don't think I saw that posted at all on the big thread. The arguing began early.

[thegreatbeast]

I'm not going to get all over Michael Richards. He got knocked off his act and panicked. He then tried to form some sort of Lenny Bruce raison d'être that DOA'd. But I leave my house and hear the word dozens of time out on the street. What do you make of that?

[taxesareforever]

As far as I am concerned if one goes into a comedy club one should expect any language to be acceptable. All one needs to do is listen to Chris Rock and know this to be a fact. Is Richards a racist? Who cares? Just because we are told not to be racist does not make people non-racist. If a person has virgin ears than they should not be going into comedy clubs.

[AnotherUnixGeek]

Comedian George Lopez told Los Angeles television station KTLA that he thought Richards' lack of stand-up experience may have been a factor.

No kidding. Anyone who wants to do stand-up better learn to deal with hecklers in a way that doesn't involve shouting racial epithets. So Michael Richards is spending his 57th year of life doing stand-up at the Laugh Factory. Funny that the only Seinfeld co-star who's found even moderate success after Seinfeld (Julia-Louise Dreyfus) is the one who doesn't need it - her father is the Dreyfus of Dreyfus Funds.