Posted on 11/20/2006 4:05:45 PM PST by 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."
Right, THAT part bothered me too, the last part of that sentence. But I didn't take it that he was blaming *his* rage on the war, just comparing the two. That statement revealed his political views, not that he wasn't taking responsbility for his actions.
This video will surface in the 2008 campaign. "If (insert Republican candidate) supported hate crimes legislation, Kramer never would've insulted these gentlemen".
I caught, by complete chance Kramer, on Letterman. Perhaps I was meant to catch it. Yes, the man looked and talked like he had walked into a brick wall.
What may be lost is this. The absolute power of political correctness can still destroy. The politically correct ninnies can pick on a target. At the same point in time, persons can, ( thanks to information by posters on FR) make statements that America should be destroyed. They can say that white people are a cancer on the face of the earth. Does this make headlines?
This guy gives 'em what they want- a means to prove how they can reduce someone to cringing apologies.
What do the politically correct ninnies say about five times worse.
Nothing.
he looked like something out of manchurian candidate. it looked like a car crash into a train wreck.
Your post has it right. It wasn't just the one word that was offensive - the whole tirade was outrageous. Even without that word, he went too far...
Is he a Democrat, btw? I wouldn't be surprised...
This has nothing to do with "political correctness." It's about decency, civility, and professionalism. Not only did he call an audience member a racial epithet over and over again, but the rest of his tirade was over the top. He deserves the negative attention he's receiving.
What is Richards' politics? Some posts say he's a "liberal". I was a Seinfeld fan, but my guess is that most of the crew on Seinfeld are probably Democrats. And this is the way most Dems probably talk behind closed doors.
Julia has never needed the money, but became a first-class comic actress and paid her dues before emerging as a scene-stealer.
She's beautiful, talented, and funny. If only she wasn't such a huge raging liberal and I looked like Blair Underwood (and her husband of 19 years died), I would go after her. The money would just be icing on the cake!
Your comment caused a wikipedia search for a picture of Blair Underwood.
Blair Underwood is a semi-regular on Dreyfus' show currently, playing her son's school teacher.
I used to cringed when I heard the word. It was the most vile of the vile. Now, I'm desensitized to it. I heard it on TV, music, in the movies and at the gym. It's not white folks saying it either.
John Kerry has already weighed in on the issue with this statement, "You know, education -- if you make the most of it, you study hard and you do your homework and you make an effort to be smart, you can do well. If you don't, you end up like Michael Richards."
Did you know that Julia Louise-Dreyfus is nearly a billionaire?
She's an heiress to a multi-billion dollar fortune. She's "old money." But she doesn't act like it.
Here's how it works folks. If you are white, you cannot use the word "nigger" in any context, be it comedy, as a slur, or in any other mannner, period. If you do, you will be attacked by guilty white liberals and blacks alike. Your career will be ruined forever and you will be branded as a racist for the rest of your life. Again, this is if you are WHITE. Now if you are black, you can use the word "nigger" as often as you want, in any context, and use it towards anybody including white people. Not only will a black person using the word "nigger" be accepted, he will be rewarded for using it, in particular by the guilty white liberal establishment including Hollywoood and the music industury. Take for instance the vile black racist "Ice Cube" who was part of the racist anti-white rap group "Public Enemy" who used to rap about killing all white people, killing white devils, killing white crackers. For all of the hate that this racist has spewed, he has been rewarded with a lucrative career in Hollywood working for and with the "white devils" that he wants to kill. But of course Ice Cube is black and Kramer is white. Here is some more of the hate rap that other blacks racists (like the vile "Ice Tea")are rewarded for. The list goes on and on. Liberalism truly is a mental illness and here is proof of it. Here is a link to black hate rap that will make you rich (if you are black):
http://home.att.net/~phosphor/
One thing we possibly agree on is that there is a predominance of "liberals" in show business. I believe there is a sort of "horror" for performers who think otherwise. Maybe a closet Pubby here and there. No, not Kramer.
I suppose poor Kramer (Richards) could go to "Margaritaville". Can he recover and move on? Excuse this ramble, but somehow I wonder if he was faced with the same thing as some of "Gilligan's Island" actors? At least two of them and particularly Mary Ann, was faced with absolute rejection. It was suggested she perform sexual acts to get another gig. I think she was not that sort of person. She pulled herself together- happily.
I agree indeed with the double standard posed by Buffettfan. A conservative is likely to be much more careful and really does not need these vile epithets.
Kramer takes on the role of a "hunted animal"- he has punished himself.
If he's only said "Bush is Hitler" then he would be a hero in the media today.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.