Posted on 11/20/2006 7:03:27 AM PST by torchthemummy
Kramer works the Laugh Factory (over on Sunset Blvd.) pretty regularly, in fact most Sat nights, he does sets there...Has been doing it for a few years.
I cringe with you. I will certainly believe your view based on personal experience. I can also say that the word is completely acceptable in rap lyrics. I've had this pet theory that some whites like to sing out rap lyrics because it allows them to legally use the n-word.
I have been called by a white person (I'm white) "My niggah!" (I hate writing that out) which for some has replaced the "My man!" moniker. The intent was good but the use was (is) bad.
Quick story. I was riding the subway into the Mission Hill District of Boston. On the subway were two white guys, white kids actually, and they were calling each other the N-word. And on looking around the subway I'm seeing a variety of black faces and to my surprise nobody objected. Maybe I'm old but I'll never be comfortable with that.
Surely booze/drugs are involved....could not imagine someone saying this in front of a crowd stone-cold sober!
Even though the sound was garbled, the tone of his voice carried the message. Couldn't watch the whole thing.
We should accept the fact that the word is an offensive epithet. Perhaps then it wouldn't be popping out of people's mouths.
Can't answer that...unless I hear the tape. It would be best if all parties ceased to use racially derogatory terms....but once one pokes a sharp stick in the other guys eye, one must be prepared for the response.
Happens all the time. There are whole groups of comics who live to get heckeled...They can annihilate the hecklers pretty quickly...unfortunately Mr. Richards went lowbrow.
The only problem with an exchange like this, is that at some point, you as the comic, have to leave the club...that's when most audience rebuttals take place, on the street.
2 black guys in the front row that were heckling him.
They didn't get that part on tape, now did they? Interesting.
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Does that justify the tirade on the rest of the tape? Whats your point here?
>>>Have you seen your typical black comedian's comedy routine?>>>
I live in very rural Georgia, my 10 year old daughter's best friend is a black girl in her class. She loves that movie White Chicks (the TV formatted version). Typical of her age, she is mimicking the funny parts and starts saying "Get away from me Arnold Schwarzanigger", just like Damon or whoever Wayons did on the movie. I tried to explain to my daughter why it wasn't 'funny' when she said it. She did NOT understand why it was funny when a black person said it, but not her. She has not been around for all the racism/civil rights movement over the past 40 years so she doesn't understand prior prejudices. To her, she knows she doesn't hate black people (she's spent many many weekends with her friend and her family) and she knows the black person said it and was supposed to funny. She also knows she wouldn't say anything in a 'mean way'. I don't know how to explain it except that it is just the way it is. But I didn't want her to go to her friend's house and say it not intentionally and make herself look bad even though she didn't understand what she would have done wrong.
He verbally attacked two hecklers using the "N" word. The hecklers happened to be Black. Apparently, somewhat forgot to tell Michael Richards that only Chris Rock, Richard Prior, and Robert Byrd are allowed to use the "N" word in a comedy routine.
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Did you read the quotes and/or listen to the video?
Michael Richards means nothing to me.... Keeping it in perspective, it is a California comedy club right? After all, no one got a brick in the side of their head.......
I can hear Jerry yelling now.
"KRAMER!
"Apparently, somewhat forgot to tell Michael Richards that only Chris Rock, Richard Prior, and Robert Byrd are allowed to use the "N" word in a comedy routine."
You didn't get the memo, either?
Isn't this the kind of routine we are SUPPOSED to lionize Lenny Bruce for?
>>2 black guys in the front row that were heckling him.
>They didn't get that part on tape, now did they? Interesting.
Hecklers are standard for standup comedy. If you can't handle a heckler, you have failed standup 101.
Sad, sad, sad. I loved MR since his bit in the movie UHF. I would reckon rehab is the next step for him...
I explained this on a thread that was subsequently pulled, for reasons that border close to this one; except this has an actual story on which to comment.
The reason the word got used amongst people it targeted was that it helped take away the power from the word. Even the younger generations know the word was used against their parents, and grandparents, by people who had a force to back them up with no recourse. Quite often that force included that of government, or at the least, with government turning its head in silent consent.
It's an attempt to change the meaning and take ownership of the word. It's working, as some people lament that they aren't allowed to say it when its intended targets are.
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