Posted on 11/20/2006 7:03:27 AM PST by torchthemummy
Michael Richards exploded in anger as he performed at a famous L.A. comedy club last Friday, hurling racial epithets that left the crowd gasping, and TMZ has obtained exclusive video of the ugly incident.
(Excerpt) Read more at tmz.com ...
It is easy to tell the real racist in any crowd. He is usually the first one screaming racism.
I also don't believe that he's a racist. As I said when Gibson stepped in it, some folks are what we used to call a "mean drunk." When in that state, they will deliberately try to be as nasty as they can. They will vent their spleen at anyone in range, without the inhibitions they have when sober.
A time or two, but thank God not often, I've gotten blitzed enough in the wrong state of mind to see the world through those lenses, and I'm grateful I had good friends to drag me home and put me to bed before I could risk harm to myself or others.
Now, that in itself is certainly a character flaw. Something they could overcome, with help. It's not a crime, and it's while it's a decent venial sin, it's not a mortal one.
Plenty of videos showing Bill Hicks putting hecklers in their place. If people think the Kramer actor got wild, they should see Hicks in action. I'm not saying this was justified or a failed jab at a heckler gone badd.
Union goons used to also lynch scabs who would cross a picket line. That part of American 20th Century History has been forgotten.
Why is there no lingering outrage over those lynchings from the 1930s?
"LOL! Nice one! Subtle..."
He may or may not be a racist, but there's no evidence, none, that Richards is an anti-Dentite.
I don't see any attempt at humor in his effort to deal with the hecklers. He went for a personal attack (which they responded with a racially personal attack but have been cleared by the media for their own bigotries).
The audience initally thinks that Michael Richards is going to take it somewhere and make a joke, and there is some nervous laughter at first. I think he just wanted to shock his harassers into stunned silence and he got that response for an instant.
There is no telling how long their blabbing at their table went on or if Michael Richards had already made effort to get them to shut up. Hecklers are rude. Is it "insensitive" for me to say their mommas must've brought them up wrong? They should learn some manners before they go out in public where adults will be paying $15-30 a ticket and $5 a drink (2 drink minimum is usual at a comedy club). That is quite a chunk of change for a Friday night for a couple on a date.
The major difference is that Hicks -- and Sam Kinison, who was the other great destroyer of hecklers -- got raw and nasty and vicious, but never used racial epithets. The more important distinction is that when they did it, they made it funny.
Richards was not smart, or sharp, or funny. The mere fact that that the heckler drew that rant out of him and drove him from the stage proves that the heckler won.
Aside from Kinison and Hicks, one of my favorite heckler-swats is Steve Martin; someone yelled rom the crowd, and he responded "Yeah, I remember my first beer." Didn't miss a beat.
Some black people at the press conference held today alledged the media's use of the n word is because of the Jews in charge of the companies (no joke). The victim mentality is on parade.
Michael Richards is a patsy for some activist groups' anger. Why did this happen on a Friday but wait until the Monday news cycle?
What does that have to do with anything?
He didn't say he was Jesus.
BTW. Don't you think just maybe alcohol has something to do with both of the incidents?
Some folks still do.
I don't know where in the world you got that, but I seriously doubt it was a black person.
I've seen no evidence that they called him those things FIRST and they would not excuse his behavior for getting into the gutter with them but they DO use those terms in the video clip so they ARE racists too and the media is silent on this. There is no excuse for them to use such terms and I want to hear if it is the first time THEY have used the words in their speech.
If the press is going to go digging 20 years into the past to out politicians as racists (while ignoring CURRENT racists in Congress) then I want them to do the same digging here. There is a double standard at play all over the place here.
I denouce the actions of Michael Richards but there are SOME on this thread who only find fault in the actions of MR.
I was offended by the woman with the digital camera saying "OMG" as she filmed the episode unfolding. That was blasphemous (and I have heard devout atheists also use God's name in vain numerous times).
None of the censors who beeped the audio ever omitted that bit of "off color" language. I find that telling about the media too.
Great keywords:
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Yes, I realized my mistake shortly after posting. I did listen to that podcast when you put it up...
I still fail to see anything from my posts on this thread that would ever make it to a DU equivalent of DUFU (FRFU???).
'Why is there no lingering outrage over those lynchings from the 1930s?'
Of course there is still lingering outrage over these lynchings from the 30s. Fortunately, no one is able to discern, at first sight, that such an incident is part of their heritage.
Now, if the child of a person lynched because of a labor dispute was identifiable...and...such vile remarks were directed at him based solely upon the manner of his father's death, then, I'm sure, most people would be outraged.
And... Why, why, if someone does something outrageous to a group we may not like, we must cite outrageous acts by that group. Can't we just call them out... one by one.
By the way... I thought the Indiana Pacer players reacted outrageously when fans were assaulted. Were you supportive of the NBA players (Black) after that incident?
I'll take a crack at the chronology, which is just an educated guess.
Richards makes his remarks late Friday night. They are captured by an audience member with a camcorder. The camera operator most likely sets the camera aside and goes to bed.
On Saturday, probably not early, the shooter posts the video to YouTube, and alerts a few friends, some of whom alert some of the bigger blogs. The whole viral thing starts to work.
Sunday morning, the word has spread to enough blogs that the MSM starts to take notice, and then starts to check the story. Fewer people work on the weekends because fewer people watch on the weekends, so resources are scarce. By the time they can verify the authenticity of the source, and find someone to go on the record, it's Monday.
Tough schtuff! If activists go after Richards, that's his fault. You don't get hit by a train unless you're on the tracks.
Why did this happen on a Friday but wait until the Monday news cycle?
Two words: Viral video.
Oh, puh-leeeeze. If you think you're clever, you've got another think coming.
These rehab centers are the refuge of choice for overstressed politicos and Hollywood personalities. Reporters cannot reach you so your lawyer or spokesperson does all the talking.
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