Free Republic

LOS ANGELES - 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. In this photo released by CBS, comedian Jerry Seinfeld talks with host David Letterman during tapping of the "Late Show with David Letterman," on Monday, Nov. 20, 2006 in New York. Also during the show, Seinfeld's former co-star Michael Richards appeared via satellite from California and attempted to explain a weekend stand-up comedy routine where he repeatedly used racial epithets in an apparent rageful response to hecklers, a video of...

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.

LOS ANGELES - Michael Richards stunned a comedy club audience, shouting racial epithets at people who heckled him during a stand-up routine. The 57-year-old actor-comedian, best known for playing Jerry Seinfeld's eccentric neighbor Kramer on the hit TV show "Seinfeld," was performing at the Laugh Factory in West Hollywood Friday night when he launched into the verbal rampage, according to video posted on TMZ.com. The tirade apparently began after two black audience members started shouting at him that he wasn't funny. Richards retorted: "Shut up! Fifty years ago we'd have you upside down with a f------ fork up your a--."...