Michael Richards goes on racial tirade

[j03superbat]

Michael Richards, aka "Kramer" from Seinfeld, got heckled at a comedy club and retaliated by making racial slurs and saying awful, awful things at the hecklers. Most of it was caught on video and is posted over on TMZ.com.

Following the horrible incident, Jerry Seinfeld invited him to appear with him on The Late Show with David Letterman via satelite to apologize and explain his behavior. Some of the interview is posted here (http://us.video.aol.com/video.index.adp?mode=1&pmmsid=1773282). The entire thing is posted on The Late Show website.

He wasn't taken very seriously - some members in the audience started laughing at Michael's akwardness and uncomfortable pauses, prompting Seinfeld to snap, "Stop laughing, it isn't funny."

I personally am not sure what to think, but I don't think Mr. Richards is a racist - I do think he'll have to face consequences for what he said, but ultimately I don't think he's really a bad guy. Just a comedian who had a rough night and lost it.

[Zungas]

SERENITY NOW!!!

[Kryptonian-Ronin]

The problem was that it wasn't funny, if it have been hilarious ala Chris Rock or Dave Chapell, no one would be on him, fact is, it was not funny and THAT was the problem.

[thehenry89]

the problem is what he said was completly inapropriate. maybe if he'd only said what he said once i would be able to write it off as a slip or an accident, but to say that word 10+ times to somebody was no accident. he said what he said with malicious intent and no amount of apologies will convince me other wise.

[Randy G.]

I used to love the Kramer character. This was a very unfortunate incident, that will follow him from now on and overshadow what little bit of a carrer he may have left.

I notice that he mentioned (and I'm paraphrasing here) .... all of the rage came out."
Basically, that says, "I'm a racist, but I usually keep it under control. My true colors slipped out"
No amount of apology, can convince me that he isn't. You don't say things like "50 years ago, you'd be hanging from a tree," unless you're hardcore.
Any given apology NOW, can be interpreted as a "I'm sorry I got caught, and put my career in the toilet."

Demeaning, hurtful language is NEVER acceptable, but being talked into sueing for "damages" is simply ridiculous.
We live in such a "lawsuit happy" society, it makes me sick.
You don't have to accept his apology, but you are adults. Being called names just happens in life. It's a far from perfect world we all live in.
It starts as children teasing each other ("Sticks and stones ...."), and tends to reoccur from time to time, in your adult life.
Hate me for saying it, but get over it, and move on. Michael Richards has basically hung himself from a tree, by his sheet.

[k18]

I don't think Richards is a racist. He's just a guy who had a rough night and a lot of bottled up anger that came out in a VERY wrong way. To be honest, when I saw him apologize on Letterman, I started to laugh a little too. His pauses were akward and weird. I wasn't laughing the situation off, though. I think what he said was very wrong and shouldn't be spoken again. But to play devil's advocate, some of the audience members did heckle him and call him "cracker", which is wrong too. I think the "victims" are just taking advantage of it right now because he's a celebrity and think they can squeeze some money out of him. I heard they want to sue him. That's taking things a little too far, if you ask me. I'm not white and have been called names according to my skin color. It happens. It does hurt, but then you realize we don't live in a perfect world and you get over it.

[umm]

Oh, my god I just heard about that today! Is the guy nuts or something? He must be, at least then he would have some excuse for his afwul behaviour! What was he thinking?

[Lexuous Luthor]

He was made fun of and didn't know how to handle it. I don't agree with what he did, but I don't think he should continue to be looked down on and hated after he's apologized.

[ILuvLoVe]

Originally posted by Zungas
SERENITY NOW!!! :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

*ahem*


Anyways.. yes I think it was totally inappropriate.. BUT..... I think it is totally being made into a huge deal more than it should... and okay.. what was the audience members saying TO him??.. I haven't heard it... I think that it is so unfair that people like Chappelle and Rock.. can make fun of white people and it is fine.. and I think that whether it is funny or not is totally up to the person viewing it.... what if I am offended by something one of those comedians said? Who's wrong there?.. I think this whole situation is ridiculous. I am not trying to sound insensitive or anything.. in fact I DO think he was out of line.. and I am not a racist.. but I just think there is alot of hypocrisy when it comes to racial jokes and both sides should be addressed.

[Caren H]

Here's the movie link. cleek (http://us.video.aol.com/video.index.adp?mode=1&pmmsid=1772645)

The black man was saying that, "You're not funny. Seinfield was it for you." Or something like that.

I get what everyone's saying. "He was just having a bad night", "He is a racist", or "He was out of line" and I cannot by any means agree with the first and last opinions. That's total bs.

I think if you put yourself in that position and you got ticked of by some black guy in the audience, you most certainly would not
scream out such things. He mentioned things that were beyond your average racial "jokes". They weren't jokes! They were hurtful and offensive things that actually happened to blacks in the past. Not some stereotype joke but, terrible historical events that blacks would never want to be reminded of.

Yeah, I know the black guy retaliated with, "white boy" and "cracker" but, who could blame him? I'm just glad he didn't walk on stage and kick his ass.

And he was having a bad night? No, he just finally got ticked off enough to say the pint up things he's always wanted to say about blacks. You just don't come up with extreme stuff like that and I can't help but feel annoyed by some of you who feels that he isn't a little racist. That's my opinion. I really don't care if I offended anyone. You shouldn't be because you weren't the one on stage saying such crude things about an entire race. :rolleyes:

[Skywalker]

Every stand up comedian is gonna get heckled in some shape or form at some point in their career. They all deal with it. So thats definitley no excuse at all for Richards to go off in the way he did.

I really dont care about how mad he was or how "all the rage came out". There's just some things you dont say no matter how mad you are.

Its bad enough he used the "N" word, but the other comment he said, just doesnt come out a person's mouth that easily unless you've thought in that way before...

Hopefully Richards gets some help with whatever issues he's dealing with. And hopefully those audience memebers don't end up suing either, because honestly there's no point in following one stupid act with another. He insulted you, yes we know, but move on and live the rest of your life like everyone else.

[MidgardDragon]

Basically, that says, "I'm a racist, but I usually keep it under control. My true colors slipped out"

I disagree completely. To me it says, "I was very very p*ssed and I said what I knew would be the most hurtful thing to these people." Everyone has this creature buried inside them who will say whatever is the nastiest, meanest thing when you really want to hurt someone. Mr. Richards isn't saying he's a racist and hides it, he's saying the monster slipped out.

[j03superbat]

I agree 100% with Midgard here.

I've said some horrible, horrible things that I don't feel reflect my character and that I truly regret, albeit nothing as publicized or as hurtful as what Richards said, but I identify with him on some level.

And with that note, I'd like to add that I'm not a racist either. :\

[boywithbluehanger]

Its sad but these things happen.

I don't take racism very seriously because I strongly believe that labelling someone a racist forces people to overlook the true problems that rest in the person's mind.

There is a huge difference between making racists comments and trully being a racist. Besides, I'm positive that no one can truthfully say they believe they hate an entire ethnic race of people.