"Kramer's" Racist Tirade -- Caught on Tape

[kurth]

"Kramer's" Racist Tirade -- Caught on Tape
Posted Nov 20th 2006 8:30AM by TMZ Staff

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. Richards, who played the wacky Cosmo Kramer on the hit TV show "Seinfeld," appeared onstage at the Laugh Factory in West Hollywood. It appears two guys, both African-American, were in the cheap seats playfully heckling Richards when suddenly, the comedian lost it.

The camera started rolling just as Richards began his attack, screaming at one of the men, "Fifty years ago we'd have you upside down with a f***ing fork up your ass." Richards continued, "You can talk, you can talk, you're brave now motherf**ker. Throw his ass out. He's a nigger! He's a nigger! He's a nigger! A nigger, look, there's a nigger!"

The crowd is visibly and audibly confused and upset. Richards responds by saying, "They're going to arrest me for calling a black man a nigger."

One of the men who was the object of Richard's tirade was outraged, shouting back "That's un-f***ing called for, ain't necessary." After the three-minute tirade, it appears the majority of the audience members got up and left in disgust. Attempts to reach Richards' reps were unsuccessful.

http://www.tmz.com/2006/11/20/kramers-racist-tirade-caught-on-tape/

[Subdivisions]

1. Dupe

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x2764448

[KingFlorez]

2. That is really crazy

He's got serious problems if he'd go off and say things like that just because people told him he wasn't funny.

[Bassic]

3. Well, he was already a has-been, now that's irreversible.

God damned idiot. What the fuck was he thinking?

[rucky]

190. Put him on next season of The Surreal Life

and have him bunk with Coolio.

[Bassic]

201. Coolio? That guy is still around somewhere?

Does he share an appartment with Vanilla Ice and MC Hammer?

[derby378]

4. This is really sad...

I first discovered Michael Richards when he played the simple janitor in "Weird Al" Yankovich's UHF. So sad to see this guy fall so hard.

But what are the odds he'll check himself into rehab now?

[ashling]

8. Rehab seems to be the happenin' place

That's where all the drunk racists and Republicans (after they get caught, of course) go to hang out.

[Sydnie]

25. I loved his character in UHF

This is way over the top though. Never a big Seinfeld watcher myself, although I have seen enough episodes to know what that character was like too. This is very sad.

[maxrandb]

5. I've got November 22ND

in the "he's entering Rehab Pool".

[Beelzebud]

6. Wow... Well he can go fuck off then...

I imagine this stupid bastards just lost A LOT of fans.

[Cerridwen]

7. I wonder if the anti-PC crowd's gonna show up and defend him.

Hey, they're just words, right?

:sarcasm:

[ComerPerro]

10. no kidding. According to them, people who were shocked by this are Nazis

[Cerridwen]

32. I'll add it to list of "nazi" names I've been called...

Interesting that they are using against me the same names used against me by right-wing nutjobs.

Aw well, I guess that whole PC thing is just too much "hard work."

:evilgrin:

[The Count]

11. They won't show up, but they do hurt for him, be sure of that.

That's the whole point with the "PC" concept. "Damn libruls, take all the fun out of being racist!"

[Cerridwen]

20. Yeppers, that'd be me...

a "killjoy" from the word go. Who apparently is stuck speaking platitudes this morning. Eesh. Need more caffeine.

[L A Woman]

16. they will defend him because of what THEY said to start it..

i didn't see it on the film, but they were apparently shouting things like "white boys aren't funny" and such. it doesn't excuse his reaction but it will be his defense, for sure.

[Cerridwen]

19. Oh, yeah, the "he started it" defense.

Works so well in politics, might as well use it in this case. /sarcasm

Of course, I didn't get to use it as a kid, my mom and dad didn't buy that line. I was robbed, I tell ya! Robbed!

:evilgrin:

[NorthernSpy]

51. that approving reference to lynching took the incident to a whole 'nother level...

That was so far out of bounds you can't even see it from here. Lots of people have gotten drunk or angry and talked some shit (as witness the long-ago-forgiven Elvis Costello incident). This was worse than that.

[Catherine Vincent]

64. He was offended by being called a white boy and he goes off

and start yelling N****? Nice!

[951-Riverside]

150. The White Boy remark occured AFTER he used the N word numerous times.

Michael: "Throw his ass out. he's a nigger. HES A NIGGER! he's a nigger."

...30 secs later.

Audience member: "Fucking white boy"
Michael: "Are you threatening me?"

[novalib]

27. "NORMAN LEAR USED THOSE WORDS"

According to some people, Norman Lear used those words on All in the Family 30 years ago.

And, according to those same people, Norman Lear was 30 years AHEAD OF HIS TIME!!

THEY ACTUALLY WANT TO RETURN TO TIME WHEN USE OF WORDS LIKE "n*****" and "h***" and others are OK!!!!

It just amazes me!!!!

[Cerridwen]

29. Ya, know, I hate to say it, but

the anti-PC crowd, is a good argument against evolution. Maybe we should get scientists to study devolution?

:evilgrin:


edit: Here, let me add a smiley...since there are many "humor challenged" here who've, apparently, no experience with punnery and word play.

[The2ndWheel]

33. PC is evolution?

Progress and evolution are not the same thing. PC is control, not evolution.

[novalib]

34. PC IS PROGRESS!!!!

I certainly consider it PROGRESS that we no longer use words like "n*****" or "h***" (derogatory name for Jewish people) or k***" (another derogatory term for Jewish people, or "s***" (for Hispanic people), or "c****" (for Chinese people) or g*** (for Asians).

I grew up during a time when those words were used -- a lot.

I THINK IT IS PROGRESS THAT WE NO LONGER USE THOSE WORDS -- or, when only the most ignorant people use them!!!

[The2ndWheel]

40. Didn't say it wasn't

I just said progress is not the same thing as evolution.

[originalpckelly]

44. Well thank you I know I am a progressive.

Tell me something I don't know!

:rofl:

[Greyhound]

45. As a non-religious person let me say, Amen.

Brother or sister. :kick:

Like you, I lived in an area and time where this, and perhaps more importantly the accompanying attitudes and beliefs, were common. I also remember that, prior to the country being terrified into electing raygun, we had progressed to the point that these bigots were at least shamed into keeping their opinions to themselves and things were really improving.

Since then of course, we have regressed so far in so many areas, it is really pathetic and just sad.

[jsamuel]

153. evolution does not mean progress though

it simply means change, could be good, bad, or neither

evolution can be maladaptive

[Blackthorn]

182. It's not progress when you "ban" words outright.

How it is "evolution" to be offended by a word? It's a word. It's like weather. Do you describe rain as "bad" weather and sunny as "good" weather?

[Cerridwen]

39. Let loose your funny bone from your sleeve.

It was a play on/with words.

And yes, words, attitudes and the ideas associated with them do evolve over time.

evolve 

1. to develop gradually: to evolve a scheme.
2. to give off or emit, as odors or vapors.

–verb (used without object)
3. to come forth gradually into being; develop; undergo evolution: The whole idea evolved from a casual remark.

One of my favorite examples of a word which "developed gradually" from its origins. The original was "God be with ye" and which has developed gradually from a phrase to a contraction of the phrase to what we know today as "good bye". Now you know where that 'e' comes from. :D

[The2ndWheel]

46. Evolution and progress still aren't the same

Using those very definitions.

[Cerridwen]

58. Oy, it was a joke. A pun. A play on words. Geez, and they say

we "bitches" don't have a sense of humor.

I didn't dicuss the word progress; which, by the way, has as a synonym, evolution. I was talking punnery.

Linguists, those silly people who study language and such, have some silly idea that language evolves; it's called, wait for it, the "evolution of language." Some of them are having their 6th Annual Conference. "The conference will include substantive contributions relating to the evolution of human language from any relevant discipline, including Anthropology, Genetics, Population Biology, Linguistics, Neuroscience, Psychology, Primatology, Ethology, Paleontology, Archeology, Artificial Life, Mathematical Modelling."

Silly linguists.

[novalib]

60. "Silly Linguists"????!!!!

I thought they were cunning linguists.

Was I wrong??

;-)

[Cerridwen]

63. .

:spray:


:rofl:

[The2ndWheel]

94. Fair enough

Progress is linear. Evolution is not.

Just one of those things that gets me going. Sorry.

[Cerridwen]

119. Understood. No problem. Let's go get some of what pckelly is

on. He's got it goin' over there.

:+

[originalpckelly]

41. Quit fucking talking about me! DAMNIT IT'S HARD TO BE ME!!!

There's a whole goddamn movement against me man, you just don't know what that's like!

It's hard to be PC!

:rofl:

[Cerridwen]

59. Thanks. Now I have Kermit running through my head..."it's not easy

being green...."

It's not easy being PC...



:rofl:

[originalpckelly]

65. Well it isn't, everyone on the right hates me!

:rofl:

[Cerridwen]

102. All right. That's it. I've been reading your other posts in this thread.

You're having just waaaaaay too much fun with this serious and world shattering issue. I'm the humor police and I say, hand it over; whatever it is you're smoking/snorting/imbibing/taking, you don't get to keep it to yourself. Share with the rest of the class, dammit!

:rofl:

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

48. Jeez Louise.

Anti-PC crowd = neanderthals.

:eyes:

[originalpckelly]

50. They are too! Anyone who doesn't like me is a neanderthal!

:rofl:

[NoPasaran]

104. So now it's okay to criticize neanderthals?!?!?

You homo sapiens supremacists make me sick!

[originalpckelly]

109. Sounds like someone got up on the wrong side of the rock. (nt)

[Cerridwen]

76. So, you're saying we're not being politically correct in our

sensitivity?

Yee haw! Ain't this fun!

:D

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

77. I saying...

people need to pull the sticks out of their ass.

Progress and evolution aren't the same thing? No shit, Stephen Jay Gould.

[Cerridwen]

87. I think you're arguing with the wrong person. I was the one talking

about the evolution of language. Someone else tried to disassociate progress from evolution. Oh, wait, that was you!

:rofl:

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

93. Um...

I was replying to NoMoreMyth and his rather stick-in-the-primordial ooze approach to Evolution jokes.

[Cerridwen]

96. Gotcha. Might wanna move your reply. It's currently in reply to my

post. ;-)

edit to add: nevermind, seems nomoremyths came over and got it. :D

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

99. And you made me get up to get my glasses.

:P

[Cerridwen]

106. Hee hee.

I hate when that happens. Of course, after I go looking for mine, I find them sitting quietly on my head.

;-)

[The2ndWheel]

97. That's my fault

Don't assume people don't get progress and evolution aren't the same.

But again, just something that always gets me going. I apologize.

[StraightDope]

68. h***?

What the hell is that a substitution for?

[novalib]

73. Here's A Hint.....

The Bible refers to Jewish people are being Hebrew.

[StraightDope]

89. Ah. Gotcha.

[Greyhound]

114. I find it heartening that there are apparently many folks that are no longer

familiar with that term at least.

[novalib]

161. I AGREE!!!!

At the same time, though, I find it TOTALLY DISCOURAGING that there are some folks who think it woudl be perfectly OK to have this and other words like it used on TV.

[Sapphire Blue]

49. I'm wondering, too.

"Hey, they're just words, right?" That's what the anti-PCers have been saying... post after post. :puke: In one thread, someone posted a particularly derogatory word repeatedly, claimed to be AA & didn't mind being called by that term. :puke: :puke:

[Beelzebud]

57. Being anti-PC doesn't mean you're a racist asshole...

[Cerridwen]

81. That's true, sometimes it means you're a sexist asshole...

:rofl:

edit: I'd better add that I wasn't calling you either one. "There's no humor in mudville, tonight" (paraphrase)

[Beelzebud]

83. Thats not true either. One thing that is though: Pro-PC are annoying assholes!

[Cerridwen]

91. We have that in common with the anti-PC assholes.

Weird, isn't it?

:evilgrin:

[Beelzebud]

92. LOL, ok you got me there. :D

At least we find common ground!

We're both annoying assholes!

:)

[Cerridwen]

95. And, it would appear, we both have a sense of humor.

:toast:

[Buzz Clik]

141. LOL!

[bloom]

88. Just that you tolerate racism and sexism ?

And that's supposed to be a good thing????

Explain how anti-PC is not the tolerance of sexist and racist language.

Maybe you bought the line and didn't know what line you were buying.

[Buzz Clik]

143. Lots of shades of gray in this debate.

I disagree that there is no place for PC language. However, it can be difficult walking tippy toe around the political landscape when every person/group has an ouchie in their past that starts to throb at the mention of a word. Sometimes, the ensuing debate is informative and educational and does well to educate both sides. Other times, the discussion degrades quickly, and nothing is accomplished but finding more divides.

We need to be sensitive to others, but we also need to have thick skins. Sometimes, an undected rolling of the eyes is a more appropriate response than a tongue lashing.

[bloom]

155. The trouble is - that not only are there shades of gray...

There are also many shades of denial.


And rolling ones eyes - doesn't really cut through that. It depends on the situation, of course. If the audience had rolled their eyes at Richards - that would have been meaningless - and would not have gotten the message that he needs and that others seem to need. That that was unacceptable. (It's good someone had it on camera).


The groupthink that people should not complain about PC things - mostly works in the favor of white men. I suppose that non-white men can get on board with sexism and some white women will get on board with racism. The trouble for white men is - that they are in danger of being in denial of both problems. And some of them do it so well (who really ARE sexist and racist) - that when others join in with the denial - the racism and sexism of the others is reflected on them.

[salin]

98. no, unless you claim the anti-PC stance in the following way:

"Forgive me for not being PC, but.... (insert obnoxious stereotyped type demeaning statement - including some non-PC term)... you know what I mean?"

As in: "Pardon me for not being PC, but any slut, er I mean girl, who goes out on a first date in a skimpy outfit ought to expect the guy to try to get a piece of ass - that's not attempted rape, thats the guy accepting the invitation..."

If being anti-PC in that way.. then one might be a neandrathal asshole ;-)

[Minnesota_Lib]

196. Nice strawman. Buy a clue, huh.

[no_hypocrisy]

9. Richards has a history of being susceptible to being challenged

when he's doing comedy. Back in the 80s, he exploded on the ABC program "Fridays" when he was doing a skit with Andy Kaufman, leading to a full-out melee on air, which was cut off. When the program came back after commercial break, the producers pretended to pass off the incident like it was scripted and part of an avant-garde comedy experience. Kaufman got the blame for "starting it", but Richards was just as culpable.

[libnnc]

28. Oh yeah, I'd forgotten about that Fridays incident

they started throwing punches at each other and then they cut to commercial. I wonder if that's on Youtube somewhere? Wow that was a long time ago.

[LTR]

121. It's in "Man On The Moon"

Though with Norm McDonald in the Richards role.

To this day, nobody's saying whether the whole skit was real or staged. Much like most of the things Andy Kaufmann did.

And I couldn't find the incident on YouTube, but I did find this one, featuring a much younger Larry David with a horrendous afro:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIuHo_pcIug

[Auggie]

12. His career is probably over

[The Stranger]

14. It better definitely be fucking over. At the very least.

This is un-fucking-believable. I can't believe he was able to walk out of there after that.

[patcox2]

84. Yeah, he should be killed!

Thats what should be done to people who use bad words.

[The Stranger]

105. Nice -- condoning someone verbally assaulting African-Americans with the "n" word.

Truly uplifting.

[patcox2]

137. I take it that means it would be okay if I were sincere?

In other words, suggesting that he not be killed is "condoning" his actions?

What are these ominous "consequences" that are being called for? Maybe he should be tarred and feathered? Strung up and hanged? Something like that?

[The Stranger]

145. Just never thought I would see on a Progressive site defending something like this.

He is absolutely in control over everything he is doing and shouting through a microphone at African Americans in the audience. Sreaming racist epithets over and over and over.

And you come to his defense?

[crim son]

158. He didn't "come to his defence."

He was, I believe, making a comment on the vitriolic attacks and counterattacks on the thread. And I agree with him. The pro PC people do not, apparently, have any problems with using whatever terms they choose to call out the anti PC people. Hypocritical? Yes, I think so. Don't get me wrong: I'm pro PC, to a point. But the shit that's been hitting the fan at DU lately hasn't always been warranted and it's getting very tiring to read you people going at one another constantly.

[jgraz]

164. Wasn't it already over?

[survivor999]

185. Yeah, right....

He was back on the some stage 24 hrs later...

[alfredo]

13. He can always find work with George Allen or Trent Lott.

[cyclezealot]

15. this is both sad and unforgiveable.

no apologies can overlook this unfortunate event. WOuld have not suspected Kramer of such base thoughts. I think Hollywood is ladden with has beens, tragically sunk to new lows as their glory days wane and older years makes them unmarketable. Kramer, what a come down; even for a mountain biker who is supposed to release tension by hitting the trails. Sometimes there are no emotional releases for one's faded glory days. Hollywood types need consider a career change in their middle years, over re-living thier past achievements.

[Greyhound]

90. It's the adulation, it is addictive and there is no cure.

He is wealthy in the extreme, never has to do another thing in his life. He could spend it doing anything he wants to, or nothing at all, yet he is trying to revive a stand-up career. :crazy: :silly:

[Loge23]

17. Speaking of "forks"

He's done.

[Hav]

18. .

I only knew him from Seinfeld.
Anyone know what happened to him? Drugs? Alcohol? He apparently has no control over his temper.

[MrPrax]

24. Maybe he's like Mel...

Simply a racist...alcohol, drugs, excuses, etc are not really relevant.

[MessiahRp]

21. Maybe he and Patricia Heaton can get an HBO show together

Called "Batshit Crazy" where they speak of their views on the world on all topics. As sad and demented as both are it would be hilarious to put them in a situation where they would be zoo-like animals or circus freaks for us to point and laugh at. :)

Rp

[951-Riverside]

22. Video on YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UomfLKQr57U

[MrPrax]

26. Thx!!!

I have been looking furiously...I don't do Windows Media Player...ever!!

[Greyhound]

108. Another OG info pro?

I've all but given up trying to educate people about the obscene vulnerabilities of all that is M$.

[KansDem]

38. Thanks, much more clear than the other site...

I was alarmed at the number of laughs at the beginning of the tirade, as if people thought it was "funny" (Maybe they thought it was part of the "routine?") Maybe I don't get out much but I don't particularly care for this kind of "humor." And especially the lady at the end of the tape--you can hear her ask incredulously "Everybody's leaving?" as if people are going to stick around after that pathetic scene. I guess some people just need their "amuse me/entertain me" fix no matter what sick scene has just transpired.

These "comedians" need to come up with better lines to counteract and stop hecklers... Truly good comedians can do this without insulting one's race.

[originalpckelly]

47. Thanks...

YouTube may yet get this racists out of society.

[bloom]

54. Some people

on the You Tube comments don't' seem to get that the onus is on Richards - regardless of what the other people said.

He is the one on stage. He is the one with a career to lose.


And then the people who think it's Funny. ??? I don't get that, either.

The whole incident is sad and Richards is pathetic.

[Hav]

52. .

Wow...he has serious problems.
And some of the comments on YouTube were just as bad.
So that's what it takes to make the racists come out.

[wicket]

181. Thanks

:kick:

[TallahasseeGrannie]

23. My first thought was Betty Ford will soon have a new

patient, but then I wondered...any chance this was performance art and the guys in the audience were paid? Remember Andy Kaufman? He would have done something like this.

It is so off the wall that it makes me wonder.

But maybe the guy had some sort of psychotic episode.

Wow.

[AndyA]

30. It's a good thing Foley got out of the Arizona rehab, now there's a spot

for Richards. Look for an announcement of a drug/alcohol addiction revelation forthcoming. It's the way these things are handled today.

Richards was way out of line saying what he said. If the guys in the audience were being disruptive, they should have been removed from the building.

With the exception of Julia Louise Dreyfuss, none of the Seinfeld regulars have been successful. Her new show, The New Adventures of Old Christine is hilarious for those of you who haven't seen it, and Wanda Sykes is a regular in the cast, which makes the show so much better because she is hilarious.

It's on tonight if you want to catch it!

[bloom]

35. "The New Adventures of Old Christine"

Thanks for mentioning it - I always forget to notice when it's on.

[originalpckelly]

43. I think Foley went to the Narconon out there in Arizona...

There were a lot of photos of him hangin' out with Scientologists, makes sense he'd go there.

[Ignacio Upton]

55. Larry David has been sucessful too

He has a sucessful show on HBO called "Curb Your Enthusiasm," which IMHO, is funnier than Seinfeld itself. Also, Jerry is still doing well for himself, and was the only cast member not to do another tv show, and still does standup from time to time. The "losers" were really George (Jason Alexander) and Kramer (and Kramer is now a big loser after this.)

[nottabubba]

31. 33rd degree

For those of you who go for the Masons bit, he's also a 33rd degree Mason.

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

http://www.srmason-sj.org/web/journal-files/Issues/sep03/casalou.htm

[originalpckelly]

36. I wonder what alcohol rehab center he'll check into?

:-)

[Strawman]

37. I'll never be able to enjoy Stanley Spudowski again

UHF is tainted.

[bloom]

42. There is no excuse.

It just goes to show you - that our society (and the people in it) is more racist (and sexist) that we acknowledge (or probably know).

I don't even hardly watch TV - so I don't even know what's on - but the general rule is most of the shows revolve around white guys. Seinfeld - as great a show as it was - was no exception.


I'm glad at least some of the audience walked out (I hope they got refunds).


"That's what happens when you interrupt a white man!"


Holy crap.



(P.S. This is pretty interesting in light of the PC defense around here lately. How is this defended? - or is just brushed off - "it's alchohol", etc...).

[softwarevotingtrail]

53. the n* word

The reason this is so pathetic is that Michael Richards just isn't funny. Comedians use "inappropriate" language all the time. If it's done correctly (and that's really, really difficult to do) the comedian is able to expose the soft white underbelly of American culture and puncture bigoted stereotypes at the same time. Look at Lenny Bruce ... this isn't anything new.

The guy who had the funniest line was the black guy who says something like, "no wonder you're such a failure. You had one success with Seinfeld but all your other series bombed" or something to that effect. The awkward pause between him saying that and Richard's lame, unfunny response is the funniest thing on the clip.

[troubleinwinter]

132. Worse

He said "the white man", not "a white man".

It indicates more than just racist names hurled between two individuals, but is a more fully encompassing racist view.

As I see it.

[bloom]

133. "the white man"

yes, you're right.


That's was it - and it is worse.

[Catherine Vincent]

56. Wow!

You could see a lot of the people leaving and then the mc or whatever he was came up and apologized. But you noticed while the name calling was happening a few in the audience thought it was funny. I guess they thought it was part of the act.

[UTUSN]

61. He's RACIST SCUM!!1 Polls 60-40 & worse than Mel 71-29%

It won't make you feel better, but Hispanics are even less powerful than Blacks. O'LOOFAH got away Scot free with using the word, "wetbacks."

[wtmusic]

62. Holy shit

What an idiot.

[A-Schwarzenegger]

66. I think he thought he was doing Lenny Bruce.

Harder than it looks.

[slaveplanet]

67. ...

chisttos tier osman marker

[ecstatic]

69. OMG, I knew there was a reason I never liked his character on Seinfeld

I always found him to be extremely corny.

Nevertheless, I guess starring in Seinfeld was pretty much a safe bet for him. :sarcasm: :rofl:

[Clinton Crusader]

70. After watching a couple of times....

I COULD be wrong, but it seems it started out as a skit or joke, and then Richards went way way WAY overboard with it and it soon escalated out of control, wherein he could not take back what he said. The audience seems nervous at first (nervous laughter) but he kept it going by going on and on and on and raising the bar so high that it became shocking. Now as I said I COULD be all wrong, but me thinks HE thought it would be funny at first, but he went overboard, maybe he IS high or drunk, dunno.

Very sad to see, as I am a Seinfeld-a-holic, and I adore Kramer.

Very sad to see indeed.

WHEN was this? Has anyone heard from him or his reps?

[A-Schwarzenegger]

72. I agree. I believe he thought it was funny/shocking a la Lenny.

Not close. Ooo, boy.

[Auggie]

Same here.

[salin]

101. and in the course of it

and going on and on rather dropped his mask... or pointy hood be that the case...

[salin]

100. wow... I didn't see anything that looked

like there was a moment where he wanted to "take it back" - which is implied in the scenario you wrote. Are you sure that isn't your Seinfeldaholic wishful thinking kicking in? I don't mean to be rude, but that is an awfully generous interpretation.

[Clinton Crusader]

107. I didn't mean he 'tried to take it back'....

it STARTED as a joke or skit a la Bruce or Kaufman, etc. HE thought it would be funny at FIRST but he went totally out of control (maybe still thinking it's funny, dunno) but he soon realized it was way overboard, people screaming back/leaving etc. I, of course, don't know. I wasn't there, I've never seen him in stand-up, don't know what his schtick is, nothing. In fact, ALL I've ever seen of him IS Seinfeld. As I stated after watching it a few times, it APPEARS he thinks it's a funny 'bit' at first, but then it spirals out of control.

I am NOT defending anything he said or did, so please don't try to imply that I am. He was/is 100% dead wrong.

[bloom]

103. I think the only thing that explains it

is that he a racist and that his anger got out of control - so now everyone knows that he is a racist.


There is no way to know WHY he is a racist - although I don't think it helps one bit to have people defending the use of racist language. It makes all the more likely that someone else will either think that such a thing is acceptable - and/or that more people will use such language themselves.

Of course - the best thing for people to not BE sexist and racist. But at the very least such people shouldn't be given a stage.


I liked the "Kramer" character as well. I used to like Woody Allen, too. :(

[Clinton Crusader]

110. BINGO! Kramer is a CHARACTER

and I loved the character, but the real person beneath Cosmo Kramer is seemingly someone I wouldn't even want living in my TOWN, let alone talk to.

[undeterred]

71. Was it REALLY Michael Richards?

[A-Schwarzenegger]

74. Tony Clifton?

[JVS]

85. Yay! Tony Clifton re-appears to ruin Kramer's career!

[originalpckelly]

75. I want to know how Bill Clinton is responsible for this, and NOW!

:rofl:

[Clinton Crusader]

79. LMAO!

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[Yavin4]

78. If An African American Comic Made Similar Statements About Jews

What would happen to said comic's Hollywood career? The same answer to that question should be applied to Michael Richards.

I loved him on Sienfeld, but he was not joking. He was angry and frustrated. Comedians get heckled every day without spinning off into racial remarks. Jerry Seinfeld was heckled on his HBO special.

Goodbye Kramer. Enjoy the residuals from "Seinfeld" because your career is over.

[NorthernSpy]

117. Richards did another performance at The Laugh Factory the VERY NEXT NIGHT!

So no, the industry doesn't seem to care about this incident nearly as much. Or much at all.

If a black comedian -- or any comedian -- were to respond to a Jewish heckler by fantasizing about the "Final Solution", there's no way he'd be allowed back onstage for another show. No friggin way.

[patcox2]

140. Jackie Mason, on the other hand, is deeply racist.

He's also embarrasingly insecure.

[jgraz]

167. Once again, the fact that they allowed him to perform doesn't mean they approve

There's just no way a comedy club could shitcan a comedian for something he said onstage. There's waay too much history there.

And they'd be just as wrong if they did it to an anti-semitic black comedian. Fire him for not being funny, but not because you're offended by what he says.

[survivor999]

128. Double standards everywhere.

Victims everywhere.

[hsher]

157. Yavin, we have responded

Jews don't care for the remarks he made either. Here's the ADL'S response, hot off the grill:

http://www.adl.org/PresRele/DiRaB_41/4930_31.htm

[ecstatic]

80. WHAT DID JERRY KNOW AND WHEN DID HE KNOW IT?

I was just thinking about this... There's no way Jerry didn't know he was working side by side with that type of racist. It's all beginning to make sense now. The all white cast that only made room for minorities playing extremely stereotypical roles :shrug:

[novalib]

86. Puerto Ricans!

Does anyone else remember the way that show portrayed Puerto Ricans???!!!

They were ALWAYS shown in low-paying occupations -- like waiters.

Or they were shown as thieves.

The show was racist through and through!!

Jerry, Elaine, George, and Kramer ALL MUST HAVE KNOWN!!!

[survivor999]

126. Then we find out that THEY made racist comments first.

I want to hear the tape. That's all.

[NorthernSpy]

175. Oh, please! We've "found out" no such thing, and you know it...

That one of the hecklers had told him that he wasn't very funny is pretty well established through witness accounts, and it seems to have been the thing that set him off.

We know this, however: someone called Richards a cracker after he started fantasizing about the good ole days of lynching, when white men such as himself knew how to deal with mouthy black dudes.

Funny how Richards' defenders always seem to forget to mention that part about lynching. Wonder why that is...

[JacksonWest]

127. Using that logic...

Danny Glover must have known Mel Gibson was an anti-semite; and is one himself.

People cover their prejudices well. You can't hold someone's peers accountable for an individuals actions. That sort of logic could get us involved in foreign conflicts that are un-winnable and immoral-simply because of a loose association of groups and people. Oh, right....

[kiki]

82. FUCK SEINFELD.

I've always found that show to be fucking offensive, or at least offensively bad.

Hey, didja know that women exist to be ridiculed by weaselly-looking guys, and Latinos all run cock-fighting rings in their basements? You did if you watch Seinfeld.

I expect some flames if anyone reads this post, but I stand by it - the fact that otherwise intelligent and progressive people like this show will always be one of life's great mysteries to me.

[survivor999]

113. SEINFELD ROCKS!

One of the best shows. Sure, people who don't live in a big city don't get it. I don't get redneck jokes.

[Cocoa]

189. kiki is from London

you're from MA. I don't think there's any city in MA that's more "big" than London.

[kiki]

202. Well, yee-haw and deedle-dee.

Ah giss y'all have ter have summa that there fancy book lernin' to unnerstand the suffisticated hew-mer from them big city shows like Seinfeld and Will and Grace. Ah better stick with the shows fer which mah interrlect is more sooted, like Larry the Cable Guy and Everybody Loves Raymond.

Just kidding - I'm from London, as the poster below says. And to suggest that a person must be some sort of cretinous 'redneck' if they don't 'get' Seinfeld is as offensive as, well, Seinfeld. Maybe that shit just isn't funny - and maybe if you think it is, YOU ain't quite as clever as you think you are.

[bloom]

118. I think that you are right.

And I've enjoyed the show.

I like the idea of them making a show out of little, everyday things - and laughing at themselves and everybody.

But I think that in light of the Richards episode that there will be more people to be thinking about the racism/sexism that could be part of it. Just like to me - the Woody Allen movies are not as funny after you know that Allen went off and married essentially his more/less daughter (the daughter by adoption of the women he had at least one child with/was a family with - even if they didn't live together, etc.)


I think more people could probably be more critical of these shows that revolve around white men and marginalize women and other people.

I think our society needs to be confronting racism more. When you have people who think that they are "liberal" or "progressive" who can't stand people who are "politically correct" (ie - against racist and sexist language) - you know there needs to be some consciousness-raising and confrontation.

[survivor999]

125. The ending of the series was about that...

Remember, they all go to jail because they're selfish, cold, assholes :) Like everybody else, let's face it.

[kiki]

204. They all go to jail at the end of the series?

Cool! I might even watch that. I assume they get in a few tee-hees about prison rape along the way. Cos, y'know, prison rape is hilarious.

[kiki]

203. We have a winner...

"I think more people could probably be more critical of these shows that revolve around white men and marginalize women and other people."

I think you are spot on. It's not about overt racism, but about presenting a homogenised, blanched-out view of the world. If you watch even fairly unoffensive shows like Friends or Will and Grace, there is a constant smugness and assumed sympathy for well-to-do whites above everyone else. Pretty much anyone who is non-white, non-pretty, fat or poor seems to be on the show entirely as a foil for the rest of the cast. These shows' creators seem to think that, for example, giving Will a sass-talking, "big mama"-style black secretary is making some sort of concession to diversity, but it's a pretty lame and even insulting attempt.

I also think you make a good point about 'political correctness' in your last paragraph that relates to (at least) one of the replies below - personally, whenever anyone uses the phrase 'PC' to make a point, I automatically stop listening. It's such bullshit.

[JacksonWest]

123. Larry David

Was the creator and writer of Seinfeld, and on his current show, "Curb your Enthusiasm", he has Wanda Sykes voice these same criticisms at him(that Seinfeld was racist). Oddly enough, David is involved in a lot of progressive activities, as he does blog(as does his wife) on Huffington. Both act as fundraisers for Democrats, and are donors as well.

So, I do not think Seinfeld was or is racist. I think Richards is a head case-and guilty of exercising ignorance and bigotry. The crowd didn't laugh, it wasn't funny, it was in the worst taste, and there's no excuse for blurring the line between humor and racism that much.

But, no, Seinfeld is not a racist show. That's PC garbage.

[hsher]

111. I'm not offended, but I'm surprised and feel sorry for him

"Cocaine's a helluva drug."

[NorthernSpy]

124. you're not offended when someone advocates lynching?

I think people who do that should go take a bath with a toaster.

[Ms. Clio]

152. yeah, that made me laugh

I miss dave.

[survivor999]

112. He is a great comedian... Not sure what he was thinking...

But perhaps those guys were relly disrupting his show and making impolite comments themselves... I'd have to hear the tape.

[originalpckelly]

120. He was trying to be funny, but he wasn't because he broke a rule...

People can be self-deprecating, but when someone white breaks out racial insults, it isn't funny.

Gay people can make fun of themselves, but someone straight cannot do it because it is considered an insult.

Comedy is supposed to be shocking, laughs are an error in the system, but there are things which aren't shocking in a good way or a safe way.

Richards brought out an insult which is not safe to laugh at because of the horrible racist overtones and the torturous abuse of blacks at the hands of people saying the same words.

I highly doubt he has any hatred of blacks whatsoever, but it will be portrayed that way. And there should be consequences for people saying those words. They are pretty evil words.

[ecstatic]

135. R U SERIES?

:rofl:

Richards brought out an insult which is not safe to laugh at because of the horrible racist overtones and the torturous abuse of blacks at the hands of people saying the same words.

[bloom]

122. There is nothing that anyone could have done...

that excuses what Richards did.


If people were being so disruptive that he could not do his thing - he could have stood there and waited until someone could deal with the people calmly. Or whatever. No - it's not the disruptor's who are responsible for Richard's behavior.

And if he ever does go to another club - he should expect to be heckled so much that he can't do another show.

[JacksonWest]

130. Great comedian?

No, no he's not. He a one note comedic actor desperate to be taken seriously that never was or will be.

He played the same "Kramer" buffoon in all of his comedy roles. He always references that he is a "serious" actor by training in any interview, but has never made the jump.

This rant of his was just the flow of rage from a bitter man that will not work again. Of course, he has about fifty million and change in the bank......

[951-Riverside]

131. Don't justify this

Even if they were interrupting him all he had to do is have them removed or even leave the stage until they were removed.

[survivor999]

156. IF they made racist comments in public first, then he

is not the one to blame. Without the tape I cannot tell... Unless it's ok to make racist comments against white people but not the other way around.

[951-Riverside]

159. Re: "he is not the one to blame"

IF thats the case he could have been mature and walked away and by the way no matter what he is to blame for making the choice to spew such BILE hate regardless.

[Ms. Clio]

163. "Without the tape I cannot tell"

I guess if you deliberately avoid watching the tape, you can make idiotic comments about what you've never seen all day long.

[survivor999]

169. Sorry, I'm not installing Active X

on my PC just to see the video. Is there another link?

[951-Riverside]

173. Here you go

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UomfLKQr57U

[survivor999]

183. Thanks.

OK, I still did not get to hear what they said to him before he went ballistic... If they were just talking in the background he could have told them to shut up or leave... What I want to know is if they made a racist comment before he did.

[951-Riverside]

191. Quoting a post on another forum

"One cannot combat racism by spewing racist statements in return. To do so is the height of Hypocrisy."

[Catherine Vincent]

193. I think they did.

They called him "white boy is not funny". Kramer blew up after that. :eyes:

[survivor999]

198. Well, that is a racist provocation...

Fuck them too. They wanted to pick a fight and then cry victims. I don't condone it coming from either side. But those who start are the ones to blame the most, no brainer there.

[Ms. Clio]

154. then WATCH it, why don't you?

christ, color me shocked. NOT.

[brettdale]

179. It was an act

I would like to know what was said to Michael Richards first, but I dont think he meant it, Im not shocked at all by it.

[951-Riverside]

186. I take it you are an 'insider'

Since you know for a fact the whole exchange was simply an act (or performance) can you ask Michael why he decided to do such a thing? :eyes: ;)

I would like to know what was said to Michael Richards first,

but but but you know its an act so why would you care?

but I dont think he meant it, Im not shocked at all by it.

Of course not after all YOU know its an act.

[hsher]

115. Hey! He can host FOX News's new comedy series

There's another thread about it on DU. Sounds to me Kramer'd be perfect.

[Ms. Clio]

116. over the fucking line

He is basically saying that he wishes they could be lynched, that they would have to live in fear of lynching, and they wouldn't be so "brave" if they had to cower in fear of every white "Massa" they met.

Where would Richards have been 65 years ago?

The racist motherfucker doesn't even apparently have the miserable excuse of being drunk. I hope his career is fucking OVER. I wouldn't pay to spit on him in the street.

[Balbus]

129. On a side-note, that has to be the worse heckle ever...

"You've only been on Seinfeld!" As I've heard someone else say, that's like telling Neil Armstrong "You've only been to the moon once!"

[Name removed]

136. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Balbus]

138. Self-delete

[951-Riverside]

142. Easy! There is not reason to attack me personally n/t

[A-Schwarzenegger]

146. Curious: was that a "Hitler smilie"?

[Balbus]

147. I agree - I apologize.

I'll just say no matter what the heckler said, the outburst was uncalled for.

[Catherine Vincent]

151. Actually, the heckler didn't say that until he was leaving which was.

well before the racist spew.

[ecstatic]

134. Had he played his cards right, he could have least ended up on VH-1

A season of Surreal Life or something similar. ROFLMAO. Sorry I can't get enough of this story. LOL

[orleans]

139. offensive. disgusting. there was no excuse for this behavior.

stupid move that the laugh factory let him come back and perform the following night.

[devilgrrl]

144. That was pathetic, plain and simple.

Disgraceful. :puke:

[AZBlue]

148. I'm not surprised. Richards is a loon.

Ever seen an interview with him???

I'm disappointed that the Laugh Factory let him perform again the next night.

[Leftisalwaysright]

149. Who Knew?

Wow, I can't believe it! Unlike Mel there hadn't been any past racist behavior on his part. Well, there go his hopes for another show...

[meisje]

160. "That's not going to be good for business...

That's not going to be good for anybody"

[novalib]

162. IT'S ABUSE -- MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL!!!

Richards' use of the words he used was nothing short of EMOTIONAL AND MENTAL ABUSE of the people at that club!!!

I hope his career is over!!!!

He is an ABUSER!!!!

[autorock]

165. Oh please.

Stupid idiots in the audience were heckling him throughout his set and calling him a cracker.

That makes them at least as equally "racist" as him.

[Catherine Vincent]

170. Nice defense.

Not!

[autorock]

174. Do you seriously think he's a racist?

Come on, you know Michael Richards is not a white supremacist anymore than the idiots in the audience were black supremacists.

When people get angry, they get personal. It's natural. When you're doing a performance on stage in front of dozens of people and some idiots are hurling personal insults at you the whole time, you can't expect to always keep your cool.

Granted, what he said was irresponsible, but the same goes for the hecklers.

I can guarantee you if white people were heckling a black comedian and the comedian started calling them crackers and whitie and spouting Black Panther propaganda, no one here would be complaining.

[Catherine Vincent]

180. No I don't know if MR is a white supremacist just like you don't know if

he isn't. And being a racist is different than being a white/black supremacist. Stand-up comedians get heckled all the time and he should have handled it better than the way he did. He couldn't stand the fact that the hecklers were black. He showed his true character, even if he was on drugs. Hecklers calling a non-funny stand-up comic a cracker is not the same as referring to lynching toward some of the audience.

[ariesgem]

199. You gotta be kidding?

"Fifty years ago we'd have you upside down with a f***ing fork up your ass." Richards continued, "You can talk, you can talk, you're brave now motherf**ker. Throw his ass out. He's a nigger! He's a nigger! He's a nigger! A nigger, look, there's a nigger!"

:banghead:

[devilgrrl]

176. Called him a cracker after he used the "n" word!

Did you watch the tape?

Huh? Cracker?

[uppityperson]

200. He does standup and should be used to heckling, plus does

cracker=nigger for being racist? Plus, someone else saying something offensive does not excuse his yelling offensive racist words. "he started it" doesn't even work on the playground. "mom, billy said bad words too" doesn't cut the responsibility for your own behavior for most parents.

[jgraz]

166. Y'know, I never thought I'd say this but...

...the use of the N-word is probably the least offensive part of that video.

"That's what you get when you interrupt the white man" Oh my fucking god.

[Catherine Vincent]

171. And that's funny he would say that.

There are some that don't consider him to be a white. That dude had to be on drugs to say the things he did.

[Xenotime]

168. At least it's not anti-semantic

[jgraz]

172. What about anti-Symantec?

Cuz those guys suck
:evilgrin:

[951-Riverside]

178. True.

If he made the same slurs against jews there would be hell to pay the same goes for any comments made against anyone else of non-african decent. No one here would be asking "what if" or "maybe" he would have automatically been called the racist that he is. :eyes:

[Bluebear]

177. Everyone is PC! PC! Why is everyone upset, they're just words!!!

:sarcasm:

re:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=2761987&mesg_id=2761987

[Opusnone]

184. Classic Lenny Bruce

No more, no less.

[Yavin4]

188. That's Bullshit

He's not Lenny Bruce. Lenny Bruce's entire comedic career was about pushing the envelope. He never worked on a mainstream sitcom and sold himself as a mainstream comic.

[senseandsensibility]

187. Is this on YouTube?

Does anyone have a link? The above link doesn't work for me.

[951-Riverside]

192. Yes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UomfLKQr57U

[senseandsensibility]

197. Thanks for the link

:)

[Garbo 2004]

194. Richards apologizes on Letterman tonight via satellite, according to TMZ.

http://www.tmz.com/2006/11/20/sorry-seems-to-be-the-hardest-word/

[MrSlayer]

195. This is a set up.

In the vein of Andy Kaufman. When was the last time you heard Michael Richards' name.

[ProfessorGAC]

205. If True, It Was An Incredibly Unfunny Set-Up

I don't know for sure, of course, but a set-up to what? To election as Grand Wizard of the KKK? He's a comic. Any attempt of set-up should have a punch-line. What could the punchline possibly be?
The Professor