Michael Richards (Kramer) in hot water over racial rants... [Archive]

DrummerDeanna

11-20-2006, 03:22 PM

http://blogs.usatoday.com/ondeadline/2006/11/michael_richard.html

Michael Richards in hot water over racial rant
Comedian Michael Richards, known to millions as Seinfeld's Cosmo Kramer, is about to become known for another point in his career. In a story emerging from the overnight hours, reports find Richards shouting racial slurs at comedy club hecklers.

In a report first aired Sunday on CNN's Anderson Cooper 360, a witness says a Friday night appearance by Richards at the Los Angeles Laugh Factory got ugly fast when Richards responded to hecklers by screaming at the audience, shouting a racial slur repeatedly and clearly referencing lynching. The audience reacted angrily, and Richards walked off stage, CNN reports. Comedian Paul Rodriguez appears to confirm the report.

Early this morning, TMZ.com posted a video of the incident that shows much of what the CNN report described. TMZ was the website that broke news of Mel Gibson's traffic stop this summer. If you visit the website, please be aware the site's description and video include barely censored profanity and uncensored racial slurs.

According to a report from Internet Broadcasting, a network of television news websites, the audience members Richards addressed were two black men.

DrummerDeanna

11-20-2006, 03:23 PM

There's a video at TMZ:

http://www.tmz.com/

carrie721

11-20-2006, 03:26 PM

classy. :cool:

DavidMn

11-20-2006, 03:30 PM

I always thought this guys was an unfunny total asshole.

goldustsongbird

11-20-2006, 03:31 PM

There's a video at TMZ:

http://www.tmz.com/

I don't know if I want to watch that and taint Kramer's image for myself. :shocked: Way to be a jerkoff, Michael.

DrummerDeanna

11-20-2006, 03:32 PM

I always thought this guys was an unfunny total asshole.

Tell us how you really feel, David :laugh:

I just saw this on CNN _they were showing the video and I couldn't even tell who it was (the volume is way low) - then they had a quote from Jerry Seinfeld about it to which I thought...why Jerry? So I googled it...and it all makes sense...he was obviously pissed off...and just went over the edge..

carrie721

11-20-2006, 03:34 PM

I don't know if I want to watch that and taint Kramer's image for myself. :shocked: Way to be a jerkoff, Michael.

uh, yeah. i want one of those memory things from men in black. :laugh:

DrummerDeanna

11-20-2006, 03:35 PM

If I can seperate his horrid performance in UHF with Kramer - then this isn't a problem :p

SuzeQuze

11-20-2006, 03:46 PM

Hmm, is he next in line for rehab?

PsychCat

11-20-2006, 03:57 PM

You mean HE is an anit-dentite?? ;)

cliffdweller

11-20-2006, 03:58 PM

That IS bad. Actually, that's worse than anything I could've imagined, and I have a pretty wild imagination. What the f is up?!

DrummerDeanna

11-20-2006, 04:05 PM

^^
Right? And note how there was still laughter after his "he'd have been hanging w/ a fork up his ***" comment - then people started realizing he may not be joking...

Paul Rodriguez was just on CNN and said he was there - and everyone was waiting for a punchline - but it never came.

Still no word from Richards - but I think Suze may be onto something...

HomerMcvie

11-20-2006, 04:56 PM

You mean HE is an anit-dentite?? ;)

:D Thanks for the Seinfeldian circular humor!
I don't want to watch it. I WORSHIP Kramer.

JazmenFlowers

11-20-2006, 06:07 PM

That IS bad. Actually, that's worse than anything I could've imagined, and I have a pretty wild imagination. What the f is up?!
you took the words out of my mouth. "wtf?" :laugh:

PsychCat

11-20-2006, 08:06 PM

I saw the video on various shows this afternoon.
WOW!!:eek: That guy was off the chain, to say the least.
At least just as sad were the chumps in the audience who kept laughing.
Okay... now we know y'all are suck-up freaks who wouldn't know real comedy if you saw it.

I LOVE the way he's gonna be on Letterman tonight talking about how HE'S NOT AN ANTI-SEMITE!!
Oh my.... WHAT has Mel Gibson started?? :shrug:
These people honestly and truly want us to believe that these feelings and responses come out of the clear blue sky??
What a knucklehead..... :eek:

DrummerDeanna

11-20-2006, 08:09 PM

I saw the video on various shows this afternoon.
WOW!!:eek: That guy was off the chain, to say the least.
At least just as sad were the chumps in the audience who kept laughing.
Okay... now we know y'all are suck-up freaks who wouldn't know real comedy if you saw it.

I was apalled by that as well - the hanging w/ the fork comment? Did NOT warrant laughter - but at that point people are still laughing...:distress:

mylittledemon

11-20-2006, 08:38 PM

i wonder if it was part of the show?

DrummerDeanna

11-20-2006, 08:43 PM

i wonder if it was part of the show?

No - according to the other professional comedians who were there it was not - the man just lost it.

Of course maybe they're just covering their asses? Who knows. What sticks with me is Paul Rodriguez saying he was waiting for a punchline...but one never came.

His (Richard's) explanation and/or apology on Letterman tonight should be interesting...

mylittledemon

11-20-2006, 09:57 PM

No - according to the other professional comedians who were there it was not - the man just lost it.

Of course maybe they're just covering their asses? Who knows. What sticks with me is Paul Rodriguez saying he was waiting for a punchline...but one never came.

His (Richard's) explanation and/or apology on Letterman tonight should be interesting...

Yeah I just watched the video myself. It doesnt seem like an act. Yikes. I cant believe Kramer would do that.

gldstwmn

11-20-2006, 11:44 PM

Hmm, is he next in line for rehab?

That's what I was thinking.

GODDESS6

11-21-2006, 07:51 AM

i just watched this the sorta unedited version, the only thing they bleeped i think was the F-bomb~ & must say it seriously disturbed me~ they say on the news that he has sice apologized, but really those are words you just can't take back, they totally cross the line:distress: ~

markolas

11-21-2006, 08:25 AM

I never liked him. Couldn't stand him on Seinfeld, or the George Costanza character. Come to think of it, Elaine was the only one I halfway liked.

Anyway, his career is over (what's left of it, anyway). Like GODDESS6 said, you just can't take that back and say "Oh, I didn't mean it."

SuzeQuze

11-21-2006, 08:53 AM

JazmenFlowers

11-21-2006, 09:27 AM

Come to think of it, Elaine was the only one I halfway liked.
I know, right? :laugh:

SuzeQuze

11-21-2006, 09:56 AM

I know, right? :laugh:

Jerry was the one character I could not stand. Next was Costanza, no way those hot girls would date him. NO WAY!!!

cliffdweller

11-21-2006, 11:46 AM

Jerry was the one character I could not stand. Next was Costanza, no way those hot girls would date him. NO WAY!!!

Ha! I love, love, love Seinfeld, but agree with you Suze. I always thought it was unrealistic how they would give Jerry all these attractive romantic interests on the show-- and George too! As if!

Yeah, Michael Richards certainly dug his grave professionally with those comments, and an apology after the fact is just offensive. I mean, get real man. It is very disturbing that those thoughts were lurking around in his head this whole time-- makes me wonder who else out there is the same way. Scary, very scary.

DrummerDeanna

11-21-2006, 01:44 PM

Did anyone catch him on Letterman? I missed it - I meant to watch it but ended up immersed in the X-Files....

gldstwmn

11-21-2006, 01:48 PM

Did anyone catch him on Letterman? I missed it - I meant to watch it but ended up immersed in the X-Files....

Missed Letterman but CNN showed his taped statement. He basically said he was pissed off and snapped.

DrummerDeanna

11-21-2006, 01:49 PM

Missed Letterman but CNN showed his taped statement. He basically said he was pissed off and snapped.

Wow..no "I was going through a depression" or "I'm addicted to drugs.." or "I was drunk?? :eek: I'm shocked...

gldstwmn

11-21-2006, 01:50 PM

Wow..no "I was going through a depression" or "I'm addicted to drugs.." or "I was drunk?? :eek: I'm shocked...

Nope. He didn't come off very apologetic, IMO.

DrummerDeanna

11-21-2006, 02:05 PM

I just saw it on Google Video. He didn't quite come out and apologize -though I do think he looked pretty broken up about it. But was he upset over his actions...or the fact that his actions will probably ruin his already waning career?

And the audience, again, laughing - Jerry even said, "don't laugh, it's not funny.." and really I couldn't tell why the people where laughing :shrug:

Should be interesting to see what comes of it..I do think it's good that he says up next is self-exploration of sorts - finding out where this rage came from...

HomerMcvie

11-21-2006, 02:27 PM

And the audience, again, laughing - Jerry even said, "don't laugh, it's not funny.." and really I couldn't tell why the people where laughing :shrug:

I think they were just laughing because it's KRAMER. As soon as he started to speak, they started to laugh.

You know, when someone cuts me off in traffic, I'm known to start name calling. Not necessarily racial slurs, but I'll yell something ****ty at them. Fat, old, bald, smoker, whatever I can come up with(yes, I consider smoking to be as bad as anything I can think of:lol: ).
I think this slur just came out of his mouth before he could hit the stop button. I know I grew up hearing a few older relatives saying the word, as I'm sure many people did. How could it not still be in your subconscious mind?
He made a VERY non-PC mistake. Obviously. And I'm sure he's sorry.

Rickypt

11-21-2006, 02:41 PM

I think they were just laughing because it's KRAMER. As soon as he started to speak, they started to laugh.

You know, when someone cuts me off in traffic, I'm known to start name calling. Not necessarily racial slurs, but I'll yell something ****ty at them. Fat, old, bald, smoker, whatever I can come up with(yes, I consider smoking to be as bad as anything I can think of:lol: ).
I think this slur just came out of his mouth before he could hit the stop button. I know I grew up hearing a few older relatives saying the word, as I'm sure many people did. How could it not still be in your subconscious mind?
He made a VERY non-PC mistake. Obviously. And I'm sure he's sorry.

Spewing racists slurs and talking about lynching is a lot more serious than making a "mistake" and it has nothing to do with political correctness.

I think if this was just a case of something accidently slipping out that he didn't mean, then he would have stopped himself immediately. Instead, he went on a racist rant.

strandinthewind

11-21-2006, 02:47 PM

. . . makes me wonder who else out there is the same way. Scary, very scary.

I know very few if any people who do not think it when provoked. They may never admit it or say it. But, somewhere, they think it. I do, however, know many a person who will swear up and down the thought never crosses their minds. I just am too cynical to believe that because I notice mahy of these same people do not hang out in Harlem and the like, they cross the road at night to avoid a group of black guys, all their friends are white, they live in white neighborhoods, etc.

In the end, I think there is white and black trash, mean people, and so on. Sadly, black trash seemingly equates to the N word. I also think if the rappers can use the word, anyone can. But, I am not dumb enough to say it in public because it will taken the wrong way - and, in the end, how could it not be from a white guy who ain't PC at all :shrug:

HomerMcvie

11-21-2006, 02:57 PM

Spewing racists slurs and talking about lynching is a lot more serious than making a "mistake" and it has nothing to do with political correctness.

I think if this was just a case of something accidently slipping out that he didn't mean, then he would have stopped himself immediately. Instead, he went on a racist rant.

And I'll bet that he was serious about the lynching, trying to incite the white folks in the audience and all.:rolleyes:

strandinthewind

11-21-2006, 03:14 PM

And I'll bet that he was serious about the lynching, trying to incite the white folks in the audience and all.:rolleyes:

I actually think from watching the clip, he may at the very beginning have been trying to be funny in the way that when your loaded you think you are being funny but then realize what you just said and it was not funny at all. but, he kept on at it, which was a mistake. Hopefully, he'll learn from it.

JazmenFlowers

11-21-2006, 06:09 PM

In the end, I think there is white and black trash, mean people, and so on. Sadly, black trash seemingly equates to the N word. I also think if the rappers can use the word, anyone can. But, I am not dumb enough to say it in public because it will taken the wrong way - and, in the end, how could it not be from a white guy who ain't PC at all :shrug:
ITA.

it's kind of like the girl that called me a "faggot" to my face at the Berkeley show because I kept asking her to sit down or move so I could see. I mean, you don't just say that.

and she wonders how that gum got stuck in her hair!? :shrug:

strandinthewind

11-21-2006, 07:47 PM

ITA.

it's kind of like the girl that called me a "faggot" to my face at the Berkeley show because I kept asking her to sit down or move so I could see. I mean, you don't just say that.

and she wonders how that gum got stuck in her hair!? :shrug:

What a C You Next Tuesday :mad:

I mean you being gay has nothing to do with your need to see the concert you paid to see. Yet, you being gay is an automatic low blow and covers all areas :rolleyes:

gldstwmn

11-23-2006, 12:19 PM

Apparently there is a pattern of behavior like this with him, it just hasn't been publicized like this incident has. I was reading on one of the gossip sites that he has tendency to treat people he works with like crap and that he has these "outburts."

BlackWidow

11-23-2006, 01:11 PM

ITA.

it's kind of like the girl that called me a "faggot" to my face at the Berkeley show because I kept asking her to sit down or move so I could see. I mean, you don't just say that.

and she wonders how that gum got stuck in her hair!? :shrug:

sorry to hear that....it takes alot of strength to deal with that ****.:distress:

Serrart

11-23-2006, 05:45 PM

I think his career will be doomed by this. Differently from Mel Gibson's case here there's a video that would permanently link him with violent reality to this accident. Besides, for once I agree with Al Sharpton, the 'White man" comment shows that it wasn't just an outburst, but that what he said belongs to his personality.

Romy