Richards says he's not a racist. Watch and draw your own conclusions.

The Rant: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNlrOx6GCFA

The Apology: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UG6-t6glZ0

Imagine if every comedian who said something that wasn't politically correct had to apologize

There would be no laughter anywhere

As for whether he is or isn't a racist, I don't personally know the man, so I have no idea as he did not confide in me.

I do know that penultimate episode of Seinfeld was pure nasty, and wasn't to me funny. (Where Jerry burned the Puerto Rican flag.)

But that had nothing to do with Michael Richard's real life.

Did you watch the video clip?

Your comments about Seinfeld and his performance in particular episodes of that show is completely irrelevant to the issue raised here.

I would say this incident clearly reflects his real life. This was his extemporaneous response to a heckler and not part of his prepared comedy routine.

Yeah I saw it. I know the heckler threw him. (wonder have they found the heckler?Is he another comic?)

But I personally think this was a pre-planned thing, as the 7th season DVD is being released today of all days (which was why Jerry came out of retirement).

Richards is a washed up actor, who before or after probably has seen his best role

So it is silly this is a national issue.

A few years ago, there was a great funny movie "The Aristocrats".
Now every comedian in America was in that doing the same joke.
Funny as hell.
And dirty and racist as can be.

What is the solution?
Richards is not in anything current. Don't buy the DVD's (although he is a small part of the show, which is extremely dated and doesn't warrant repeated viewings IMHO).
If he is a racist, shame on him. Shame on his parents. But does it really matter?
This shouldn't be national news.

Most people are prejudiced. It's a shame everything is backwards.
But what is the real reason this is news? Does it tie in with Obama in some weird way? Are they going to ask him his opinion (I sure hope he doesn't dignify the topic).

I voted Yes. I know that the other night he was - I don't know if that is indictive to his entire life though. So, yes he was extremely racist one night that I am aware.

You know, it's almost like it wasn't him.. I was wondering if he had some kind of disease or drugs or drunk.. something to explain what could make a normally funny man act so badly.

And Seinfield is not the person or the reason or the target of this .. it was one man, Michael Richards.

Didn't watch the uncensored video ( I saw a clip on Olberman I think. It was censored.). Not interested in it. Long ago I told myself that those who espouse racism are not worth my time. I dismiss them from my thoughts and my life. I don't know this man, so I don't know if he is a racist or not, and anyway he is not in power over me.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/eric-deggans...de_b_34603.html

Michael Richards Has Made His Apology: Now Fans Have a Decision to Make
by Eric Deggans

I'm so angry with Michael Richards right now.

Not just because the former Seinfeld star was crazy enough to call a black audience member a "epithet deleted" several times when he thought the guy was heckling him. But because now I have to decide something I don't really have enough information to conclude.

Do I remain a fan?

This happened earlier this year with Mel Gibson. I'd always been a fan of the guy -- for his fearless enthusiasm in directing Bravehart; his quiet competence in Signs; his scenery-chewing, action-guy theatrics in the Lethal Weapon movies.

Then he goes and shows off his anti-Semitic side in a drunken rant, and those days are suddenly over. I can't be down with somebody who hates someone simply because they are Jewish.

Richards is somebody I noticed a long time before Seinfeld. He was brilliant in this mid-'80s Saturday Night Live rip off on ABC called Fridays -- a late-night, live sketch comedy show which aired, well, you can guess when it aired. He would meet a guy named Larry David there who would eventually co-create one of the best urban comedies on TV.

Even then, Richards had a gift for physical comedy, playing this man-child who would try playing with plastic Army guys only to wind up covered in sand. He also had memorable moment picking a fight with guest host Andy Kaufman -- a prank that sparked a backstage brawl which reportedly only he and Kaufman knew was staged. Check one of his better stand-up gigs here.

So when I saw the footage on TMZ.com revealing the depth of Richards' explosion, it literally made me ill.

""Fifty years ago we'd have you upside down with a f------ fork up your ass," he said while on stage."You can talk, you can talk, you're brave now motherf------. Throw his ass out. He's a n-----! He's a n-----! He's a n-----! A n-----, look, there's a n-----!"

Though he dodged initial opportunities to apologize, Richards taped an apologetic appearance on David Letterman's Late Show Monday, appearing by satellite in an interview arranged by his friend Jerry Seinfeld in New York.

"For me to be at a comedy club and flip out and say this crap..." said Richards. "I'm deeply, deeply sorry."

But for people of color, trust comes hard. Life in 2006 already requires working far too hard to decide who you can trust on matters of race. But shrugging this off is not an option: judging the difference between trust and mere tolerance can be a matter of life and death for those of us who are darker than blue.

One advantage we had in the old days was that prejudice was in your face, like a thin skin of scum at the top of a putrid waterway. Now, its much harder to know who you can trust, and when the mask falls, it can be a shocking experience. (And please don't trot out that old defense that black people use the n-word, too. there's an obvious difference between people who are part of a group using a charged word and people outside that group using it; just think of the difference between a stranger calling your brother or sister an idiot and you doing it.)

Los Angeles journalist Nikki Finke has lamented that comedy clubs have become a haven for racist, sexist homophobic ideas. But that's nothing new; the unfortunate consequence of the success geniuses such as Richard Pryor, Chris Rock and Bill Hicks have built on exploring the edgy explicit terrain of raw race and class issues, is that lesser lights will wind up trafficking in empty stereotypes and BS.

Already, I can't buy gas at Texaco, can't eat dinner at Denny's, can't watch Bob Schieffer on the news and can't watch a Lethal Weapon movie without fear of putting my hard-earned dollars in some racist's hands.

Now Richards wants that trust back. He wants people to assume that his tirade was some awkward slip of the tongue -- a lapse which can be papered over by an apology and an earnest face.

I don't think so, Kramer.

You can see Seinfeld's calculation in this as well. He's got a DVD collection of the show's seventh season hitting stores today, just in time for Christmas. And one of the few criticisms which constantly dogged the acclaimed series was its lack of black people in prominent roles -- despite its location in the most diverse town in America, New York City.

I would imagine his worst fear was Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton shouting "boycott Seinfeld!" four days before the biggest shopping day of the year. And let's not forget Letterman got a huge scoop for his show during an important ratings period.

But if this was really about apologizing, why didn't Richards just step in front of a TV camera in Los Angeles? Why do a taped interview by satellite to New York City that airs at 11 p.m. on a show few black people watch in a way that benefits two of your friends? Doesn't sound like much of an apology to me.

So what is this black fan of Richards and Seinfeld supposed to think now?

That he's an asshole Eric. A stupid asshole. And as we all know assholes come in all colors.

Were you equally as dismissive regarding Mel Gibson's tirade against Jews?

Does it really matter you ask? I guess if you're a black person it matters. I would hope with the long history of racism in this country it would matter to everyone. I would hope it would be just as important for blacks to take a stand against racism against Jews and for Jews to take a stand against racism toward Latinos and on down the line. I would hope it would matter to all us when any of our fellow Americans are reviled in this way.

I hardly think this was pre-planned to coincide with the release of the Seinfeld dvd -- quite the contrary.

Why do you suppose the HuffingtonPost found this incident newsworthy?

That's an interesting recipe for how to deal with racism in the culture -- dismiss it from your thoughts, dismiss it from your life, tell yourself it has no power over you. Interesting. Sounds kind of like pretend it's not there or just live with it.

I think all 4 from Seinfeld are stuck up rich (if they saved their $$$) and I would say obnoxious. Snobs is the word. They all feel they are better than anyone else, because they always use "I was on Seinfeld" when people talk about them.

Mel is a bit different, because he has a prior history of anti-semetic remarks, and his father is a Holocaust denier. As his father is, it would not surprise me that
Mel is too.
But it doesn't affect me personally, and I said at the time, Mel was looking for publicity too.
I didn't enjoy Mel movies all through his career, before I knew who he was or his background (Mad Max, Lethal weapon). Only really enjoyed the one where he was disfigured.

I know if a cop pulls me over for a traffic violation, I say yes sir, no sir, thank you.
(even if I would want to say some things, there is a time and place to argue).

Again, whether a celebrity is prejudiced doesn't really affect me.
If our president has policies against certain groups, that affects me.

But as said, I am not particually a fan of Michael Richards, hadn't really thought of him since Seinfeld ended, 99 percent of actors never make it famous.
Some have one big roll, and 99 percent of those never have a second roll.
Don't know why anyone would facing those odds go into that field in the first place.
Think probably most of them have some sort of psychological problem or other, which is what allows them to go on stage and do what they all do, but that is generalization.

I do know that forever forward, Richards will be known for this and Seinfeld. It won't be forgotten.
I don't expect him to have another major role, but then again, as I said, I didn't expect him to make news again either.

I can tell you that since I fought those who would insult me to my face, few have done so since. I don't care what the racist thinks of me, as long as he says it out of my hearing. Let him whisper under his breath. I once followed my always well dressed brother into a restaurant in Ft. Smith Ark. years ago. There was a raised dining area just inside the door that we passed on our way to join some friends at the bar. My brother had already passed the dining area but I hadn't when I heard someone say clearly; "There goes the "epithet deleted" who's got your job!"

I walked up into the dinning area and said just as clearly. "Who is the coward who said that about my brother?" I waited no one looked up at me. They kept their faces in their food. As I turned I said; "It's as I thought. Now you know why you lost your job!"

I will not vote for those who are racist, and I won't let them rule my life. I will stand up to them no matter what color they are on a personal basis, and as a citizen with my vote. And with all due respect, I don't need to explain myself to anyone.

robin- what do you suggest should be done against Michael Richards?

As he has not had a hit role since Seinfeld, and probably won't have one again, there is really not much that can be done.

even banning Seinfeld videos, doesn't do much, as Jerry and Larry David have the majority of money made from them.

I think thinking he is a washed-up sorry figure is going to now haunt him for years.

Actually the thing to do is elect Barack Obama president as I have advocated for.

Because then a great percentage of the left out population can say, now, we can grow up and become President of the United States.

And maybe that will help racism.

I could have sworn in the 1970s (before Reagan) we were on our way to this being a non-issue.

I think the prevalence of racism in the culture, the ease with which people act out in racist ways, the society's comfort level with racism affects you personally along with everyone else in this country, irrespective of the particular racial group we belong to.

Many, myself among them, believe race baiting was a key factor in both Harold Ford and George Allen's unsuccessful Senate races as well as the ascension of Mel Martinez to RNC Chair. Coming to terms with race in this culture ranks among the top 10 things that matter IMO. In my view the kind of dismissive, why does this matter, it doesn't affect me attitude toward racist acts against any racial group in America reflects the depth of the problem.

I find it interesting that there wasn't a similarly dismissive attitude or more of a why does this matter outcry over OJ's book and interview. That truly was a situation that had no "personal" affect on anyone beyond the immediate families involved and really no political implications. When the same segments of the country who expressed outrage over OJ's book deal and interview can respond to acts of racism with the same impassioned disgust displayed there, then we will have arrived.

We have to care about each other. I don't know how anybody could watch that Richards clip and not be disturbed on many different levels.

TROS -- I think I didn't express myself very well and may have offended you as a result. I didn't mean to. I think the issue as I see is more complicated than I can even express so I probably should just leave it alone.

If he said it to me, there would be film at 11. When a racist speaks he is really telling you more about himself than anyone else. As long as he cannot deny me my rights I care as much about his opinions as I would care to see someone's ugly rash up close. Let him hide it and be ashamed of it as he should be. I choose to shun those people. That's just my way unless they get in my face about it. Some people just hate and fear anyone who is different. Some hide that, and others are proud of it. Me. I tend to like people and when I learned to like myself I burned the demons in my mind. As a racially mixed person I have seen other people's demons from all sides. Those demons have hurt me enough. They will not hurt me anymore.

because OJ was black and the victim white (not to mention bleach blonde).

It is more than obvious

Had it been OJs first wife, I bet the outcry would not have been there.

(Same as the blonde from Aruba. If she had been black no one ever would have heard of the story).

With Richards, I was trying to take the "this shouldn't be news approach" because we have better things to discuss on a political board, guess I didnot see what you were trying to say about it.

But this is a weird society we live in, when Mark Foley can go and blame it on alchohol, and McGreevey just says it is being gay and get all the crimes dismissed.

BTw- the NJ senate race had some racist things going on too, but it backfired on Kean.

You didn't offend me. I just got ticked off. My immediate previous post may explain where I am coming from on this issue. I suffered a lot from racism as I grew up. But things are better now for me. Still the greatest pain was self inflicted, because I listened to and believed I was tainted because of my mixed heritage. The racists on all sides said that to me and to the degree I bought it I cut myself down. Now I judge others by the way they judge me. But now my answer is to turn my back and leave them to themselves.

not to mention we have a President who has used division to divide the world

"Islamic fascists" whatever that means.

And his father, Bush41 during his campaign trotted Loretta Lynn on talk shows to say Michael Duk...(and messed up Dukakis' name) and said, what kind of name is that? That is not American. Will never forget that on TNN watching it.

And Bush43 during Katrina- nothing said it clearer there are 2 not 1 versions of America to Bush.

shameful.

I think he was speculating that there is a racist buried in all of us. I took it that he was mocking that mindset or that racist.

My guess is he thought that they would laugh with and not at the heckler. Instead the heckler felt that everyone was laughing at him and it escalated.

My guess is that some of the people who still think that way (if there were any in that audience) were laughing at what he said and the heckler he said it to. Others were laughing at the irony of how the majority of this country used to think and how some still think that way, but not laughing at the heckler.

I'm sure his apology was sincere.

The only reason why it's not politically correct for white people to use that word in humor is because the history is too recent.

It's also a touchy subject when the majority makes fun of any minority at any time, anywhere, for any reason. This was obvious with the Muslim humor backlash.

It will always be a double standard. It's acceptable to make fun of your own.

This could be true. Perhaps things just got out of hand. Again it was at least incredibly stupid. Something an asshole would say. Maybe he was drunk, who knows? But, If those are his real feelings then he should be embarrassed and cover up his rash.

Yeah. Everything is planned. It's all part of the wag-the-dog conspiracy fix. The flies in your house are robotic bugs from the CIA. Lightning striking is from hidden satellites with a plot to destroy evidence. Every drop of rain is a distraction from the hidden agenda.

I have the perfect gift for you.

please don't divert the topic.

That today is the day the DVD is released is no coincidence.
So maybe this guy in the audience was a plant

When I first heard this, I did not realize the man in the audience was black. Are we sure he is???

Because the first thought that came to mind was it was Newman doing it.
(Wayne Knight).
So maybe indeed this was a bit that got out of hand, or maybe Richards is 100percent bigot.
This country is full of them. Moreso I would say than any other country in the world.

Bravo!