Michael "Kramer" Richards and racial slurs...

[Cruentus]

Here is some video and an article on the subject...

Here was a video of the act...(*warning, foul language and racial slurs*)

Here is Richards on the Letterman show apologizing and explaining...

I don't really have much to say on the issue, other then that's pretty messed up...

 

[mrhnau]

Here is some video and an article on the subject...

Here was a video of the act...(*warning, foul language and racial slurs*)

Here is Richards on the Letterman show apologizing and explaining...

I don't really have much to say on the issue, other then that's pretty messed up...

Thanks for looking it up... I had heard about it, but not seen it yet. The second link has been removed, but I'm familiar with what he said. If I recall correctly, he even mentioned about Katrina and Bush

Its kind of interesting... comedians say things that noone else normally would say. Went to a comedy club in the area and about every third word was a naughty word. :idunno: I don't know anyone that talks that way in normal life. I think the stage gives them an element of bravery and courage they would not ordinarily have.

Still, the phrases he used is kind of odd... depending on who says it, its ok... I dunno, that just seems odd... :idunno:

 

[Jade Tigress]

I have always liked Michael Richards, but this incident has changed my perception of him. I was shocked by his words and reaction. He was waaaaaaay out of line.

 

[matt.m]

I always liked Sienfeld, however this guys a racist jerk. One of the best qualities of the MA practitioners is that we are "Color and Gender blind" or at least you should be. The MA's are, at least in Moo Sul Kwan a strong proponent of absolute acceptance of everyone or get dismissed from class or the organization entirely.

Judge on merit alone, period end of story.

 

[Grenadier]

Michael Richards screwed up. A good comedian can actually use the heckler as part of his routine, and insult the heckler while still playing to the crowd. In Richards' case, though, he lacks the experience and self-control to do this. He's a subpar actor who is trying to be a comedian, and often times, this doesn't work out.

Now that he has flushed his credentials down the toilet, he is going to have to take a long, hard look at himself.

That being said, though, there are some things society probably needs to review. Is it really OK for black people to condemn Michael Richards for his words, while many of them are applauding Chris Rock for his anti-white and anti-black statements? Shouldn't they be condemning people the likes of Chris Rock, Eddie Murphy, etc.? If a white person used the same lines from the skits of Rock, Murphy, et al., I think you all know what the results would be.

There's no one right answer to that question. Some of the answers I've heard on this matter:

1) Maybe people need to grow thicker skins, and stop taking offense to racism, regardless of whether the comedian is black or white. Even though many people find racism offensive, there is still going to be some comedy value in a well-written skit that just happens to use racism to help people laugh.

2) Maybe it should be up to *everyone* to stop using racially charged material in their comedy skits. This would *especially* include many black comedians, who pull no punches when it comes to using racist material (both black vs black and black vs white). Maybe it's up to the black community to lead by example and take the high road.

3) Maybe people are making too big of a deal about the whole situation. Michael Richards is a has-been in Hollywood, and of no real importance. This is about as much entertainment as wondering who the next beau of Paris Hilton will be...


I think we can all agree, though, that Michael Richards has flushed his career down the toilet, and unless he decides to take Robert C. Byrd's place in the Senate in 2012, his time in the limelight has passed.

 

[rutherford]

The whole thing screams Andy Kaufman to me.

 

[Cruentus]

The whole thing screams Andy Kaufman to me.

Well....not really. I don't know if you had the chance to see the Letterman interview, but he was really remorseful and apologetic and really felt bad about what he had done. I wish they hadn't of removed that link because it gave a balanced view of what happened. Granted, it doesn't excuse anything, but it at least provides a balanced view.

 

[bydand]

Well....not really. I don't know if you had the chance to see the Letterman interview, but he was really remorseful and apologetic and really felt bad about what he had done. I wish they hadn't of removed that link because it gave a balanced view of what happened. Granted, it doesn't excuse anything, but it at least provides a balanced view.

Remember he is an ACTOR. It is east to be remorseful and apologetic when you are aware the public opinion has turned against you. It would mean more if he had come back on stage after walking off and made the same statements.

 

[Jade Tigress]

Michael Richards screwed up. A good comedian can actually use the heckler as part of his routine, and insult the heckler while still playing to the crowd. In Richards' case, though, he lacks the experience and self-control to do this. He's a subpar actor who is trying to be a comedian, and often times, this doesn't work out.

You're absolutely right. I should clarify my earlier statement when I said I always liked Michael Richards. It should read, I always like the Kramer character. To be honest, I never enjoyed him in anything else.

That being said, though, there are some things society probably needs to review. Is it really OK for black people to condemn Michael Richards for his words, while many of them are applauding Chris Rock for his anti-white and anti-black statements? Shouldn't they be condemning people the likes of Chris Rock, Eddie Murphy, etc.? If a white person used the same lines from the skits of Rock, Murphy, et al., I think you all know what the results would be.

This is different. I think most people can laugh at stereotypes of themselves. We can discern a comedic act from maliciousness. Look at Charles Mencia. He has highly offensive material, but we can laugh because we know he means no ill-will toward anyone personally. They are comedic observations. The best comedy has an element of truth to it, that's why we laugh. This was no comedy act. He meant to cut with his words. He wasn't even comedically clever. Like you said, a good comedian can use a heckler to their advantage. He was absolutely out of control and completely racist.

Well....not really. I don't know if you had the chance to see the Letterman interview, but he was really remorseful and apologetic and really felt bad about what he had done. I wish they hadn't of removed that link because it gave a balanced view of what happened. Granted, it doesn't excuse anything, but it at least provides a balanced view.

I saw that interview before I saw I tape of what actually happened. I agree, he was truly remorseful and I wondered if perhaps it was yet again another overreaction by the media. It was not. I was absolutely shocked when I saw the tape of what happened. His comments went beyond insults. It was a racially charged tirade. He was out of control. It was racist to the umpteenth degree. Sure he regrets it.

 

[Drac]

Never thought he was that great of an actor, and now we know he is NO comedian...

 

[shesulsa]

I saw the Letterman interview of Jerry Seinfeld and, by satellite, Michael Richards before seeing this portion of his show. I also heard Mark & Brian replay the Letterman interview on their show and an old acquaintance of mine, Frank Sontag, made an interesting comment about Richards. His opinion is that Richards has a rage problem. My husband speculated that perhaps he's on drugs.

All I can say is I know everyone has bad days and it can affect anything in ways unexpected of and atypical the individual and manifest in really offensive ways.

I'm not sure what was going on with Richards that night, but what I did appreciate is he took responsibility for what he did on Letterman - something we don't see a lot of anymore. He's clearly upset by it and whatever caused him to lash out in this manner. He used the word 'rage' and I'd have to agree - he displayed problematic rage instead of self-control, though I don't think the rage issue is an excuse for using such an offensive, wrong tack!

I'm also going to say a very unpopular thing here: When we're reacting to and analyzing anyone's behavior, I think it is incumbent upon us to remember the intention behind the behavior. Heckling is becoming more the norm than the exception in comedy clubs especially these days. Yet, as I said before, that's not to say that being heckled is any excuse for a racist tyrade.

I like Richards and think if he explored other acting tools besides free association, characterization and the method, he'd likely have more success in both performing as a carreer AND doing the personal work he clearly needs to do.

This was shocking, to say the least.

 

[Cruentus]

I saw that interview before I saw I tape of what actually happened. I agree, he was truly remorseful and I wondered if perhaps it was yet again another overreaction by the media. It was not. I was absolutely shocked when I saw the tape of what happened. His comments went beyond insults. It was a racially charged tirade. He was out of control. It was racist to the umpteenth degree. Sure he regrets it.

Yup. Which is exactly why I don't think this is an Andy Kauffman stunt. I think that he legitimatily went on an inappropriate tirade and legitimately now has to deal with the aftermath of his actions.

 

[rutherford]

Depends on the intention. It is starting a lot of interesting dialogs.

I don't know Michael Richards, and in general I'm not much interested in Why people do stuff, more the things they do and their effects.

 

[Blotan Hunka]

I think the word should be OK to use for everybody or nobody. Judging intent in this sort of thing is a quagmire.

 

[Jade Tigress]

I think the word should be OK to use for everybody or nobody. Judging intent in this sort of thing is a quagmire.

Yeah, but did you see/hear the actual tape? It goes waaay beyond the use of the "n" word. There's no missing his intent at the time.

 

[zDom]

I saw the tape. Richards was out of control. If he was trying to be funny, he failed miserably.

On the other hand, I agree with the above comment: the "N" word should be used by NOBODY.

How racist is it to make money putting the "N" word in rap music, videos and casual conversation and then to cry bloody murder when someone else uses it?

Racism is not dead, there is no doubt about it. But most racism I see nowadays is black vs. white, not white vs. black.

White racism gets called out instantly with a public outcry. Black racism is around us everyday. Think of all the black organizations and then consider what would happen if someone formed a "National Association for the Advancement of White People." Or a "White History Month."

Blacks around here, at least, as well as many I see in national media give me the impression they think it is alright to act rudely and offensively as a form of reparations for white racism of the past.

Why is OK to call me "white boy" or "whitey" or other racist names?

Why is it OK for black comedians to portray white people as rigid, uptight dorks with no rhythm, but wrong for white comedians to wear blackface or imitate black dialects of the past?

Why is a C-list wanna-be comedian's racism national news but daily racism from black comics a non-issue?

Eliminating racism necessitates being color blind when it comes to race, not making special provisions for one race or raising public outcries only over one form of racism while ignoring others.

No more "it's a black thing" excuses. No more affirmative action. No more one-way racist comedy.

Let's grow past ALL this crap and become ONE NATION under God, indivisible.

/end rant.

 

[Bigshadow]

Regardless of the language he used, he clearly had lost control of himself! A good comedian would have turned things around on them as part of the show.

 

[stone_dragone]

I just watched it. I had initially thought that he was using questionable language as part of his routine intending to shock...

Nevermind. That was pure directed anger. Very unpleasant to watch.

 

[Don Roley]

I'm also going to say a very unpopular thing here: When we're reacting to and analyzing anyone's behavior, I think it is incumbent upon us to remember the intention behind the behavior. Heckling is becoming more the norm than the exception in comedy clubs especially these days. Yet, as I said before, that's not to say that being heckled is any excuse for a racist tyrade.

What you say kind of ties in with something I once saw.

I am a racial minority here in Japan. I saw a situation where someone lost control at someone who was of a different race and cut loose with some of the worst racist terms you can imagine. Yet I am pretty sure this guy has no real feelings of hate or racism toward that group. Afterwards, he admitted that his one and only intent was to hurt the other guy by any means he could. And he seems to have thought that racist terms would do the job best.

Yeah, he is an idiot and can't control his rage. But I don't know if he is really a racist.

 

[Jonathan Randall]

What you say kind of ties in with something I once saw.

I am a racial minority here in Japan. I saw a situation where someone lost control at someone who was of a different race and cut loose with some of the worst racist terms you can imagine. Yet I am pretty sure this guy has no real feelings of hate or racism toward that group. Afterwards, he admitted that his one and only intent was to hurt the other guy by any means he could. And he seems to have thought that racist terms would do the job best.

Yeah, he is an idiot and can't control his rage. But I don't know if he is really a racist.

I observed a similar event where a young teenage girl called a school administrator the "N" word. Was she racist? No, I don't think so - particularly as her best friends were black. Was she being a brat? Heck yeah and she deserved whatever she got when her extremely embarrassed and angry parents were called to the school.