NEWS: \\\\\\\'Seinfeld\\\\\\\' Star in Ugly Racist Tirade

CELEB: 'Seinfeld' Star in Ugly Racist Tirade

In a supremely stupid move, former Seinfeld star Michael Richards bitterly ranted onstage at the Laugh Factory Friday in West Hollywood. During his stand-up routine, two African American audience members reportedly taunted Richards, stating the comedian wasn’t funny. Richards didn’t take the teasing well and responded with offensive racial epithets directed at the men. TMZ.com posted a video of the horrendous three minute meltdown in which Richards made Mel Gibson look like a boy scout.

Richards left the stage, but returned the following evening, completing his performance without incident. He refused to comment about the incident on-camera to CNN, but allegedly told a reporter off-camera he was sorry for his behavior.

Meanwhile, his old boss, Jerry Seinfeld, felt “sick” over the incident.

I hope Richards saved his Seinfeld money; he’s probably never getting a paying gig again.

Check out the video here.


UPDATE: Richards appeared this evening on The Late Show with David Letterman, and allowed Dave to question him about the incident.

When will people realise that there's a bunch of things that it's just plain stupid to be saying? I don't care what you say at home to your pals, when you're in front of other people it's _obviously stupid_ to be calling them {insert sexist, racist, homophobic, bigotted slur here}.

Had Dave Chappelle said "Fifty years ago [a nigger'd be] upside down with a fucking fork up [his] ass," everyone would be rolling in the aisles.

What's your point, dude?

Speechless?

The point is it wasn't Dave Chappelle saying it - context is everything, It was a white man overcome by anger and hatred, trying to intimidate black audience members by reminding them of the history of racist murder. Given that lynchings were still going on in the 1960s - within the lifetime of some audience members - that's not a clever thing to do.

Something tells me Randall Kennedy is going to be busy.

:cringe:

i t was funny in the way bumfights was funny. im no rascist, but momentum is right.

its unfortunatly about context. chappelle can say the n word all he wants, but other comics because of skin color cant. not saying thats right or wrong. that word has a connotation, a stigma.

is it ballsy comedy or a bad idea? i think sometimes people need to get out of there seats, i also think some of the best comedy is when i laugh and no one else does. heck, is french connection a rascist film because of one of hte opening lines?

its just a bad idea. this is the world we live in.

does it really matter? so he said the "n" word.

i'm no racist by any means, but i'm so over worrying what other people say about other people. there are far more serious issues people could worry about than michael richards making racial slurs. sure it was uncalled for, but the more people bitch about it, the more publicity he gets. look at mel gibson, he went on a tirade against jews. people threw a fit, and did it really hurt him any?

u know what sucks, we all have to say, "im no rascist" but all he said was the n word. were all so afraid of being called a rascist.

Mind you Dave Chappelle does shows like that to satire the racism in America. He doesnt do it just for the comedy.

Wow and its really evident just by the respsonses on here that no one finds this disgusting. Benhasglasses for you to say all he said was the n word is disgusting to hear. It shows how inept some people can be. It wasnt the fact that he just said the n word, it was he fact that he pointed to black audience members, spewed out the n word and said 50 years ago we would have hung you upside down and put a fork in your ass. If thats not disgusting and racist, then what is.

What, haven't you gotten pissed to the point of saying stupid shit? Yelled hurtful things at a friend or family member till they cried? Probably all of us have. So when a stranger is insulting you in public, it's no suprise when you blow up. Both parties are at fault.

I saw that video yesterday I lost any respect I had for him. Now I'll never be able to enjoy Seinfield the way I use to. The excuse he tries to give is even worse. A person in his position needs to be more intelligent in what he says and calling someone an offensive slur while on stage is probably the dumbest thing you can do.

which is more shocking?

Kramer's behavior or the laissez faire attitude of the "progressive" people here?

Instead of the racist tirade, Michael Richards should have gone to the heckler's workplace and heckle him.

Uhmm, no, I haven't.

But, way to generalize and project your fucked-up behavior onto people whom you've never had the pleasure to meet.

S'wah?


Some of you people are thoroughly insane. Or is that inane?

I think some of the comments left by some folk on here come off as stupid and uneducated. They're all young white boys who would of guessed? How anyone could justify those stupid racists comments is beyond me.

He's a comedian - he should be used to being heckled and taking it in stride. what's more, he's a celebrity, and should know by now that the public's eye is always watching him, whether he likes it or not. being bothered by some hecklers and "flying into a rage" is not an excuse for his behavior.

If dave chapelle pointed at a black audience member and shouted "he's a nigger, he's a nigger, he's a nigger," I wouldn't be any more amused by it that when Michael Richards did it.

Totally, TOTALLY inappropriate behavior. We say things in anger, yes, but you really do have to make sure to check your head in those moments. He could have just called them assholes and been done with it. As smart and talented a comedian as he is you woulda thunk...

It kinda reminded me of Bill Hicks going on a rant about a "stupid cunt" in the audience who was heckling him. But I guess that's the difference between being able to still be funny while ranting and not.

i totally agree with wildswan both parties are not at fault. was it right for those guys to heckle him? no, but how many shows and concerts have you been to where the person on stage gets heckled, and like a true "professional," they either ignore it or are able to work it into the act without this kind of attacking. i can't even watch this video because just reading about it makes me sick to my fucking stomach.

it's also amazing to me the number of people on here trying to explain or rationalize it to make it okay. it was an ignorant thing to do, no matter what angle you look at it, and it honestly hurts me more to see people of my own generation trying to find excuses for it.

just goes to show you that this country hasn't come as far as it thinks it has.

Giddy up!

Yeah, but taking it out on an individual is one thing. Taking it out on an entire race of people is an altogether different beast.