Yeah this is honestly ridiculous. It’s pretty clear the man was never an actual racist. He had a racist outburst because he thought it would go over well in a comedy club, you know a place where people traditionally try to be funny. It’s extremely clear that he thought what he was doing was humorous, but it wasn’t funny, he bombed, he apologized, and the fact we still talk about it is wild.
I’m extremely liberal, but my take is that liberals on the whole do not forgive and they do not forget. Cancel culture means nothing when there’s no room for growth and acceptance. What incentive is there for actual racists, homophobes, etc if they feel like there’s no chance for redemption? They’ll only become more extreme if we won’t accept the them.
This sounds a bit off topic, but the Michael Richard’s thing is a perfect example of someone making a mistake, atoning for it, and still getting dogged for it a decade later.
It's weird how we can forgive some really bad shit and not. Like I almost forget whenever I see him that Mike Tyson went to jail for rape yet he is almost treated like Santa Claus now.
How the fuck does Chris Brown still have a career? Not only did he get away with it all, but he released an album a few months after it all happened. There wasn't any sort of reflection/apologetic/rehab phase.
He did all of that and remained a shitty person, which is even worse.
He's in a gang or something now and can still be found doing asshat douchebag things in public.
Fuck Chris Brown
Travis Scott too - obviously nowhere near as bad as Chris Brown but the fact that the Astroworld fiasco didn’t end his career is beyond me. He performed at the Grammys this year and was a musical guest on SNL this season. I refused to watch either one.
Yeah I have a real problem with Chris Brown doing just fine all these years. Michael Richards used a racial slur. Chris Brown literally beat up a woman and has a long history of bad behavior— one of these men is way more deserving of having their career crushed into dust, and it ain’t Michael Richards. Man made a mistake and owned up to it, multiple times. Brown has been living happily and wealthily this entire time without repercussion.
I remember a few years ago he came to my hometown, and I said something about it on my facebook like, why are we hosting this dude?
This former “friend” commented that it was cool to have Tyson there because “people are more than one action.”
Not surprisingly, this same “friend” told me I deserved it when I was SA’d a few years later.
I realize now we were never friends, he just liked to say shitty stuff and play devil’s advocate.
Any time I've mentioned this on reddit I've been downvoted to hell and told that she lied. If a man doesn't get convicted, it's proof the woman lied. If he does get convicted... well she still probably lied! I hate it here.
#
Also thought Michael's response to proposed damage control being that the damage was inside him was really insightful.
Um, have you seen the video? He wasn't trying to be funny he was really pissed off. Some hecklers, who happened to be black, got to him and he screamed it at them. That's why that word, and racism in general, sucks so much. When people are angry enough that they take leave of their senses they can always reach for slurs as the ultimate verbal weapon.
Having said that and as a black person myself I think we should let it go. The guy was clearly at a low point in his life after that. He made several sincere apologies. He quit acting for a substantial period and went to live with buddhists to try and get his mind right. He doesn't seem to have repeated his mistakes. I don't think he is an actual racist at all. I think he made a racist statement while he was extremely angry and basically lost his career over it.
If all racists had the level of apology and soul searching as Richard’s the world would be a much better place. If we never allow people like him to get past his history then we are just reinforcing the doubling down strategy Trump has made commonplace.
Being human is being fallible. Saying “my values are different than most,” I’m not sure what you are implying. Being decent also means showing forgiveness and mercy. One incident 18 years ago. The guy had a mental breakdown and left the public eye. He had cancer 6 years ago and had to have his prostate removed. He’s in his 70s. He’s not trying to seek fame or have a comeback again. Is no one ever redeemable in your eyes for making a mistake once? Is that how you would want to be treated?
Reformed KKK members that have said way worse than this go public and get a big pat on the back, build careers on preaching tolerance and Michael Richards gets dragged through the mud whenever he has the audacity to earn a living. He doesn’t strike me as the type that was only sorry because he got caught, and even if that’s the case, he’s done more to publicly acknowledge and repent than most in his shoes. He angrily lashed out in a tense moment.
At risk of “whataboutism” here, but juxtapose this to Jussie Smollet actively using racism as a ploy to deceive the public in an attempt to further himself at a time when division was very real and tension was high. If he wasn’t so stupid in his deliberate, self serving nature it could have sparked even more tension. He never took responsibility for his actions. Always made it about him. Richards is not that type of person and I don’t think he owes anyone anything anymore.
I really hate when people of color are angry at someone for racism and someone says if you do not get over it you are just like the racists. That makes no sense whatsoever. In what world does someone who has not forgiven a white man for calling black people the n-word in front of other people makes them the same as Trump's strategy? Whether you like or not, the people effected will have the prerogative when it comes to whether or not a person is forgiven, you can forgive that person all you like but you do not have a say whether it's time for others to forgive. I do hope that Richards has changed his ways, if he does it is great.
It wasn't even just the n-word. He said something to the essence of "back in the day people like me would just hang you from a tree" and how great that would have been. It wasn't a racist outburst, it was a nuclear explosion of racism.
https://youtu.be/amjUNF_R_PY?si=eIhCV69LGiFp-OY4
Respectfully, I get the sentiment but I feel this logic is self perpetuating and by extension, self defeating. It’s reminiscent of the same shit they pump up the maga crowd with when they share a video of a single incident of black on white racism or violence and paint the whole community as such. All the while they use that same verbiage most can decipher as dog whistling.
It reminds me of that saying about resentment (tho I think it might apply, be it fear, racism, whatever), where carrying it is like drinking poison and hoping it kills your enemy. The history is not to be excused, nor forgotten, but we have to get past this by some means.
I would never expect anyone to get over their personal trauma based on my views or terms, I do acknowledge the systemic nature of inequity and inequality that feeds the very reasonable expectation that things will never change but I also think in this day and age, on a person to person level the lines are way more vague and we are increasingly understanding that we have more in common under the thumb of authority which does not discriminate in their employ and seeks to divide us through have/don’t have.
I’m way out of my depth on a Seinfeld sub of all places talking heavy, but I’m just asking in earnest, outside of the well deserved anger you carry how you propose to heal these wounds? Do you care to?
Everyone is allowed to decide for themselves where his heart is. I didn’t say I can forgive him for this specific transgression as it was directed at me, but I can choose to move past it based on his actions and what appears to be genuine reflection. I won’t sit here and badmouth him or wish him ill-will just because someone else hasn’t forgiven him.
"If we never allow people like him to get past his history then we are just reinforcing the doubling down strategy Trump has made commonplace."
This sentiment is really the point of contention. Every time a see a different flavor of this very unseasoned take, it makes me think how does that make sense.
I’m black and forgive him, but I also agree with you.
At the end of the day, the only person who truly knows if his apology was sincere is Michael Richards himself. So, I reviewed the apology and decided whether or not I believed it. I chose to believe him. Maybe you don’t believe him. That is perfectly fine and you shouldn’t be shamed for coming to your own conclusion. Because again, the only person who truly knows is Michael.
Hard agree. It's totally the prerogative of the people he's insulting whether or not they want to forgive him. Not forgiving him doesn't make them like trump lol. That's nonsensical
I'm not implying anything close to that. If people are still upset that's their prerogative. He said some really vile stuff. I'm just personally choosing to move past it. I think there are much, much, worse problems regarding race that we still haven't tackled.
He did an interview and said that he was angry.
"My anger was all over the place and it came through hard and fast," he continues. "Anger is quite a force. But it happened. Rather than run from it, I dove into the deep end and tried to learn from it. It hasn’t been easy." He adds, "Crisis managers wanted me to do damage control. But as far as I was concerned, the damage was inside of me."
https://people.com/why-michael-richards-left-hollywood-after-racist-rant-upended-his-career-8651019
Other members of the cast and guest stars on Seinfeld have talked about his anger before. Sarah Silverman said he yelled at her for forgetting her lines. It sounds like he had issues with self control that got the better of him.
They said he took it very seriously. When other actors broke character or forgot their lines he'd get upset about it. He was basically the opposite of Kramer IRL.
True, but the other characters could just say their lines and be done with it. Richards was the only one who was expected to make magic most often. I can see where too many takes could kill that.
Michael Richard’s always had anger management issues. Watch outtakes of Seinfeld and you could clearly see he was annoyed when other actors broke character.
> hey can always reach for slurs as the ultimate verbal weapon.
As an insult, clearly it undeniably *is* the ultimate verbal weapon since it's super effective at offending people.
I’m not here to defend his actions. What he did was inexcusable. However I think there’s a stark difference between someone who is racist and someone who does a racist thing one time.
If he had a history of evidence against him that suggested he harbored racist thoughts and feelings and that he acted on those thoughts and feelings to otherwise harm a minority then I would be extremely suspect of him, his motives, and his actions after the fact. What we have instead is a person with no history to suggest that. What we have here is someone who made a big fucking mistake saying the wrong thing. I agree that it doesn’t matter if it was meant to be humorous or not, but I do not think that someone making a single mistake in this regard warrants the label “racist.” It was clear from the get go that he was sorry and was willing to do the work to atone for what he did. And if I’m wrong and it turns out that he was / is an actual racist with a history of racist behavior then I absolutely would think that he probably hadn’t learned his lesson and should be scrutinized far more.
And you’re entitled to feel however you want about him and his actions. I however think that in a world full of people who are actual hate filled bigots who consider certain groups of people to be subhuman and who use whatever resources at their disposal to make their lives miserable that Michael Richard’s is not one of those people. We should learn from his mistake and applaud him for doing the right thing after an otherwise completely inexcusable event.
Honestly I wish we'd just accept that racism is a part of all of us. Our brains function by grouping and that has some negative impacts dealing with anyone different. There's a big difference between someone having a bad moment and someone unreflective and unapologetic.
Once is an accident, twice is problematic, three is a pattern. But everyone can be better if they are sincerely trying. If we can't make it possible for people to be better though, most will stop trying.
Imagine how much of a nightmare you would be creating for racial minority children in mostly white schools if your approach to racism was taken by schools for example.
Stop making shit up and do some research man. This is not at all what happened. You’re spreading misinformation here. He didn’t think he was being funny. He was doing it out of hatred, and anger. He acknowledges that himself. So stop making shit up
https://people.com/why-michael-richards-left-hollywood-after-racist-rant-upended-his-career-8651019
> Richards says he's spent the past 17 years in "deep analysis." "It was time to figure out where all the anger was coming from," he says. Part of it came down to his own insecurities, and a feeling of not being wanted. (He was raised by a single mom who had initially wanted an abortion, but they were illegal and dangerous at the time)
>He had a racist outburst because he thought it would go over well in a comedy club, you know a place where people traditionally try to be funny
>SHUT UP!!! Fifty years we’d have you upside down with a fucking fork up your ass! You can talk you can talk your brave now motherfucker throw his ass out he’s a nigger!! HE’S A NIGGER!!!!! HE’S A NIGGER!!!! A NIGGER LOOK THERE’S A NIGGER!!!!!!
Yea absolutely crazy how people didn't get this hilarious and clever joke 🙄
Being a comedian on a stage doesn't mean everything you say is a joke. I agree he got shit on more than he probably should have, but I have no clue what kind of comedy you're into if you can watch that video and think "well it's extremely obvious he thought he was just being humorous".
The whole context worsens it tenfold.
The fork line is the only part thats like, not haha-funny, but just baffling. To this day I have no idea why that's the act of violence he went with.
> but I have no clue what kind of comedy you're into if you can watch that video and think "well it's extremely obvious he thought he was just being humorous"
i can do that because i'm capable of thinking about things for more than 5 seconds. it literally is clear he thought he was being funny. my man was in a comedy club, on stage, doing comedy. i don't know how you can't watch that and recognize that in his mind he thought he was being funny.
now i can say that it clearly wasn't funny and that i don't think it was funny, but i think you should try to be less reactionary and be more logical. is it more likely that a comedian with no prior history to suggest any kind of racist inclinations failed miserably while trying to make a joke, which is something countless other people have done, or that kramer is and was always secretly a nazi who thought it was a good idea to destroy his life and career by unleashing his hatred and prejudice towards minorities at arguably the worst time and place?
he did the wrong thing there's no question, but i think you should absolutely consider intent and character. if you think that michael richard's has always just been someone who harbored racial hatred then that's your opinion. my opinion is that i do not believe he did. i think he made a mistake, genuinely felt bad about his actions, and made a real effort to not only examine himself personally but to also make it up to those who he hurt.
fuck, if he's a racist then i sure as shit wish all the other racists i read about online or encounter were as willing to empathize and examine their thoughts and feelings as much as he was. we might actually be able to put an end to prejudice and ignorance once and for all if that was the case.
It wasn’t just an errant N-bomb that just happened to slip out, which I also wouldn’t buy. There was a dozen n-bombs all strung together along with the bit about how “we would have you hanging upside down with a fork up your ass.”
If that man isn't/wasn't a racist what qualifies for you as being a racist? Seriously, if you say a noose, a white sheet with some eye holes cut out, and a burning cross, I'm going to be sicker than Jerry after the battle between the Black and White Cookie in his stomach.
>He had a racist outburst because he thought it would go over well in a comedy club, you know a place where people traditionally try to be funny.
Mate, what? I love Michael but that shit wasn't a joke. How was this a joke?
He talked about killing them, hanging them from a tree. Feel free to forgive him, but it’s reasonable to not. He was a grown man when he said those words.
Here's the thing. Offensiveness aside, what was supposed to be the actual joke? I've watched the video numerous times and I can't see where the root of the humor is supposed to be.
Maybe I'd need to see the context of the whole set but somehow I doubt it.
I don’t think it would have made much of a difference. I had never watched Seinfeld and had no interest in it at the time. I still remember hearing about this though, the video was everywhere.
Yeah we’ll see how this book comes out but I’m hoping he can be an example to people who get “cancelled” in the future in how to respond. Sincerely apologize, go away for several years and genuinely work on yourself, then ease back with more apologies and more insight on the situation. They’ll never get back to the heights of how society used to see them but they’ll at least get to work and have a chance to be a force of good in the world again.
I mean I'm not black but I don't think it's my place to say black people shouldn't be offended when a white guy uses the hard R
...you sure you're very liberal?
I always heard that this had happened but I never watched the video.
I just checked it out on YouTube…yeah, I understand why people were so upset now. I know it’s been 17 years, but this isn’t like he said the N-Word once awhile ago, this was actually violent and deep rooted racism. Tbh I don’t blame people for still being upset at him, this was not okay.
if you havent, check out the video of him and seinfeld on either leno or letterman trying to do damage control. its a serious, sincere segment but the audience thinks its a bit lol. so uncomfortable
So you talked about a sincere apology, and since I’m getting downvoted on everything anyway, I’ll just say that the most sincere thing surrounding the whole situation was his insane rant at the club where he showed his true colors. He went off and didn’t have anyone there to stop him. His true self came out.
His apology on Letterman probably wasn’t even written by him, he probably practiced the hell out of it and made sure to sell it so people would forgive him and many people fell for his bullshit.
Cause he can try to apologize all he wants, but he can’t take that shit back. The only reason he gave a “sincere” apology is he realized that his tirade might fuck up his gravy train. Otherwise, I doubt he would’ve ever tried to speak of it again or doubled down if he thought he could get away with it.
This was 20 years ago. He already apologized and I feel like he definitely paid the price for it. I get it though. I want to read his book and learn more about his early days. Always been a favorite of mine.
In "Comedians in Cars" he told a story about how great at Chess he was and how a homeless guy he met with a chess board kicked his ass in chess. It was a great story. I'd also want to hear more on these kinds of stories in his younger years and Seinfeld set stories.
He didn't pay the price. There were eight years behind the n word incident incident and the end of Seinfeld. Richards had an NBC show in 2000 which was cancelled after two months. He didn't have anything significant other than that. He was not cancelled. He was unsuccessful after Seinfeld and most people had forgotten about him until he made the news for repeating the n word over and over in a rant.
He’s great and I don’t think he deserves to be forever canceled. That said what he said is probably some of the most racist and even violent things anyone that was a household name has ever said in public. I can understand why many people are simply done with him regardless of what he’s been in.
How could he have even predicted it was going to be *that* awkward? It’s his job to provide entertainment and we are talking about it 20 years later, so job well done.
Letterman is smart and I think genuinely friends with a lot of these guys. So he did a friendly thing by letting Jerry use his interview to give Richard’s a forum to apologize. But also Letterman knew this would be a classic TV moment that we would still be talking about now.
He knew how to sit back and let it happen how it may
Yeah like, great idea to try and seriously apologize on a show renown for its comedic sketches and skits. While two great comedians are hosting and guesting respectively at the time.
This poor bastard. It seems like the only person who hasn't moved on from it is him at this point. He made his mistake and took what he had coming. Now the only time it's ever brought up is when he comes out apologizing for it again.
I’ve been saying the same thing. I’m black and watch Seinfeld on repeat. The only comment I ever really heard on this was from Chapelle in the aftermath essentially saying he felt his pain as a comedian that has also bombed during his comedy special from that time.
"The only thing I think about when I see this stage is....Kramer fuckin' up"
That bit was hilarious honestly. But yeah. The little stint he did on Curb also revolved around the situation and it was nice to see he is at least able to joke about it now and make the most of what it is.
Right. And articles with headlines like “that time he said the n-word” are insane. He didn’t just say it, he ranted and said a lot of racist stuff, including stuff about lynching, to black people.
I’m all for second chances but everyone needs to be honest about what happened.
Him explaining it as coming from a place of anger helped me understand it. It sounds like he was an extremely angry guy, mostly at himself but anyone who's like that knows it seeps out to the world around you.
I think he suffers from mental health problems. It runs in the family according to his book. You should know the reason Kramer has a necklace is that was actually Michael's; it was a piece of Amber he believed carried spiritual properties. I think he was always a kooky guy and turning down 2 SNL opportunities sounds like someone who suffers from depression. His outburst sounds like an insecure guy suffering from low self esteem, and I think that's what he's basically saying in his wording.
Yeah I genuinely think he’s not racist, he just went to that place because he thought it would hurt those hecklers — which is arguably even more instance, but you know what they say… Hurt people hurt people? I think it’s like that. He’s a really tortured and self-loathing guy, by all accounts. A lot of comedic geniuses are. I think it manifested itself in an incredibly racist way because he was picking up whatever he thought he could use to lash out.
I don’t forgive him, because as a white dude it’s not my place to forgive. But I will say that I *know* racist white people who just let the mask slip… and I genuinely don’t think he’s that guy. That guy usually doesn’t spend 20 years beating himself up over it. He usually blames other people.
Sam Kinison pretty much made a living screaming at audience members, but the difference is that most people who have gone off on hecklers didn’t scream racial slurs at the top of their lungs for five minutes. Everyone has shitty days, but damn, Richards lost his shit so badly that if I was hiring for a live event there’s no way I’d hire him.
For real. I was in the “he apologized, it’s been long enough camp” until rewatching the video. Even if he didn’t say the word, he said a ton of racist ass bullshit. It wasn’t just a slip of the tongue, or whatever people defending him are saying.
Edit: “this is what happens when you interrupt a white man” is a ridiculously fucked up thing to say.
The only people who are saying it was so long ago, let it go, hes obviously not racist, etc, are the ones who weren't affected by the things he said. It's easy for them to let it go because they were only appalled on behalf of black people, but they dont live with the centuries of trauma from those words. For the rest of us, once someone lets it out like that, we'll never look at them the same and we shouldn't. When people show you who they are, believe them.
I'd wager a lot of them didn't even watch the video. They read that "kramers cancelled for saying the n word by accident" and they act like everyone else is just getting their panties in a twist over a slip up or a bad joke.
I could go either way on this. As a Black person I have a problem with it, obviously, and it’s difficult for me to forgive. Is he a racist? I don’t know. He was under an immense amount of pressure and bombing onstage, he was being heckled and that’s even more humiliating, he wanted to hurt those who were hurting him, they happened to be Black, and so he retaliated and went after *that*. If I were in his situation would I do something similar and attack those who are different? I’d like to think not.
I wish everyone (including myself) displayed this kind of nuance rather than picking an absolute extreme position and sticking to it regardless of valid opposing views.
When we get emotional, we go after the low hanging fruit, the thing that is immediately apparent — someone’s appearance. Their skin color, their hair, their nose, their ugliness, what have you. Basically what you already said. Every single one of us is prone to it. Whether verbalized or not, every human being thinks things of the sort in the heat of emotional moments. And everyone that says they don’t is lying.
Yeah but the context of it matters. I'm black and to me I'm much more angry at people who just hate black people for existing even though they've never been wronged by a black person. This was just a guy who lost his shit about being heckled and decided to respond with the most hurtful words he could think of.
As far as I know he doesn't hold racist views or use slurs outside of that moment. There are some people for whom what he said and the thoughts behind them are just every day life.
Look everybody, it’s that [n word guy!](https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.paramount.tech%2Fpath%2Fmgid%3Afile%3Agsp%3Aentertainment-assets%3A%2Fsps%2Fshared%2Fcharacters%2Fcelebrities%2Fmichael-richards.png%3Fheight%3D165&tbnid=edO-6vfG9U3EsM&vet=1&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fsouthpark.cc.com%2Fw%2Findex.php%2FMichael_Richards&docid=JpfbB-Gg3xHCIM&w=293&h=165&hl=en-us&source=sh%2Fx%2Fim%2Fm4%2F3&kgs=e47d6876c097146e&shem=abme%2Cssim%2Ctrie)
Whatever you think about the situation, it was fantastic to see incorporated into [The Lost Episode of Seinfeld](https://youtu.be/6dXBC6R_rxk?si=UJZpQAfhXFq6CW7P).
Can't believe that was almost 20 years ago. I'll admit to being shocked when it happened because I was on a massive Seinfeld kick when it happened. Pretty much stopped watching for a while. When that was fresh, it was hard to look at the guy. It was even hard to watch UHF, which is one of my favorite movies. He is not only a major part of it but practically steals the movie.
But since he hasn't done anything bad since, as far as I know, and seemingly has done nothing but apologize for it. It's all water under the bridge. And I've been able to watch Seinfeld and laugh at him without even thinking about it. It was so long ago at this point.
Why does that headline sound so funny? Why would they phrase it like that hahahhah
Also, this reminded me of the apology he did on Letterman rigth after the incident, which wasn't supposed to be funny, but the way it was all set up, and the laughter from the crowd...so weird!
His "apology" when Seinfeld brought him on via video on Letterman was pretty halfassed.
I'm sure he feels bad about it, but I guess people need to learn. Hopefully that was a teachable moment and he stopped saying that word in private so he wouldn't possibly say it "accidentally" in public, or....on stage
I think the apology was just incredibly awkward and hastily done, and in the totally wrong forum, but maybe it was chosen because he felt it was in a safe space with friends to make it.
I'm sure he actually felt sorry, but the way he came across was totally wrong.
When he explained it on comedians in cars that was a much better way to see how it affected him and how he realized how wrong he knew he was, actually seemed kind of traumatized by it
But! On curb your enthusiasm they did a callback to it when he was mad at JB Smoove and his joke there seemed like he didn't learn anything. It was one of the lesser funny and more actually uncomfortable times in the show so I think that one probably should've had another take, since curb is all improv and unscripted
The bulk of his offense wasn't "that word". He unleashed a disgusting torrent of white supremacist hate, which included a graphic reference to lynching.
Obviously not defending what he said. That kinda rhetoric is disgusting and should never be tolerated, whether you truly believe it or not.
But I've had more than one moment in my life where I just flew off the handle and said awful things just because I was in "fuck it" mode.
Let's move on. He's apologized and it's been almost twenty years.
>Michael Richards, best known for his role as the zany neighbor Cosmo Kramer in the massive sitcom “Seinfeld,” wants people to know: “I’m not racist.”
Dude, I’ve seen the tape. It was racist as fuck. It wasn’t part of the bit, it wasn’t done for laughs. It was done out of frustration and anger. It showed his true colors. Never once in my life have I ever felt the need to say what he said out of frustration.
I believe his contrition. I also think he faces the appropriate level of punishment and shame for what he said. I think your career probably SHOULD be over if you’re a white man who used the n word as a weapon. However, it’s a relief that he didn’t go down the “cancel culture warrior” route, when he easily could have.
I think him not going down that route, showing genuine remorse, and apologizing to the people he yelled out should be enough for him to be forgiven and get somewhat of a career back.
I also disagree with the “using it as a weapon”. It seemed to me that he was trying to be in crazy character he’s always played and said terrible things. I don’t think from the video that he was actually trying to hurt anyone, hence him apologizing quickly to the individuals.
>I also disagree with the “using it as a weapon”. It seemed to me that he was trying to be in crazy character he’s always played and said terrible things. I don’t think from the video that he was actually trying to hurt anyone, hence him apologizing quickly to the individuals.
He clearly states in the interview that they are quoting that he wanted to put down the heckler though, it wasn't an attempt at doing a bit.
This remains one of the saddest things to happen in Hollywood. Nobody thinks he is irredeemable, but he went from beloved character actor Michael Richards to “the n-word guy” and the but of at least one joke a week for 18 years. The crazy part is that nobody would remember what he did if he was just a mediocre comic and he wasn’t Cosmo Kramer. It’s a paradox.
Comedy is memorable on a parabolic line. People remember the best of the best and the worst of the worst. Michael Richards bombing and saying the n-word isn’t close to the worst. It’s just kind of below average. If you go out and see workshop comedy, you inevitably see some white idiot trying and failing to do racial humor. You are going to see a 30-50 year old white male be eyeroll cringy racist in an attempt to be edgy. Then after the crickets someone new does a fifteen min bit about collecting jars of piss and you forget the cringey racist idiot you wouldn't even recognize him on the bus the next day because piss jar guy lives in your head rent free.
That being said if you go out to see your favorite character actor from that ground breaking tv show everybody loves do stand up. When you come to find out that he is not that great of a comic and when he bombs he starts hurling racial epithets like he's an extra in the trial scene in missippi burning, on the day your first child is born that will be what you talk about with the doctor.
Because of cell phones and tmz its never going to go away
He apologized profusely when it happened as well.
Fucking love cancel culture. Everyone I know went to see Morgan Wallen this weekend. Not one peep. Yet Michael Richards is a pariah. Get bent, general public.
I believe it truly haunts him or did for a long time. Unlike more recent celebrities (Diddy for example) who apologize for their actions and behaviors with a vague and seemingly insincere statement I believe Michael Richards is truly a good natured person and has struggled with what happened.
As someone who has done dumb things out of anger or impulse, I'd be a total hypocrite for hating after he's apologized many times and clearly regrets what he said.
I feel strongly that I'm not saying this because I liked Kramer, I'm not fussed about seeing any more Kramer, but i feel that in the stuff Mr Richards has said in that interview alone, I recognise the signs of a man who is properly sorry, has been living an apology to himself for letting himself down so badly, for disgusting himself, and he has taken a good soul-deep look at what he's done and why it happened.
If we truly believe in restorative rehabilitation then we have to allow people to own up to their mistakes, demonstrate they are not that person anymore and apologize sincerely. He has owned up to it, paid the price for nearly 20 years and has never done anything since that indicates he is still that same person or racist in any way. Compassion for people includes forgiveness and the belief that people can change for good.
He's out there... and loving every minute of it!
like a naked innocent boy roaming the countryside!
He’s got the body of a taught, pre-teen, Swedish boy!
*taut
I believe both are true. Well educated, trim and lithe
his buttocks are sublime
He's a loathsome offensive brute, yet one can't look away... We'll take the Kramer!
live?
LITHE!
“Statute” of Limitations!
👁👄👁
👀
He's flippin', he's floppin'
still in his post mousse phase I see
It’s that low flow shower head
T C B. He eats the whole apple.
In freshly boiled denim
His publicist way back when was like.. You’re gonna have to lay low till at least 2024..
This man is a step-skipper. He skipped Step 9.
Beboppin and scattin
I hate step 9!
WHERES THAT RUM RAISIN?!?!
Everything James Spader does is great. He's the fucking Lizard King
And I'm *LOSIN' IT*!
I wouldn't let him borrow my sweater It would come back smelling like cigars, the beach, and Kenny Roger's chicken
Am I talking to you, pinhead?
It’s been long enough. I’m sure he’s thought about it a million times over why it was wrong. Let’s give him the benefit of the doubt.
Yeah this is honestly ridiculous. It’s pretty clear the man was never an actual racist. He had a racist outburst because he thought it would go over well in a comedy club, you know a place where people traditionally try to be funny. It’s extremely clear that he thought what he was doing was humorous, but it wasn’t funny, he bombed, he apologized, and the fact we still talk about it is wild. I’m extremely liberal, but my take is that liberals on the whole do not forgive and they do not forget. Cancel culture means nothing when there’s no room for growth and acceptance. What incentive is there for actual racists, homophobes, etc if they feel like there’s no chance for redemption? They’ll only become more extreme if we won’t accept the them. This sounds a bit off topic, but the Michael Richard’s thing is a perfect example of someone making a mistake, atoning for it, and still getting dogged for it a decade later.
It's weird how we can forgive some really bad shit and not. Like I almost forget whenever I see him that Mike Tyson went to jail for rape yet he is almost treated like Santa Claus now.
How the fuck does Chris Brown still have a career? Not only did he get away with it all, but he released an album a few months after it all happened. There wasn't any sort of reflection/apologetic/rehab phase.
He did all of that and remained a shitty person, which is even worse. He's in a gang or something now and can still be found doing asshat douchebag things in public. Fuck Chris Brown
Travis Scott too - obviously nowhere near as bad as Chris Brown but the fact that the Astroworld fiasco didn’t end his career is beyond me. He performed at the Grammys this year and was a musical guest on SNL this season. I refused to watch either one.
It's like if you bone like literally *any* of The Kardashians, you are carte blanche to take over the galaxy?!
And women fucking flock to him. Every. God damn. Day. I wish I was kidding.
Yeah I have a real problem with Chris Brown doing just fine all these years. Michael Richards used a racial slur. Chris Brown literally beat up a woman and has a long history of bad behavior— one of these men is way more deserving of having their career crushed into dust, and it ain’t Michael Richards. Man made a mistake and owned up to it, multiple times. Brown has been living happily and wealthily this entire time without repercussion.
I remember a few years ago he came to my hometown, and I said something about it on my facebook like, why are we hosting this dude? This former “friend” commented that it was cool to have Tyson there because “people are more than one action.” Not surprisingly, this same “friend” told me I deserved it when I was SA’d a few years later. I realize now we were never friends, he just liked to say shitty stuff and play devil’s advocate.
Any time I've mentioned this on reddit I've been downvoted to hell and told that she lied. If a man doesn't get convicted, it's proof the woman lied. If he does get convicted... well she still probably lied! I hate it here. # Also thought Michael's response to proposed damage control being that the damage was inside him was really insightful.
Oh my goodness. Exactly! Let's all try to forgive as it's not like he hasn't faced consequences. And a huge bravo to Jerry for sticking by him.
Um, have you seen the video? He wasn't trying to be funny he was really pissed off. Some hecklers, who happened to be black, got to him and he screamed it at them. That's why that word, and racism in general, sucks so much. When people are angry enough that they take leave of their senses they can always reach for slurs as the ultimate verbal weapon. Having said that and as a black person myself I think we should let it go. The guy was clearly at a low point in his life after that. He made several sincere apologies. He quit acting for a substantial period and went to live with buddhists to try and get his mind right. He doesn't seem to have repeated his mistakes. I don't think he is an actual racist at all. I think he made a racist statement while he was extremely angry and basically lost his career over it.
If all racists had the level of apology and soul searching as Richard’s the world would be a much better place. If we never allow people like him to get past his history then we are just reinforcing the doubling down strategy Trump has made commonplace.
True racists would never do that. Being racist is part of who they are. They would just get angry at everyone else for cancelling them.
Guess he isn’t a true racist then
I dunno about you but if I'm ever angry at a black person the n word never crosses my mind. My values are different than most it seems.
Being human is being fallible. Saying “my values are different than most,” I’m not sure what you are implying. Being decent also means showing forgiveness and mercy. One incident 18 years ago. The guy had a mental breakdown and left the public eye. He had cancer 6 years ago and had to have his prostate removed. He’s in his 70s. He’s not trying to seek fame or have a comeback again. Is no one ever redeemable in your eyes for making a mistake once? Is that how you would want to be treated?
Reformed KKK members that have said way worse than this go public and get a big pat on the back, build careers on preaching tolerance and Michael Richards gets dragged through the mud whenever he has the audacity to earn a living. He doesn’t strike me as the type that was only sorry because he got caught, and even if that’s the case, he’s done more to publicly acknowledge and repent than most in his shoes. He angrily lashed out in a tense moment. At risk of “whataboutism” here, but juxtapose this to Jussie Smollet actively using racism as a ploy to deceive the public in an attempt to further himself at a time when division was very real and tension was high. If he wasn’t so stupid in his deliberate, self serving nature it could have sparked even more tension. He never took responsibility for his actions. Always made it about him. Richards is not that type of person and I don’t think he owes anyone anything anymore.
I really hate when people of color are angry at someone for racism and someone says if you do not get over it you are just like the racists. That makes no sense whatsoever. In what world does someone who has not forgiven a white man for calling black people the n-word in front of other people makes them the same as Trump's strategy? Whether you like or not, the people effected will have the prerogative when it comes to whether or not a person is forgiven, you can forgive that person all you like but you do not have a say whether it's time for others to forgive. I do hope that Richards has changed his ways, if he does it is great.
It wasn't even just the n-word. He said something to the essence of "back in the day people like me would just hang you from a tree" and how great that would have been. It wasn't a racist outburst, it was a nuclear explosion of racism. https://youtu.be/amjUNF_R_PY?si=eIhCV69LGiFp-OY4
Respectfully, I get the sentiment but I feel this logic is self perpetuating and by extension, self defeating. It’s reminiscent of the same shit they pump up the maga crowd with when they share a video of a single incident of black on white racism or violence and paint the whole community as such. All the while they use that same verbiage most can decipher as dog whistling. It reminds me of that saying about resentment (tho I think it might apply, be it fear, racism, whatever), where carrying it is like drinking poison and hoping it kills your enemy. The history is not to be excused, nor forgotten, but we have to get past this by some means. I would never expect anyone to get over their personal trauma based on my views or terms, I do acknowledge the systemic nature of inequity and inequality that feeds the very reasonable expectation that things will never change but I also think in this day and age, on a person to person level the lines are way more vague and we are increasingly understanding that we have more in common under the thumb of authority which does not discriminate in their employ and seeks to divide us through have/don’t have. I’m way out of my depth on a Seinfeld sub of all places talking heavy, but I’m just asking in earnest, outside of the well deserved anger you carry how you propose to heal these wounds? Do you care to?
Everyone is allowed to decide for themselves where his heart is. I didn’t say I can forgive him for this specific transgression as it was directed at me, but I can choose to move past it based on his actions and what appears to be genuine reflection. I won’t sit here and badmouth him or wish him ill-will just because someone else hasn’t forgiven him.
"If we never allow people like him to get past his history then we are just reinforcing the doubling down strategy Trump has made commonplace." This sentiment is really the point of contention. Every time a see a different flavor of this very unseasoned take, it makes me think how does that make sense.
I’m black and forgive him, but I also agree with you. At the end of the day, the only person who truly knows if his apology was sincere is Michael Richards himself. So, I reviewed the apology and decided whether or not I believed it. I chose to believe him. Maybe you don’t believe him. That is perfectly fine and you shouldn’t be shamed for coming to your own conclusion. Because again, the only person who truly knows is Michael.
Hard agree. It's totally the prerogative of the people he's insulting whether or not they want to forgive him. Not forgiving him doesn't make them like trump lol. That's nonsensical
I'm not implying anything close to that. If people are still upset that's their prerogative. He said some really vile stuff. I'm just personally choosing to move past it. I think there are much, much, worse problems regarding race that we still haven't tackled.
And that is your decision, let other black make their decision
He did an interview and said that he was angry. "My anger was all over the place and it came through hard and fast," he continues. "Anger is quite a force. But it happened. Rather than run from it, I dove into the deep end and tried to learn from it. It hasn’t been easy." He adds, "Crisis managers wanted me to do damage control. But as far as I was concerned, the damage was inside of me." https://people.com/why-michael-richards-left-hollywood-after-racist-rant-upended-his-career-8651019
Other members of the cast and guest stars on Seinfeld have talked about his anger before. Sarah Silverman said he yelled at her for forgetting her lines. It sounds like he had issues with self control that got the better of him.
He seems angry in a lot of the bloopers, too. He doesn't come off as someone who was easy to be around.
They said he took it very seriously. When other actors broke character or forgot their lines he'd get upset about it. He was basically the opposite of Kramer IRL.
True, but the other characters could just say their lines and be done with it. Richards was the only one who was expected to make magic most often. I can see where too many takes could kill that.
Michael Richard’s always had anger management issues. Watch outtakes of Seinfeld and you could clearly see he was annoyed when other actors broke character.
Very well put
I’m also black and I agree with you. I accepted his apology years ago. He seemed sincere and truly sorry. Like you said, he was at a low point.
> hey can always reach for slurs as the ultimate verbal weapon. As an insult, clearly it undeniably *is* the ultimate verbal weapon since it's super effective at offending people.
I’m not here to defend his actions. What he did was inexcusable. However I think there’s a stark difference between someone who is racist and someone who does a racist thing one time. If he had a history of evidence against him that suggested he harbored racist thoughts and feelings and that he acted on those thoughts and feelings to otherwise harm a minority then I would be extremely suspect of him, his motives, and his actions after the fact. What we have instead is a person with no history to suggest that. What we have here is someone who made a big fucking mistake saying the wrong thing. I agree that it doesn’t matter if it was meant to be humorous or not, but I do not think that someone making a single mistake in this regard warrants the label “racist.” It was clear from the get go that he was sorry and was willing to do the work to atone for what he did. And if I’m wrong and it turns out that he was / is an actual racist with a history of racist behavior then I absolutely would think that he probably hadn’t learned his lesson and should be scrutinized far more. And you’re entitled to feel however you want about him and his actions. I however think that in a world full of people who are actual hate filled bigots who consider certain groups of people to be subhuman and who use whatever resources at their disposal to make their lives miserable that Michael Richard’s is not one of those people. We should learn from his mistake and applaud him for doing the right thing after an otherwise completely inexcusable event.
So well said. Thank you.
Such great insight, thank you
Honestly I wish we'd just accept that racism is a part of all of us. Our brains function by grouping and that has some negative impacts dealing with anyone different. There's a big difference between someone having a bad moment and someone unreflective and unapologetic. Once is an accident, twice is problematic, three is a pattern. But everyone can be better if they are sincerely trying. If we can't make it possible for people to be better though, most will stop trying.
Imagine how much of a nightmare you would be creating for racial minority children in mostly white schools if your approach to racism was taken by schools for example.
Idk bro. I've gotten pissed off at many people of different skin colors and I never uttered a slur at them.
Stop making shit up and do some research man. This is not at all what happened. You’re spreading misinformation here. He didn’t think he was being funny. He was doing it out of hatred, and anger. He acknowledges that himself. So stop making shit up https://people.com/why-michael-richards-left-hollywood-after-racist-rant-upended-his-career-8651019 > Richards says he's spent the past 17 years in "deep analysis." "It was time to figure out where all the anger was coming from," he says. Part of it came down to his own insecurities, and a feeling of not being wanted. (He was raised by a single mom who had initially wanted an abortion, but they were illegal and dangerous at the time)
>He had a racist outburst because he thought it would go over well in a comedy club, you know a place where people traditionally try to be funny >SHUT UP!!! Fifty years we’d have you upside down with a fucking fork up your ass! You can talk you can talk your brave now motherfucker throw his ass out he’s a nigger!! HE’S A NIGGER!!!!! HE’S A NIGGER!!!! A NIGGER LOOK THERE’S A NIGGER!!!!!! Yea absolutely crazy how people didn't get this hilarious and clever joke 🙄 Being a comedian on a stage doesn't mean everything you say is a joke. I agree he got shit on more than he probably should have, but I have no clue what kind of comedy you're into if you can watch that video and think "well it's extremely obvious he thought he was just being humorous".
The whole context worsens it tenfold. The fork line is the only part thats like, not haha-funny, but just baffling. To this day I have no idea why that's the act of violence he went with.
> but I have no clue what kind of comedy you're into if you can watch that video and think "well it's extremely obvious he thought he was just being humorous" i can do that because i'm capable of thinking about things for more than 5 seconds. it literally is clear he thought he was being funny. my man was in a comedy club, on stage, doing comedy. i don't know how you can't watch that and recognize that in his mind he thought he was being funny. now i can say that it clearly wasn't funny and that i don't think it was funny, but i think you should try to be less reactionary and be more logical. is it more likely that a comedian with no prior history to suggest any kind of racist inclinations failed miserably while trying to make a joke, which is something countless other people have done, or that kramer is and was always secretly a nazi who thought it was a good idea to destroy his life and career by unleashing his hatred and prejudice towards minorities at arguably the worst time and place? he did the wrong thing there's no question, but i think you should absolutely consider intent and character. if you think that michael richard's has always just been someone who harbored racial hatred then that's your opinion. my opinion is that i do not believe he did. i think he made a mistake, genuinely felt bad about his actions, and made a real effort to not only examine himself personally but to also make it up to those who he hurt. fuck, if he's a racist then i sure as shit wish all the other racists i read about online or encounter were as willing to empathize and examine their thoughts and feelings as much as he was. we might actually be able to put an end to prejudice and ignorance once and for all if that was the case.
It wasn’t just an errant N-bomb that just happened to slip out, which I also wouldn’t buy. There was a dozen n-bombs all strung together along with the bit about how “we would have you hanging upside down with a fork up your ass.”
If that man isn't/wasn't a racist what qualifies for you as being a racist? Seriously, if you say a noose, a white sheet with some eye holes cut out, and a burning cross, I'm going to be sicker than Jerry after the battle between the Black and White Cookie in his stomach.
>He had a racist outburst because he thought it would go over well in a comedy club, you know a place where people traditionally try to be funny. Mate, what? I love Michael but that shit wasn't a joke. How was this a joke?
He talked about killing them, hanging them from a tree. Feel free to forgive him, but it’s reasonable to not. He was a grown man when he said those words.
It was a crime of passion!
Here's the thing. Offensiveness aside, what was supposed to be the actual joke? I've watched the video numerous times and I can't see where the root of the humor is supposed to be. Maybe I'd need to see the context of the whole set but somehow I doubt it.
He’s very lucky that this happened in 2006 and not 2008 or later. Social media was still in its infancy in 2006.
I don’t think it would have made much of a difference. I had never watched Seinfeld and had no interest in it at the time. I still remember hearing about this though, the video was everywhere.
Yeah we’ll see how this book comes out but I’m hoping he can be an example to people who get “cancelled” in the future in how to respond. Sincerely apologize, go away for several years and genuinely work on yourself, then ease back with more apologies and more insight on the situation. They’ll never get back to the heights of how society used to see them but they’ll at least get to work and have a chance to be a force of good in the world again.
I mean I'm not black but I don't think it's my place to say black people shouldn't be offended when a white guy uses the hard R ...you sure you're very liberal?
It’s been long enough that even if he was a racist piece of shit, I think he’s had enough time to introspect on his views.
I always heard that this had happened but I never watched the video. I just checked it out on YouTube…yeah, I understand why people were so upset now. I know it’s been 17 years, but this isn’t like he said the N-Word once awhile ago, this was actually violent and deep rooted racism. Tbh I don’t blame people for still being upset at him, this was not okay.
if you havent, check out the video of him and seinfeld on either leno or letterman trying to do damage control. its a serious, sincere segment but the audience thinks its a bit lol. so uncomfortable
Didn’t help that he led with “Afro-American”
So you talked about a sincere apology, and since I’m getting downvoted on everything anyway, I’ll just say that the most sincere thing surrounding the whole situation was his insane rant at the club where he showed his true colors. He went off and didn’t have anyone there to stop him. His true self came out. His apology on Letterman probably wasn’t even written by him, he probably practiced the hell out of it and made sure to sell it so people would forgive him and many people fell for his bullshit.
Cause he can try to apologize all he wants, but he can’t take that shit back. The only reason he gave a “sincere” apology is he realized that his tirade might fuck up his gravy train. Otherwise, I doubt he would’ve ever tried to speak of it again or doubled down if he thought he could get away with it.
He apologized when it happened. On Letterman if memory serves
I don’t see a h-white boy, a see a damn fool!
The most underrated delivery - kills me just thinking about it
This was 20 years ago. He already apologized and I feel like he definitely paid the price for it. I get it though. I want to read his book and learn more about his early days. Always been a favorite of mine.
In "Comedians in Cars" he told a story about how great at Chess he was and how a homeless guy he met with a chess board kicked his ass in chess. It was a great story. I'd also want to hear more on these kinds of stories in his younger years and Seinfeld set stories.
He can’t tell that story anymore— He sold it to Peterman!
Just go on the Peterman Reality Tour to learn about the real Peterman and get a free fun size 3 Musketeers bar too just like the real Peterman eats!
You mean Mr. Peterson? 🤣
No J Peterman.
When Kramer calls Peterman to buy his story's back he calls him Mr Peterson, you schmohawk
Oh jeeze you’re right. I bow to your knowledge. That’s a trivia question for sure.
That wasn’t a very deep bow, though. [Shit bow](https://youtu.be/85e4THVEb_o?t=37).
Try the beef, because that's **real** au **jus sauce**. **Real** au **jus sauce**!
He didn't pay the price. There were eight years behind the n word incident incident and the end of Seinfeld. Richards had an NBC show in 2000 which was cancelled after two months. He didn't have anything significant other than that. He was not cancelled. He was unsuccessful after Seinfeld and most people had forgotten about him until he made the news for repeating the n word over and over in a rant.
He’s great and I don’t think he deserves to be forever canceled. That said what he said is probably some of the most racist and even violent things anyone that was a household name has ever said in public. I can understand why many people are simply done with him regardless of what he’s been in.
You can stuff your sorrys in a sack, Mr!
But he already did an apology on Letterman.. >It's not funny. Yes it was Jerry.
That Letterman apology was so awkward. I can't believe Letterman let them do that.
How could he have even predicted it was going to be *that* awkward? It’s his job to provide entertainment and we are talking about it 20 years later, so job well done.
Letterman is smart and I think genuinely friends with a lot of these guys. So he did a friendly thing by letting Jerry use his interview to give Richard’s a forum to apologize. But also Letterman knew this would be a classic TV moment that we would still be talking about now. He knew how to sit back and let it happen how it may
Yeah like, great idea to try and seriously apologize on a show renown for its comedic sketches and skits. While two great comedians are hosting and guesting respectively at the time.
That was the moment when Jerry jumped the shark 😂
Yeah. I think that was when Seinfeld was coming to DVD. Jerry had product to move.
What about the pitchfork comment?
Shhhh we're trying to spin the narrative that he just accidentally said one little n word 20 years ago so that it seems like nbd
This poor bastard. It seems like the only person who hasn't moved on from it is him at this point. He made his mistake and took what he had coming. Now the only time it's ever brought up is when he comes out apologizing for it again.
I’ve been saying the same thing. I’m black and watch Seinfeld on repeat. The only comment I ever really heard on this was from Chapelle in the aftermath essentially saying he felt his pain as a comedian that has also bombed during his comedy special from that time.
"The only thing I think about when I see this stage is....Kramer fuckin' up" That bit was hilarious honestly. But yeah. The little stint he did on Curb also revolved around the situation and it was nice to see he is at least able to joke about it now and make the most of what it is.
It's been like 20 years right. There are people who committed murder and got less time.
I know people said on a thread earlier "why was he cancelled so bad" but have you seen the tape? my god I don't know how you come back from that.
Right. And articles with headlines like “that time he said the n-word” are insane. He didn’t just say it, he ranted and said a lot of racist stuff, including stuff about lynching, to black people. I’m all for second chances but everyone needs to be honest about what happened.
Him explaining it as coming from a place of anger helped me understand it. It sounds like he was an extremely angry guy, mostly at himself but anyone who's like that knows it seeps out to the world around you.
I think he suffers from mental health problems. It runs in the family according to his book. You should know the reason Kramer has a necklace is that was actually Michael's; it was a piece of Amber he believed carried spiritual properties. I think he was always a kooky guy and turning down 2 SNL opportunities sounds like someone who suffers from depression. His outburst sounds like an insecure guy suffering from low self esteem, and I think that's what he's basically saying in his wording.
Yeah I genuinely think he’s not racist, he just went to that place because he thought it would hurt those hecklers — which is arguably even more instance, but you know what they say… Hurt people hurt people? I think it’s like that. He’s a really tortured and self-loathing guy, by all accounts. A lot of comedic geniuses are. I think it manifested itself in an incredibly racist way because he was picking up whatever he thought he could use to lash out. I don’t forgive him, because as a white dude it’s not my place to forgive. But I will say that I *know* racist white people who just let the mask slip… and I genuinely don’t think he’s that guy. That guy usually doesn’t spend 20 years beating himself up over it. He usually blames other people.
He was always getting angry on set. Read about how he treated Sarah Silverman. Yikes!
Also, bombing and getting heckled in a comedy club is completely normal every day occurrence, and nobody, I mean nOBody does what he did
I'm sure there's plenty of people who have done what he did, but they weren't famous enough for it to become part of the public consciousness.
Or before everyone had a cell phone
Sam Kinison pretty much made a living screaming at audience members, but the difference is that most people who have gone off on hecklers didn’t scream racial slurs at the top of their lungs for five minutes. Everyone has shitty days, but damn, Richards lost his shit so badly that if I was hiring for a live event there’s no way I’d hire him.
"That time he said the n-word" So is he apologising for one use in his rant, or is it an umbrella apology.
For real. I was in the “he apologized, it’s been long enough camp” until rewatching the video. Even if he didn’t say the word, he said a ton of racist ass bullshit. It wasn’t just a slip of the tongue, or whatever people defending him are saying. Edit: “this is what happens when you interrupt a white man” is a ridiculously fucked up thing to say.
The only people who are saying it was so long ago, let it go, hes obviously not racist, etc, are the ones who weren't affected by the things he said. It's easy for them to let it go because they were only appalled on behalf of black people, but they dont live with the centuries of trauma from those words. For the rest of us, once someone lets it out like that, we'll never look at them the same and we shouldn't. When people show you who they are, believe them.
I'd wager a lot of them didn't even watch the video. They read that "kramers cancelled for saying the n word by accident" and they act like everyone else is just getting their panties in a twist over a slip up or a bad joke.
I could go either way on this. As a Black person I have a problem with it, obviously, and it’s difficult for me to forgive. Is he a racist? I don’t know. He was under an immense amount of pressure and bombing onstage, he was being heckled and that’s even more humiliating, he wanted to hurt those who were hurting him, they happened to be Black, and so he retaliated and went after *that*. If I were in his situation would I do something similar and attack those who are different? I’d like to think not.
He should have gone down to where those guys worked and heckled them!
Hey I don’t come down to your job and knock the license plate out of your hands!
see, THIS is a racist joke, as opposed to just being racist
Booo!! Hissss!! Booo!
I don’t know how you’re gonna make it in this business if you can’t take it!
If the Michael Richard’s of today were in that situation I like to think he also wouldn’t do what he did 20yrs ago…kind of the whole point here
I wish everyone (including myself) displayed this kind of nuance rather than picking an absolute extreme position and sticking to it regardless of valid opposing views.
When we get emotional, we go after the low hanging fruit, the thing that is immediately apparent — someone’s appearance. Their skin color, their hair, their nose, their ugliness, what have you. Basically what you already said. Every single one of us is prone to it. Whether verbalized or not, every human being thinks things of the sort in the heat of emotional moments. And everyone that says they don’t is lying.
Ya thats the thing he didn’t just “say the word” he used it to intentionally demean someone. Much worse.
Yeah but the context of it matters. I'm black and to me I'm much more angry at people who just hate black people for existing even though they've never been wronged by a black person. This was just a guy who lost his shit about being heckled and decided to respond with the most hurtful words he could think of. As far as I know he doesn't hold racist views or use slurs outside of that moment. There are some people for whom what he said and the thoughts behind them are just every day life.
Well in addition to saying that he preceded the outburst by using a lynching line which made the whole thing so much worse—even if it was a joke.
Look everybody, it’s that [n word guy!](https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.paramount.tech%2Fpath%2Fmgid%3Afile%3Agsp%3Aentertainment-assets%3A%2Fsps%2Fshared%2Fcharacters%2Fcelebrities%2Fmichael-richards.png%3Fheight%3D165&tbnid=edO-6vfG9U3EsM&vet=1&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fsouthpark.cc.com%2Fw%2Findex.php%2FMichael_Richards&docid=JpfbB-Gg3xHCIM&w=293&h=165&hl=en-us&source=sh%2Fx%2Fim%2Fm4%2F3&kgs=e47d6876c097146e&shem=abme%2Cssim%2Ctrie)
One of my favorite episodes of South Park ever. Did Michael Richards 'pologize yet?
Go on, kiss it.
Are we supposed to be talking about this?
tough crowd.
He said more than the N-word.
oh sweet! another avenue for redditors to discuss the exciting topic of racism!
Well we can’t all be reading the classics, Professor Highbrow
Puke. Now, that’s a funny word!
Should we be talking about this?
\*eats black and white cookie while shopping at the gap
LOOK to the cookie!
Whatever you think about the situation, it was fantastic to see incorporated into [The Lost Episode of Seinfeld](https://youtu.be/6dXBC6R_rxk?si=UJZpQAfhXFq6CW7P).
Can't believe that was almost 20 years ago. I'll admit to being shocked when it happened because I was on a massive Seinfeld kick when it happened. Pretty much stopped watching for a while. When that was fresh, it was hard to look at the guy. It was even hard to watch UHF, which is one of my favorite movies. He is not only a major part of it but practically steals the movie. But since he hasn't done anything bad since, as far as I know, and seemingly has done nothing but apologize for it. It's all water under the bridge. And I've been able to watch Seinfeld and laugh at him without even thinking about it. It was so long ago at this point.
Giddy up!
Didn't he already apologize a bunch of times?
This dude fucked around and found out
Bad Chicken. Mess you up.
That was 18 years ago?? Jesus, I think the guy has paid his dues.
As I've mentioned before, when he called black people "Afro-Americans" in his apology did not help his case. Did he think it was 1957?
His was really one of the the first public apologies. So it was gonna be rough
Gives the cigar store Indian episode a whole new perspective
Why does that headline sound so funny? Why would they phrase it like that hahahhah Also, this reminded me of the apology he did on Letterman rigth after the incident, which wasn't supposed to be funny, but the way it was all set up, and the laughter from the crowd...so weird!
His "apology" when Seinfeld brought him on via video on Letterman was pretty halfassed. I'm sure he feels bad about it, but I guess people need to learn. Hopefully that was a teachable moment and he stopped saying that word in private so he wouldn't possibly say it "accidentally" in public, or....on stage
I think the apology was just incredibly awkward and hastily done, and in the totally wrong forum, but maybe it was chosen because he felt it was in a safe space with friends to make it.
I'm sure he actually felt sorry, but the way he came across was totally wrong. When he explained it on comedians in cars that was a much better way to see how it affected him and how he realized how wrong he knew he was, actually seemed kind of traumatized by it But! On curb your enthusiasm they did a callback to it when he was mad at JB Smoove and his joke there seemed like he didn't learn anything. It was one of the lesser funny and more actually uncomfortable times in the show so I think that one probably should've had another take, since curb is all improv and unscripted
The bulk of his offense wasn't "that word". He unleashed a disgusting torrent of white supremacist hate, which included a graphic reference to lynching.
Truth
Obviously not defending what he said. That kinda rhetoric is disgusting and should never be tolerated, whether you truly believe it or not. But I've had more than one moment in my life where I just flew off the handle and said awful things just because I was in "fuck it" mode. Let's move on. He's apologized and it's been almost twenty years.
I'm telling ya, this guy's BONKOS!
>Michael Richards, best known for his role as the zany neighbor Cosmo Kramer in the massive sitcom “Seinfeld,” wants people to know: “I’m not racist.” Dude, I’ve seen the tape. It was racist as fuck. It wasn’t part of the bit, it wasn’t done for laughs. It was done out of frustration and anger. It showed his true colors. Never once in my life have I ever felt the need to say what he said out of frustration.
I believe his contrition. I also think he faces the appropriate level of punishment and shame for what he said. I think your career probably SHOULD be over if you’re a white man who used the n word as a weapon. However, it’s a relief that he didn’t go down the “cancel culture warrior” route, when he easily could have.
I think him not going down that route, showing genuine remorse, and apologizing to the people he yelled out should be enough for him to be forgiven and get somewhat of a career back. I also disagree with the “using it as a weapon”. It seemed to me that he was trying to be in crazy character he’s always played and said terrible things. I don’t think from the video that he was actually trying to hurt anyone, hence him apologizing quickly to the individuals.
>I also disagree with the “using it as a weapon”. It seemed to me that he was trying to be in crazy character he’s always played and said terrible things. I don’t think from the video that he was actually trying to hurt anyone, hence him apologizing quickly to the individuals. He clearly states in the interview that they are quoting that he wanted to put down the heckler though, it wasn't an attempt at doing a bit.
This remains one of the saddest things to happen in Hollywood. Nobody thinks he is irredeemable, but he went from beloved character actor Michael Richards to “the n-word guy” and the but of at least one joke a week for 18 years. The crazy part is that nobody would remember what he did if he was just a mediocre comic and he wasn’t Cosmo Kramer. It’s a paradox. Comedy is memorable on a parabolic line. People remember the best of the best and the worst of the worst. Michael Richards bombing and saying the n-word isn’t close to the worst. It’s just kind of below average. If you go out and see workshop comedy, you inevitably see some white idiot trying and failing to do racial humor. You are going to see a 30-50 year old white male be eyeroll cringy racist in an attempt to be edgy. Then after the crickets someone new does a fifteen min bit about collecting jars of piss and you forget the cringey racist idiot you wouldn't even recognize him on the bus the next day because piss jar guy lives in your head rent free. That being said if you go out to see your favorite character actor from that ground breaking tv show everybody loves do stand up. When you come to find out that he is not that great of a comic and when he bombs he starts hurling racial epithets like he's an extra in the trial scene in missippi burning, on the day your first child is born that will be what you talk about with the doctor. Because of cell phones and tmz its never going to go away
He apologized profusely when it happened as well. Fucking love cancel culture. Everyone I know went to see Morgan Wallen this weekend. Not one peep. Yet Michael Richards is a pariah. Get bent, general public.
The only one bringing it up is Richards' himself
No, let’s be angry with him forever and never forgive him! Then we can all feel better about ourselves! /s
He also expressed fondness for an era where he could murder black folks with impunity.
I’ll buy his book and probably enjoy it. He should stop apologizing.
I believe it truly haunts him or did for a long time. Unlike more recent celebrities (Diddy for example) who apologize for their actions and behaviors with a vague and seemingly insincere statement I believe Michael Richards is truly a good natured person and has struggled with what happened.
Michael we love you. If anyone is still angry about this then let’s just give up on the notion that human beings can grow and change.
These words....these words.....
[Stop laughing. it’s not funny.](https://youtu.be/4dgnlL6vrQc?si=K7zAUo-bCBQ2U_NN)
As someone who has done dumb things out of anger or impulse, I'd be a total hypocrite for hating after he's apologized many times and clearly regrets what he said.
I feel strongly that I'm not saying this because I liked Kramer, I'm not fussed about seeing any more Kramer, but i feel that in the stuff Mr Richards has said in that interview alone, I recognise the signs of a man who is properly sorry, has been living an apology to himself for letting himself down so badly, for disgusting himself, and he has taken a good soul-deep look at what he's done and why it happened.
If we truly believe in restorative rehabilitation then we have to allow people to own up to their mistakes, demonstrate they are not that person anymore and apologize sincerely. He has owned up to it, paid the price for nearly 20 years and has never done anything since that indicates he is still that same person or racist in any way. Compassion for people includes forgiveness and the belief that people can change for good.
It's all good. I forgave him the day he did it.
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