November 20, 2006
No Kavorka Here: Kramer Goes Unhinged
This is almost as uncomfortable as a scenario from Curb Your Enthusiasm! TMZ.com has footage of Michael Richards, aka the actor who played Cosmo Kramer, going crazy at two black audience members who were heckling him at a comedy club. From TMZ:
The camera started rolling just as Richards began his attack, screaming at one of the men, "Fifty years ago we'd have you upside down with a f***ing fork up your ass."Most of the audience members reportedly left.Richards continued, "You can talk, you can talk, you're brave now motherf**ker. Throw his ass out. He's a nigger! He's a nigger! He's a nigger! A nigger, look, there's a nigger!"
The crowd is visibly and audibly confused and upset. Richards responds by saying, "They're going to arrest me for calling a black man a nigger."
One of the men who was the object of Richard's tirade was outraged, shouting back "That's un-f***ing called for, ain't necessary."
Is this the next stage of the Seinfeld curse? And if so, watch out, Jason Alexander!
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It's hard to imagine how Richards did not realize that such an outburst, in this day and age, is certain career death. People never cease to amaze me :)
Wow, this was a meltdown of epic proportions. It seems that this incident revealed what this fool is really like. I never really thought Seinfeld was that funny anyway.
this would be career suicide....if his career had still be living.
wow, he's the white rosa parks of comedians
as dom immera would say. or however you spell his name. Hopefully this won't rub off on any other cast members. Larry David did his black people episodes already.
It's hard to imagine how Richards did not realize that such an outburst, in this day and age, is certain career death.
Unless you ARE a minority or a woman or a Democrat in which case you say whatever you want with no consequences.
He really hasn't done much since Seinfeld, hasn't he? I never could stand Kramer and didn't understand why people found him funny.
That's not gonna be good for business.
That's not gonna be good for anyone.
Hey Michael, what do you call your act?
Oh, it's the Aristocrats...
@ Bad Chicken. Mess You Up: Classic.
It's a shame that this happened. I'd like to see how he pulls himself out of this one, if he does at all.
Funny thing is that if he had been a black comedian calling all of the white people in the audience a bunch of Crackers, nothing would have happened and there would be no discussion about it. Until this nation realizes that, although there are plenty of hateful and disgusting words, everyone (AND I DO MEAN EVERYONE) should have the right to say any of those words whenever and whereever they feel like it. Problem is, I can only rap along with my favorite hip-hop artists in the privacy of my own home.
"Unless you ARE a minority or a woman or a Democrat in which case you say whatever you want with no consequences."
True. We usually speak freely b/c we're not trying frantically to talk around all the racist, sexist, classist hatespeech garbage at the tips of our tongues...
PS- talking about waging a war under false pretenses and doing it seem to be only different in that the latter is the one w/o consequences
of course he has the right to say it. i don't recall federal agents swooping in and putting him in gitmo. that being said, other people have the right to give him flack for it.
rights have to do with consequences state governments exact on citizens, not of consequences citizens exact on each other.
Musta been drinking the same tequila as Mel.
Richards' reaction was completely uncalled for, but let's address all sides of the issue: The hecklers obviously lacked the decency and respect to know not to disrupt his act in the first place.
I'm praying for Kramer's safety...
i'm shocked! shocked to find hecklers at a comedy show. gosh. that's never ever happed to a comic before has it?
The hecklers were calling him a "cracker", from what I have heard. And Georgia Cracker is right about that everpresent racial double-standard...
I have some quick thoughts. It was not a smart thing to say at all. Hecklers are rude and have no class but to use the n word is over the top.
Well, I guess this puts an end to my hopes for a Seinfeld Reunion
of course it was over the top. the dude lost his cool and retreated into clearly where he felt comfortable. spraying n-bombs all over the place. which only gives you insight into his real personality.
it was his mel gibson moment. at least mel can hey i was drunk. this dude was stone cold sober.
Guessin Jackie Childs won't take the case..
Jerry Seinfield is on Letterman tonight. I wonder if Dave will ask him if he knew his old pal was in the Klan. BTW, the reason yelling cracker will never have the same power as shouting n*gger is that black people never considered white people to be property. That takes it to a level beyond the understanding of any you honky mofos.
Remember that, for a time, some black people considered other black people to be property as well.
Hal is right. Us honkys shouldn't get offended when a black person calls us a cracker. It's not a big deal. Personally, I like the word cracker and have no problem with it used against me. People need to calm down.
Just because other people do something wrong, doesn't make someone else's wrong a right. And saying otherwise, honestly, makes you sound like an asshole.
Right on, cracker.
PleaseShutUp: No one is justifying his actions; he was wong and that is that. However, that is not an excuse to ignore what started it either. Fair is fair.
Funny thing is that if he had been a black comedian calling all of the white people in the audience a bunch of Crackers, nothing would have happened and there would be no discussion about it.
We indeed have a double standard when it comes to hate speech. Like it or not, however, the standard exists, and wilfully violating it can lead to all sorts of repercussions. Richards certainly knew - or should have known - that he could not say what he did and expect there to be no consequences.
Sometimes you just have to follow the rules even if you wish they didn't exist.
johnson's right.
You whitey cracka honky better get with it now.
You ain't king, no more. and, ya better get used to it.
All you got is your internet to spew your hate.
U up to sumthing boy?
Go stick a peach up yo ass. coward, yellow belly kraka.
'Cracker' was thrown around after the fact, after he started with the epithets. While, you can argue there is a double standard(although, id say the n-word is a much stronger epithets...kinda like comparing darn to damn).
It isn't what he said so much but how he said it that disturbed me. He's stark raving mad.
It's hard to imagine how Richards did not realize that such an outburst, in this day and age, is certain career death.
Richards has a career?
One racist down, many more to go.
"Remember that, for a time, some black people considered other black people to be property as well."
For a time? It's still happening today.
If he singled those hecklers out as "black guys" or "black folks" then he would have probably been given a tough time too, for simply not addressing them as "guys" or "folks."
Not to say that calling them niggers was justified or right -- he should be ashamed of himself, even if he was referring to them in the context of Chris Rock's standup routine about the two types of black people.
Between being a bit drunk, and someone knowing Richards may have had a bit of Mel Gibson in him, they probably baited him and got the reaction they wanted. I can't imagine what you'd really gain by doing this, other than settling some kind of personal score.
Call me a cracker, fine. Call you a nigger or even colored and I'm a felon! Why?
There are many of us when we are angered look for the best spot to attack. The spot that causes the most hurt and embarrassment, fat f..., You pillow biting ass.... You old crusty what ever Pencil neck bla bla...
Old Kramer saw the most hurtfull shot he could take was to nigger the hecklers. To be fair start heckling somebody don't cry if they
hurt your feelings! Some black people use nigger every tenth word out of their mouth but have a fit if the white man uses it gives the word super powers to hurt. A white man calls you a nigger and you do not fight him you are less than a man! Fight him and you go to jail. Kramer knew this. He also knew that security would bounce anybody who tried to attack him. If you are a black guy with money you will get arrested and sued! Leave like the heckler did and you are seen as cowardly even though it is the smart thing to do.
I think it might make sense to rethink this "it's our word and you better not use it". deal. Makes the word all to powerfull!
I don't go to comedy clubs often, but I clearly remember going to a few shows at Rascals a few years ago and there were black comedians using the word 'cracker' in reference to white people--so I agree with the previous poster Georgia Cracker. Each time, no one got visibly mad, no audience members stormed off angry, no video was posted online the next day in protest and no black comedians were called out for offensive behavior.
Also the TMZ video posted of the incident starts AFTER Richards was heckled. We never hear what the hecklers said or how this got started or how it grew to the proportions it did. There also appears to be a time lapse within the video-- editting can make something look worse than it is. I think we should all wait for the ENTIRE STORY-- that means all sides give their accounts-- before any judgements are made. True, what is caught on film of Richard's behavior is reprehensible, but was it totally uncalled for??? Was he just giving back what he was getting???
He should have just said something like "Hey, do I come down to the car wash and tell you how to shine spinners?" and let it go at that...
I'm the king of crackers, but no black folk should be calling me it. Else they best be runnin'.
Seriously, its one thing to call double standard if Michael Richards was using nigger in a routine, but he flipped out and used it in anger. As a way to hurt. Question & Answers idiotic example of black comedians using cracker in their stand-up is not the same thing. If a black comedian flipped out and said some shit like "I'm going to beat the shit out of your cracker ass, you honkey son-of-a-bitch," we would probably be having a similar discussion. And let's not forget he did also imply that it he wanted to lynch the men. Which, quite frankly, is a whole lot worse than saying nigger.
Also the TMZ video posted of the incident starts AFTER Richards was heckled. We never hear what the hecklers said or how this got started or how it grew to the proportions it did.
Edited videos indeed can be misleading. This is not a new discovery, either. Part of the reason why the Rodney King beating video was so inflammatory was that only select portions got much exposure. From what I've heard, King comes off as much less of an innocent victim, and the cops as much less like brutal monsters, if one watches the rarely seen full-length video.
Concerns about video editing probably are beside the point in the present situation, however. It's very, very difficult to justify Richards' response no matter what the hecklers shouted to him. Especially considering that there were other options, either ignoring them or asking club security to eject them.
PleaseShutUp,
Were you there? If not, don't talk like you were. You saw an edited video and you act you like know exactly what happened. Please, shut up.
Unless you're living in a bubble, events of the past twenty years or so should indicate that it's to put it mildly, not nice to use the n-word or challenge the Holocaust. Umm, besides being socially unacceptable, it's just common sense. Who in their right mind would stand up in a theater and yell "Fire!"? It might be fun to do, but a lot of people are going to get mighty angry.
But it's not the content of what he said that really disturbed me (although it did)--it was more the witnessing of someone completely becoming unhinged before your eyes--like some of those schizophrenics who walk down the street screaming nonsense. The guy must be borderline insane.
By the way, I'd like to mention that Richards was performing on a "Fridays" show when Andy Kaufman became completely unhinged. Maybe he learned from the master.
Questions & Answers, All evidence points to this not being a part of his bit. No. I don't know if the film was edited, but Richards has already apologized and issued no rebuttal to the video. I'm going with those facts. To compare it to a comedian of any race using racially charged language in a routine meant to be funny, is an excessively defensive comparison. And, as I said in my first post, two wrongs do not make a right.
He sounds like a hipster doofus
It's hard to imagine how Richards did not realize that such an outburst, in this day and age, is certain career death.
Unless you ARE a minority or a woman or a Democrat in which case you say whatever you want with no consequences.
What A STUPID comment. For your sake, I hope ignorance is bliss!
I'm gonna kick me some crack-lovin, ho-eating, black nig-nog ass tonight fo sho!!
This outburst may have been a little over the top I agree, but to be headline news on CNN ALL DAY seems to be a the perfect middle story in between a school bus crash and our daily dose of Iraq nonsense. You rock CNN!! Keep up the lame work.
Who wants to bet this is a pure publicity stunt to revive his sagging, pathetic career post Seinfeld.
What's the big deal? He's a C-o-m-e-d-i-a-n!
Is it considered racist if a black person calls a white person a nigga?
Regarding the cracker vs. nigga argument: The first thing you learn in any race relations class is that racism=prejudice+power. Black people using the work cracker is prejudiced, but it lacks the same amount of vitriol because we all know that at the end of the day, a black person still has no power to affect anyone negatively. A white person using the n-word on the other hand is prejudiced, but then also has the power to exclude minorities from larger opportunities: education, wealth, exclusive clubs, social circles. It's not as easy as saying 'it's a double standared.' Looking at it on the surface it seems so, but really it's comparing apples to oranges.
claire's right and I really can't fathom anyone else seeing this view. Unless you're PC, is what the racists will say, whatever that means.
Or, PC is to blame, whatever again.
Are you whiteys so blind? and, what are you always whining about? why all the whining?
Live your own life, for christ sakes. I'll never understand whitey, that's for sure.
And, I'm WHite.
Tomorrow nite at the comedy factory.
Sarah Silverman. and to make it fair,
On Weds, Paul Mooney.
It always is entertaining when white people complain of a double standard in regards to racial epithets. Since when did the word "cracker" have attached to it 300+ years of violent history? "Cracker" and "nigger" are both charged words, but are far from being equally powerful.
It's very, very difficult to justify Richards' response no matter what the hecklers shouted to him.
[42] Posted by: Peter | November 20, 2006 3:42 PM
Have you ever been in a conventional comedy club? This may not be right but it's not that weird.
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PleaseShutUp,
Were you there? If not, don't talk like you were. You saw an edited video and you act you like know exactly what happened. Please, shut up.
[43] Posted by: Questions & Answers | November 20, 2006 3:56 PM
He's not saying he knows what happened. He's saying none of us knows what happened beyond what's in that clip.
I still think Kramer (M. Richards) is AWESOME... the black boys deserved what they got..they were trying to get him upset it's thier own doing
Jerry and friends are going to lose a boatload of money on this. Who's going to advertise on Seinfeld reruns now??
"Jerry and friends are going to lose a boatload of money on this. Who's going to advertise on Seinfeld reruns now??"
The Ford Motor Company
to the people who say that black comedians get away with calling white folks "crackers" and stuff... there's a difference when someone's telling a joke and when someone's just angrily ranting and raving. there was no comedy in richards' routine, he was just spewing hate. he could've thought of a funny or witty retort, if he had the talent to do so, which he obviously didn't. he didn't use the word "nigger" in the context of a joke or anything, he just starting screaming it cuz he was angry, and his true feelings came out.
I think the difference between Cracker and Nigger are a mile wide. First of all Nigger symbolizes slavery and condescension while Cracker basically is a retort to Nigger that really isn't as powerful, made by black people who needed to call white people something. It's like calling someone a jerk(cracker) when he calls you a motherfucking cocksucking asshole faggot(nigger). Only certain white people get offended by Cracker while almost all black people get offended by nigger. hell, I get offended when someone uses the nigger figurative to address people who aren't even black.
If blacks find the N word so offense THEY SHOULD START BY NOT USING IT THEMSELVES.
You CAN'T have it both ways, and every time a black person uses the N word he or she is PERPETUATING its usage. Either it 'offends' you or you think it's cool, make-up your minds once and for all.
Everytime I hear (c)rap 'music' it's full of N words, glorifying violence and other immature crap. Which is why I call it HATE MUSIC.
THAT offends me and yet I have to put-up with that shit everywhere I go.
Well, I think Richards needs a psychiatrist. I don't care how pissed off you are, if you are in the public eye and can't control yourself any better that that--- YOU NEED PROFESSIONAL HELP. I don't care if he's a racist or temporarily pissed off... The trouble is>>>>the audiance PAID for a comedy act...NOT FUNNY!
As a black man in this country---those words could offend me or many other blacks; however we have become so sensitive about this thing that its sickening!! Take it for what its worth--like the previous comment stated if a black comedian calls an audience full of whites--crackers would it be a big deal?? Or all Jews other names would it be a big deal? Bottom line if he wasn't funny--he wasn't funny-he shouldn't have been at a comedy club if not a comedian!! Stop being so sensitive--remember the 1st amendment!!
Obviously, this racist, Michael Richards, has shown his cards. He's a racist and he finally felt comfortable showing it. No one calls someone else the N word once, twice, THREE times with that kind of conviction unless they mean it. And, calling someone the N word because you are purposely trying to offend someone is definitely inexcusable and meant to give one pause, but, what I find incredible is that no one is responding to the other most offensive, racist comment I've heard anyone say in public in a long time - well maybe since Trent Lott...
Michael Racist Richards says, "fifty years ago we would have turned you upside down and stuck a fork up your ass." Please understand what he's saying. 50 years ago was before the civil rights movement. Fifty years ago is when Emmett Till was beaten, torturned, hung upside down and stuck with objects up his rectum. Fifty years ago the Black community was openly, blatantly and constantly terrorized and LYNCHED. Let's not get it twisted. Michael Richards is a DIXIE racist and it appears that he's received his acting lessons from the so-called grand wizard himself. Please don't let this turd off the hook and let's be clear about what the most offensive comment is. To the Seinfeld folk and anyone else, don't you dare excuse this behavior. An apology is disengenuous. An apology from this creep is only to say, "I'm sorry I was caught on tape and ruined my career. " It's not an apology for having deeply felt racist feelings.