LOS ANGELES (AP) - A barrage of racial epithets unleashed by former "Seinfeld" star Michael Richards during a stand-up comedy routine drew condemnation from Richards' industry colleagues.
Comedian Paul Rodriguez, who was at the Laugh Factory in West Hollywood on Friday when Richards responded to two black hecklers with the "n" word and profanities, said he was shocked by Richards' remarks.
"Once the word comes out of your mouth and you don't happen to be African-American, then you have a whole lot of explaining," Rodriguez told CNN. "Freedom of speech has its limitations and I think Michael Richards found those limitations."
Jerry Seinfeld issued a statement saying he was "sick over this."
"I'm sure Michael is also sick over this horrible, horrible mistake. It is so extremely offensive. I feel terrible for all the people who have been hurt," Seinfeld said of Richards, 57, who played eccentric Kramer on the hit 1989-98 sitcom and whose major credit since was the failed 2000 comedy series, "The Michael Richards Show."
Calls to Richards' representatives were not returned Monday.
His Laugh Factory tirade began after the two clubgoers shouted at him that he wasn't funny. A videotape of the incident was posted on TMZ.com.
Richards retorted: "Shut up! Fifty years ago we'd have you upside down with a f------ fork up your a--."
He then paced across the stage taunting the men for interrupting his show, peppering his speech with racial slurs and profanities.
"You can talk, you can talk, you're brave now mother------. Throw his a-- out. He's a n-----!" Richards shouts before repeating the racial epithet over and over again.
Moderating his tone at one point, Richards tells the audience: "It shocks you. It shocks you" and refers to "what lays buried."
While there is some chuckling in the audience throughout the outburst, someone can be heard gasping "Oh my God" and people respond with "ooh" after Richards uses the n-word.
Eventually someone calls out: "It's not funny. That's why you're a reject, never had no shows, never had no movies. 'Seinfeld,' that's it."
On Monday, about a half-dozen community activists gathered at the club to denounce Richards' remarks and demand an apology.
"These kind of comments hurt all of us," said protester Lita Sister Herron of the Youth Advocacy Coalition. She called Richards' comments hate speech.
The protesters also demanded an apology from the Laugh Factory. At a news conference a short time later, club owner Jamie Masada expressed remorse and said Richards will not be back at the club until he says he's sorry.
"This is one thing we don't tolerate. ... I personally apologize. I apologize from my heart," Masada said Monday.
Richards did appear at the club Saturday, without incident, but that was because he had told the club he intended to apologize, according to a Laugh Factory statement Monday.
Rodriguez, also at the news conference, said: "I kept expecting a punch line. It didn't come."
Veteran publicist Michael Levine, whose clients have included famed comedians George Carlin, Sam Kinison and Rodney Dangerfield, called Richards' remarks inexcusable. Comics often face hecklers without losing their cool, he said.
"It's never seen anything like this is my life," Levine said Monday. "I think it's a career ruiner for him. ... It's going to be a long road back for him, if at all."
Daryl Pitts, a Laugh Factory audience member interviewed by CNN, compared the incident to another recent celebrity controversy.
"You think about Mel Gibson and what he said, and put that in the context of this, it's very upsetting," Pitts said, referring to Gibson's anti-Semitic outburst during his arrest for drunken driving.
Scrutiny of Richards' remarks likely will continue but won't match the level prompted by Gibson's behavior because Richards is far less famous, Levine said.
Comedian George Lopez told Los Angeles television station KTLA that he thought Richards' lack of stand-up experience may have been a factor.
"The question is you have an actor who is trying to be a comedian who doesn't know what to do when an audience is disruptive," Lopez said. "He's an actor whose show has been off the air, he shouldn't ever be on a stand-up gig."
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Associated Press Writer Jacob Adelman contributed to this report
-------------------- The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits Posts: 10204 | From: NYC | Registered: Mar 2006
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I didn't grow up in the States so I don't think I know just how serious this use of language is, but to me it's just a word. Not that I would say it because of how uptight people are over language, and because of the apparent negative connotation (wouldn't want to give the impression that I'm against black people) but if I were black I would be more offended with the other stuff that was said, not the n***** word (yes I *'ed it for your hypersensitive eyes, now please continue watching your hollywood movies with guns, stabbing, mutilation, torture and pain, all uncensored because that's not offensive ). If a gay person hears fa**ot he'd be like "um ok you just described what I am, and? what's your point? lol" and laugh it off because it sounds ridiculous to call someone on who/what he is, maybe black people should do the same? Because the name caller is basically saying "you're different" (that's what racism does, it divides), what better way to break racism by saying you're NOT different and you're NOT offended? By being offended you give in to the name caller's notion that your skin color is something you're supposed to be ashamed about. Just say "that's what and who I am ", that's what I would do and the name caller wouldn't know what to say because he expects a completely different reaction. Make him feel how stupid it is to call people on their skin color. It sounds equally dumb as if someone said "HAHA you're lefthanded!"
But like I said, I don't know the seriousness of this word, so don't shoot me now, it's just an outsider view. I've always found it interesting how one 6 character word has the power to cause so much pain, I've never understood that
Posts: 1091 | From: Brugge, Belgium / Dallas TX USA | Registered: May 2006
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Just more gossip and trash talk maskerading as news, 'cause the people that are hired as reporters are ill prepared to handle actual news.
I don't give a hoot about this nut or O.J. or Crews or any other of the "pretty people" that are, more than anything else, are NOT pleasant or admirable people.
It's just gossip.....stuff to titillate the weak imaginations of the soap opera crowd.
Posts: 11304 | From: Fort Worth, Texas | Registered: Mar 2005
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well we all know only white people can be racist.
if you say "brown pride" you commended for acknowledging your heritage. if you say "black power" good for you. your black and proud of it. if you say white pride, or white power.. your a dispicable nazi, and full of hate, and probably full of anti-semitism just in case the nazisim and hatred isnt enough.
Posts: 678 | From: currently in hiding due to investigation | Registered: Oct 2004
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Just goes to show how little words really mean in communication.
Verbal tone, inflection, nuance, volume, facial movements and subconscious cues convey much more meaning than the actual words.
Not saying what he did was right. Just saying if it was "off the cuff" improv he didn't own it and it backlashed. You either need to be a skilled linguist or protected by a edgy persona to go there and make it work. Kramer's speciality is slapstick.
-------------------- No longer eligible for government service due to lack of tax issues. Posts: 5178 | From: Up North | Registered: Dec 2005
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-------------------- No longer eligible for government service due to lack of tax issues. Posts: 5178 | From: Up North | Registered: Dec 2005
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i dont get why its funny for black comedians to rant about "cracker this" "cracker that" and go out of their way on caucasian bashing and they dont get heat for that.
im tired of the double standard, and you know i think the native americans had it the worst. we wiped out tribes and just did unspeakable things. i traced my military unit's lineage to the 1800's and wow....our army was ruthless. so the racism in the 50's doesnt really play well in a debate of that subject when you learn about the indian wars when it comes to who was so badly oppressed.
Posts: 6949 | Registered: Apr 2004
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i think it was a publicity stunt!! even seinfeled was on lettermen...they pushing xmas dvd sales like they do every year (just in different ways) i got 3 seasons myself...i also saw myspace advertising the seasons as well...just speculation, although he did sound really pissed..maybe his jokes sucked, and the hecklers got to him? who knows...but he got a lot of press from it thats for sure...
Posts: 3086 | From: miami | Registered: Nov 2005
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![[Roll Eyes]](rolleyes.gif)
). If a gay person hears fa**ot he'd be like "um ok you just described what I am, and? what's your point? lol" and laugh it off because it sounds ridiculous to call someone on who/what he is, maybe black people should do the same? Because the name caller is basically saying "you're different" (that's what racism does, it divides), what better way to break racism by saying you're NOT different and you're NOT offended? By being offended you give in to the name caller's notion that your skin color is something you're supposed to be ashamed about. Just say "that's what and who I am ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
", that's what I would do and the name caller wouldn't know what to say because he expects a completely different reaction. Make him feel how stupid it is to call people on their skin color. It sounds equally dumb as if someone said "HAHA you're lefthanded!"
