Michael Richards Meltdown

[Evonce]

Yeah, forget the "crisis management" expert, the appeal to shyster Jesse, and the vulture lawyer who is reinforcing the illogical notion that some sort of financial reparation needs to be made. The victims have come forward, and Richards can personally apologize. Of course, the comments he made will continue to reverberate, and his public image will not be the same again, but that's his loss. He'll have time to reflect on his stupidity.

Indeed, I passed an episode of Seinfeld when flipping thru the channels yesterday and it was like, "turn it off." Makes me chuckle because they just had a DVD set come out, and I'm sure a lot of sales were lost.

[Jazzmoose]

Well, from the rationalizations I'm reading I see that black folks and white folks are worlds apart on the issue of racism. Some people are saying he should be forgiven (by black people?) because everyone makes mistakes. And "he just snapped". Some of you don't even see the implied lynching in his rant.

Certainly, I have never screamed racial epithets at others, and I don't associate with anyone else that would do such a thing. We all make mistakes but not everyone makes those kinds of mistakes. If you don't have those feelings in your heart they won't come out of your mouth.

There are black comedy clubs in L.A., also, and I can guarantee he would not have "just snapped" in any of those. Rightfully or wrongfully he would have gotten his ass kicked if he had said those things at a black comedy club. Bodyguards could not have saved his sorry ass.

No, he knew exactly where he was, West Hollywood, and that he could "snap" with impunity in that environment. In my opinion, he did not just "lose it". He picked his spot to lose it.

Amen. I've said stupid things in my life as well. But I've never made this particular "slip". Hell, I assume we're all affected by racism; we've grown up in a racist society. But this shit has to be in your brain before it can slip out.

As for your second point, at it the truth...nobody ever seems to 'just snap' in West Oakland, for example...

[RainyDay]

The Rev. Al Sharpton called the Letterman venue "unacceptable."

"[He] should apologize to the people to whom his remarks were directed and most offended," Sharpton said in a statement.

"In all due respect to David Letterman, it seems strange that one would insult African-Americans in a long tirade and then go on a white television show with a mostly white studio and viewing audience to make a statement of apology."

So whose show should he have gone on, Arsenio? Magic Johnson? Wayne Brady?

I guess maybe Oprah, or Tyra.

How about America's Black Forum, or the new Black Enterprise weekly show, or Tony Brown's Journal, or Al Sharpton's weekly on TV One, or on Live at the Apollo, or tape a segment for BET, or go on black radio...

No information has been presented that indicates Richards was either drunk or high. And if his rant was part of his act, why didn't he say so on Letterman? How many times does a white person get to call a black person a nigger before he qualifies as a racist? Twice, three times, four, five...? Is there a magic number? Here's a guy who also calls women cunts, and rails at Jews. Richards is hardly a misunderstood victim. The hecklers might be publicity-seeking assholes but the black people in the audience who were not disrespectful (you know, the Good Negroes), didn't deserve to be insulted. Neither did anyone else in the audience who was insulted.

[Jazzmoose]

How many times does a white person get to call a black person a nigger before he qualifies as a racist? Twice, three times, four, five...? Is there a magic number?

If there is, I'm sure he covered it in that rant...

[Big Wheel]

After finally watching the video, I think it's obvious that Richards owes everyone a big apology. But I don't think it necessarily "proves" that Michael Richards is a racist to the core. I see a guy flying off the handle and reaching for the biggest weapon he can find in the arsenal. Only problem: it didn't come off as funny at all, and rather than try and find a graceful out, he foolishly decided to stick with the thing and see where it led.

When your entire job revolves around not being taken seriously, you're probably going to confuse even yourself some of the time.

[Dan Gould]

Shock of all shocks, Rainy Day comes back to talk about racism.

Ever talk about music here, RD? Don't get me wrong, your welcome to talk about whatever you want. It just seems so predictable that you'd chime in on this thread when you haven't been seen in ages. You've made four posts in a year, and one of them was about racism and another is about Crouch.

[Jim Alfredson]

Why does that matter?

[Jazzmoose]

Shock of all shocks, Rainy Day comes back to talk about racism.

Ever talk about music here, RD? Don't get me wrong, your welcome to talk about whatever you want. It just seems so predictable that you'd chime in on this thread when you haven't been seen in ages. You've made four posts in a year, and one of them was about racism and another is about Crouch.

" " indeed...

[Randy Twizzle]

[connoisseur series500]

Even when we "slip," we say what's inside us.

I'm likely to say anything, but lynching comments just don't come to my mind.

They just don't....

[Big Wheel]

I don't think this was a slip. I think it was a deliberate attempt to provoke, which is something very different. If you've ever seen The Aristocrats, you know that even great, respected comedians have some nasty, nasty shit "inside" them.

[Jim R]

After finally watching the video, I think it's obvious that Richards owes everyone a big apology. But I don't think it necessarily "proves" that Michael Richards is a racist to the core. I see a guy flying off the handle and reaching for the biggest weapon he can find in the arsenal. Only problem: it didn't come off as funny at all, and rather than try and find a graceful out, he foolishly decided to stick with the thing and see where it led.

When your entire job revolves around not being taken seriously, you're probably going to confuse even yourself some of the time.

Exactly. It amazes me that so many people are unwilling to even consider these things as plausible (the AAJ version of this thread is equally divided). Like RDK said earlier, you'd have to be completely insane to say what he said in a "serious" way in a public place like that, let alone on a stage holding a mic.

...I'm not ruling out the possibility that he's completely insane, either, though.

[Big Al]

Shock of all shocks, Rainy Day comes back to talk about racism.

Ever talk about music here, RD? Don't get me wrong, your welcome to talk about whatever you want. It just seems so predictable that you'd chime in on this thread when you haven't been seen in ages. You've made four posts in a year, and one of them was about racism and another is about Crouch.

That reminds me: has anyone seen Albertson lately?

[RDK]

...I'm not ruling out the possibility that he's completely insane, either, though.

Jim, when all is said and done, that's probably as likely as anything. Anyone who's seen Richards on Fridays or Seinfeld can easily see that he's an, uh, odd person. Yeah, sure, he's acting, but that's not all of it. He's an eccentric, intense performer, and perhaps wired a bit differently than the rest of us (not unique by any means in Hollywood!). Combine that with a lifetime of trying to provoke and amuse with edgy, offbeat humor and seat-of-your-pants improve, and the line between propriety and offense can get rather blurry. I don't buy that this "rant" was part of any act or joke that got out of control. Richards simply flipped out, and unfortunately for him it was all caught on tape. (Reminds me of those Buddy Rich tapes in fact.)

[Tjazz]

I don't think this was a slip. I think it was a deliberate attempt to provoke, which is something very different. If you've ever seen The Aristocrats, you know that even great, respected comedians have some nasty, nasty shit "inside" them.

I agree.

Comedians can really get low. They love trashing each other.

Has Michael Richards ever acted "normal" in movie?

Edited November 24, 2006 by Tjazz

[Son-of-a-Weizen]

Oh, brother...now PR man Rubenstein has him kissing that horrible race-baiting worm Sharpton's ring?? If Richards had some self-respect left he'd say: 'look, I apologized once....but I'm sayin' NFW to that suggestion of yours, Ruby! I'll work at Best Buy for the rest of my life before kissing his rump.'

[RainyDay]

Shock of all shocks, Rainy Day comes back to talk about racism.

Ever talk about music here, RD? Don't get me wrong, your welcome to talk about whatever you want. It just seems so predictable that you'd chime in on this thread when you haven't been seen in ages. You've made four posts in a year, and one of them was about racism and another is about Crouch.

Ise sorry not to ask first, boss, before opening my mouf. I'll just jes shuffle on down the road now and let y'all enjoy your talk about race without meddlin' from the ignorant colored folk.

[7/4]

Obviously a not a Firefox user. Stick around RD, don't mind Dan, he's a fool.

[Dan Gould]

Shock of all shocks, Rainy Day comes back to talk about racism.

Ever talk about music here, RD? Don't get me wrong, your welcome to talk about whatever you want. It just seems so predictable that you'd chime in on this thread when you haven't been seen in ages. You've made four posts in a year, and one of them was about racism and another is about Crouch.

Ise sorry not to ask first, boss, before opening my mouf. I'll just jes shuffle on down the road now and let y'all enjoy your talk about race without meddlin' from the ignorant colored folk.

Typical bullshit reply when someone has simply noted that over and over again you only come out when "racism" is at issue. You've got nothing else to say here, ever.

[JSngry]

Ise sorry not to ask first, boss, before opening my mouf. I'll just jes shuffle on down the road now and let y'all enjoy your talk about race without meddlin' from the ignorant colored folk.

Is there anything between Point A & Point Z? I know you can do better than that...

Based on what has come out about Richard's "personality", I think the odds are less that he's a "Racist" in the sense of being a White Supremacist, card-carrying KKK type as they are that he's spent his life so wrapped up in himself that he's failed to develop any type of empathy for all but a select handful of people. That's a situation that a lot of "creative" people find themselves in, and although it's necessary up to a point for the creative process, if it goes on too long & too unchecked by the reality past the end of their nose, it ends up becoming a type of generalized misanthropy. It's not "racism" per se, but it's definitely every bit as fucked up, every bit as hurtful to/for all concerned, and every bit as much in need of a smackdown. Perhaps even moreso, since the list of potential victims of such a mindset extends to pretty much everybody.

[Claude]

Seinfeld - The Complete Seventh Season DVD on CD Universe

Customer Reviews

Average Rating: 1 out of 5 stars (1 reviews submitted)

racist cast

Kramer's racist any decent human being won't buy this trash!

Submitted by keldric in forsyth,ga,usa

That is actually funny, since Kramer is the least prejudiced among the Seinfeld characters.

Edited November 24, 2006 by Claude

[RainyDay]

Shock of all shocks, Rainy Day comes back to talk about racism.

Ever talk about music here, RD? Don't get me wrong, your welcome to talk about whatever you want. It just seems so predictable that you'd chime in on this thread when you haven't been seen in ages. You've made four posts in a year, and one of them was about racism and another is about Crouch.

Ise sorry not to ask first, boss, before opening my mouf. I'll just jes shuffle on down the road now and let y'all enjoy your talk about race without meddlin' from the ignorant colored folk.

Typical bullshit reply when someone has simply noted that over and over again you only come out when "racism" is at issue. You've got nothing else to say here, ever.

Why, yessuh. Ise just trying to keep yoursef from gettin' embarrassed 'cos you didn't answer what I said, jes got mad 'cos I showed up. I got nuffni' to say you want to hear, that's all. How many music things do I have to talk about 'fore I can say something about this here?

[Jim Alfredson]

Shock of all shocks, Rainy Day comes back to talk about racism.

Ever talk about music here, RD? Don't get me wrong, your welcome to talk about whatever you want. It just seems so predictable that you'd chime in on this thread when you haven't been seen in ages. You've made four posts in a year, and one of them was about racism and another is about Crouch.

Ise sorry not to ask first, boss, before opening my mouf. I'll just jes shuffle on down the road now and let y'all enjoy your talk about race without meddlin' from the ignorant colored folk.

Typical bullshit reply when someone has simply noted that over and over again you only come out when "racism" is at issue. You've got nothing else to say here, ever.

I'll ask again, why does it matter? Where is it written that one must be actively posting in all the forums?

[BERIGAN]

Well, I was curious to see why this thread was to page 9...curiosity sated......

[Dan Gould]

Shock of all shocks, Rainy Day comes back to talk about racism.

Ever talk about music here, RD? Don't get me wrong, your welcome to talk about whatever you want. It just seems so predictable that you'd chime in on this thread when you haven't been seen in ages. You've made four posts in a year, and one of them was about racism and another is about Crouch.

Ise sorry not to ask first, boss, before opening my mouf. I'll just jes shuffle on down the road now and let y'all enjoy your talk about race without meddlin' from the ignorant colored folk.

Typical bullshit reply when someone has simply noted that over and over again you only come out when "racism" is at issue. You've got nothing else to say here, ever.

I'll ask again, why does it matter? Where is it written that one must be actively posting in all the forums?

Because she's a johnny one note who only shows up when the discussion is racism. She's here about once a year to talk about music, otherwise its like she has a sixth sense about when race becomes an issue, and she's all over it. That's not tiresome, boring and predictable?