Michael Richards' Racist Tirade - Kramer discovers the "N-word"

[Sonic Youth]

Ugh. Memo to Richards and Gibson: if you're gonna spend the next several years hiring crises management experts and in our faces every thirty seconds apologizing on tv and on tour, then you know what? Just stay racist.


'Kramer' Apologizes, Hires Crisis Expert


Nov 23, 7:43 AM (ET)

By SOLVEJ SCHOU


LOS ANGELES (AP) - First he went on national television to apologize for his racial tirade against two black hecklers. Now Michael Richards is taking his contriteness to the next level: he's hired a public relations expert with deep contacts in the black community.

New York publicist Howard Rubenstein took on Richards as a client Wednesday after being contacted by the actor-comedian. He then arranged for Richards to call the Revs. Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton.

"I've known those gentlemen for many years," Rubenstein told The Associated Press.

"Michael apologized profusely. He wants to heal the tremendous wound that he's inflicted on the American public, and on the African-American community," he said.

Jackson, reached by phone, said Richards called "expressing his remorse and his confusion."

"He's embarrassed. He got caught on tape. That's a big part of his anxiety now," said Jackson.

"Clearly he needs some race sensibility training, and some psychiatric help. His anger is volatile and dangerous to himself and others," Jackson said. "I hope he gets the help he needs. But the culture that's producing this kind of animosity toward blacks must be addressed. ... We're increasingly facing cultural isolation in Hollywood, in the movies and in TV."

Jackson added, "We have to evaluate the use of the n-word and categorize it as hate speech, no matter who uses it."

Calls to Sharpton's home and to his National Action Network on Wednesday were not returned.

Richards, who played the kooky neighbor Kramer on the TV show "Seinfeld," lashed out at the hecklers last week during a performance at West Hollywood's Laugh Factory. A video of his rant then appeared on TMZ.com.

In a subsequent satellite appearance on David Letterman's "Late Show," Richards said his remarks were fueled by anger, not bigotry.

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People said in a statement Wednesday that the tirade and anti-Semitic comments by Mel Gibson earlier this year point to a pervasive trend in American culture, and that Richards' declaration "is indicative of the type of denial that too often accompanies racist rhetoric."

Rubenstein, whose media relations firm specializes in "crisis management" according to the firm's Web site, said he had never met or spoken to Richards before the actor called him.

Clients of Rubenstein's firm include Amazon.com, the New York Yankees, ABC Inc., Walt Disney Co., Time Inc., News Corp. (NWS), Columbia University, the NAACP Image Awards and Bloomberg L.P., according to the Web site.

"I've been very involved in the African-American community for 25 to 30 years," Rubenstein said. "It would be a tragedy if this exacerbated our race relations. I hope I can help. ... It's always been an effort on my part to improve African-American and Jewish ethnic relations."

As for reports that Richards shouted out anti-Semitic remarks during another standup comedy routine in April, Rubenstein confirmed his client did, but that he was only role-playing.

"He's Jewish. He's not anti-Semitic at all. He was role-playing, he was playing a part. He did use inappropriate language, but he doesn't have any anti-Semitic feelings whatsoever," Rubenstein said.

[Sonic Youth]

Everytime a middle-aged Jew gets up in the morning and decides to be edgy, it goes horribly awry.

Gedoudahere! The Borscht Belt revelled in blue material back in the day.

[flipp525]

...who's next? Barbara Walters discovers her hidden homophobia?

Actually, I think homosexualphobia is the accurate term for what everyone means. Literally, I think homophobia means disliking those who are similar to you.

homophobia -- Pronunciation Key - [hoh-muh-foh-bee-uh] (noun) unreasoning fear of or antipathy toward homosexuals and homosexuality.

There is no such word as "homosexualphobia".

[Sabin]

Amazing. I've never seen somebody on stage digging themselves a hole, backed into the corner like that. Everytime a middle-aged Jew gets up in the morning and decides to be edgy, it goes horribly awry. The audience had better lines that him.

A better link - http://video.google.com/videopl....s&hl=en

His apology on Letterman is outstanding as well. He looks just like Jackie Earle Haley in 'Little Children'. He looks just like a man-child trying to shift the blame, like he was blaming "Michael Richards, in relation to Society" rather than himself. What a lying piece of ####! He said the 'n' word and that's all there is to it. He's probably not a racist, just a buffoon on stage - even worse. I love how he ends the bit with a Lenny Bruce imitation, ends his set by trying to confront us with the nature of these words.

[Greg]

...who's next? Barbara Walters discovers her hidden homophobia?

Actually, I think homosexualphobia is the accurate term for what everyone means. Literally, I think homophobia means disliking those who are similar to you.

[OscarGuy]

I have three words for you.

One trick pony.

[anonymous1980]

I guess the pressure of being the least successful Seinfeld alum got to him: Julia's got another hit show, Jerry's still performing and has a movie coming out next year, Jason's been working constantly on stage, TV and film.

I looked it up. He hasn't anything of note since his failed bid at his own TV series got cancelled.

[Big Magilla]

He called a heckler the "n" word at least three times and an "m.f." at least once.

[Sonic Youth]

Sheesh. I can't understand what they're saying and I can't read the subtitles.

If there's a higher quality film clip, don't tell me. I think I'd like to remain in blissful ignorance on this one.

[flipp525]

Wow. I've never seen someone so completely unravel right before my very eyes. Mel Gibson, Michael Richards...who's next? Barbara Walters discovers her hidden homophobia?

Michael Richards at the Laugh Factory