Report: 'Seinfeld's' Richards Hurls Slurs On Stage
N-Word Tirade At Black Audience Members Caught On Tape
November 20, 2006
The actor who played Kramer on the classic sitcom "Seinfeld" reportedly hurled racial epithets at two black audience members at a Los Angeles comedy hot spot Friday, leaving audience members outraged, according to TMZ.com.
Michael Richards went off on two black audience members who were heckling the comedian during a show at the Laugh Factory in West Hollywood. He unleashed a string of racial epithets, taunting the two men with slurs and profanities. Some people in the audience walked out, as Richards repeatedly used the N-word.
In a video of the incident featured on the Web site (note: Video contains profanity), Richards purportedly screamed,
"Fifty years ago we'd have you upside down with a f---ing fork up your a--."
On the videotape, some audience members are gasping in disbelief.
Directing his anger at one of the men, Richards said,
"Throw his a-- out," and said, "He's a n-----!" five times.
In response to the tirade, one of men shouted at Richards on the TMZ video, "That''s un-f---ing called for, you cracker-a-- motherf-----" and called the comedian a "f---ing white boy."
Also during the three-minute tirade, Richards said, "They're going to arrest me for calling a black man a n-----."
The video shows some people walking out, with others gasping -- but there's also some audible chuckling throughout the outburst.
CNN quoted Richards as telling the network he's sorry for what happened, and that he had made amends.
Richards performed the next night at the Laugh Factory without incident.
His representatives haven't yet returned calls Monday.
Richards played Kramer on "Seinfeld" from 1989 to 1998. He also starred in 2000's "The Michael Richards Show," which was canceled during its first season.
Jerry Seinfeld Says He's 'Sick'
Jerry Seinfeld said he's "sick over this."
He's reacting to the on-stage comments from his former "Seinfeld" co-star.
Monday, Seinfeld issued a statement saying, "I'm sure Michael is also sick over this horrible, horrible mistake." Seinfeld said the comments from Richards were "so extremely offensive." He added, "I feel terrible for all the people who have been hurt."
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This goes way beyond throwing out the N-word like some urban youth would. The "Fifty years ago..." comment ?! Sheesh. How did he "make amends" for that?
