Is it a clear-cut case of the ‘mighty falling’…or are there some other dirt-ridden social layers here worth sifting through?
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I find it too out of context to really know what was going on. It seems like Kramer was making a joke (sounded like satire to me), and then someone overreacted because he used that word who failed to see the point Kramer was making hence why Kramer got upset and walked off.
Supposedly some guys in the upper deck were heckling him all night…and they happened to be black…and he just ‘happened’ to fly off the handle with the racist remarks. Sighhhhhhhhhhh.
The thing is, this wouldn’t even be ‘news’ if Chris Rock said the same thing – that is how volatile things still are just under the surface in Western culture.
I saw this this morning and was underwhelmed. I’m sure Mr. Richards was frustrated by the constant heckling and interruption, but he blew his cool. What he said wasn’t very funny, or very tactful, and it has obviously now done him a great deal more damage than anything the hecklers could have done on their own. I rather doubt that he is a virulent racist deep down inside and now his cover is blown, and I’m sure he regrets the incident, especially now that it’s on half the computer screens in America. But that’s the trouble with a slip like that – you can’t take it back. So regardless of what it ‘means’, it’s just disappointing.
He’s way too intense for standup. Comedians are generally angry people (christ, look at Bill Hicks, Robin Williams, Lenny Bruce, etc etc) but Richards is not even angry, he’s repressed. From what I hear on the Seinfeld DVDs, he’s NOTHING like Kramer character, and everyone said he took the show the most seriously.
Richards is, or at least was during the Seinfeld years, an extraordinarily gifted physical comic. We’ve been watching through a lot of the series on DVD recently and in almost every episode there are some Kramer moments that are simply unbelievable. However, in all the behind-the-scenes footage he does come off as arrogant and very invested in the Importance of the work he was doing. Oh well.
This isn’t the first time, that’s the thing. I can understand from a professional point of view, losing it, but he didn’t even take into consideration that the demographic of his audience was black in majority. bad launch. Apparantly though, he has pulled the same stunt before:
“Did Michael Richards attack the Jews? Two Los Angeles residents have come forward and said that’s exactly what happened last Spring at L.A. comedy club, The Improv.
Carol Oschin and J.P. Fillet say they were at The Improv on April 22 when Richards took the stage. They say that in the middle of Richards’ skit, a man in the audience said something to the comedian, when Richards allegedly launched into an anti-Semitic rant. According to Oschin, Richards screamed at the audience member, “You f***ing Jew. You people are the cause of Jesus dying.”
I think it’s just the most childish of tantrums, happening in moments of extreme (PERCEIVED) vulnerability (ie: onstage) – he’s lashing out in the most hateful and venomous ways possible because the heckling is being experienced as a personal attack on ‘HIM’ – not his act, not his words, not the overall stand-up scenario…but on ‘Michael Richards’ as a human being.
It’s called ‘narcissistic rage’, folks…and Michael and Mel certainly ain’t the first celebs to fall because of it.
I find it too out of context to really know what was going on. It seems like Kramer was making a joke (sounded like satire to me), and then someone overreacted because he used that word who failed to see the point Kramer was making hence why Kramer got upset and walked off.
Kramer! POR QUE?
Supposedly some guys in the upper deck were heckling him all night…and they happened to be black…and he just ‘happened’ to fly off the handle with the racist remarks. Sighhhhhhhhhhh.
The thing is, this wouldn’t even be ‘news’ if Chris Rock said the same thing – that is how volatile things still are just under the surface in Western culture.
I saw this this morning and was underwhelmed. I’m sure Mr. Richards was frustrated by the constant heckling and interruption, but he blew his cool. What he said wasn’t very funny, or very tactful, and it has obviously now done him a great deal more damage than anything the hecklers could have done on their own. I rather doubt that he is a virulent racist deep down inside and now his cover is blown, and I’m sure he regrets the incident, especially now that it’s on half the computer screens in America. But that’s the trouble with a slip like that – you can’t take it back. So regardless of what it ‘means’, it’s just disappointing.
Totally disappointing…and his apology on Letterman only inspired confusion and mild pity. 🙁
Okay, that makes more sense now. But it’s all still very disappointing.
Sounds like he was trying to comment on how there is still all of the tension and fear bubbling under the societal surface:
“Alright, you see? This shocks you, it shocks you to see what’s buried beneath you stupid motherf***ers”
“You see? You see, there’s still those words, those words those words…”
…but to do it in the way that he did, and as a reactionary response to a heckler, was poor judgement.
Yeah…AWFUL judgment…but I can see what he was TRYING to do…badly.
Richards bombed onstage at the Just for Laughs fest in Montreal nearly 7 years ago…he certainly ain’t no standup, let me tell you.
He’s way too intense for standup. Comedians are generally angry people (christ, look at Bill Hicks, Robin Williams, Lenny Bruce, etc etc) but Richards is not even angry, he’s repressed. From what I hear on the Seinfeld DVDs, he’s NOTHING like Kramer character, and everyone said he took the show the most seriously.
Richards is, or at least was during the Seinfeld years, an extraordinarily gifted physical comic. We’ve been watching through a lot of the series on DVD recently and in almost every episode there are some Kramer moments that are simply unbelievable. However, in all the behind-the-scenes footage he does come off as arrogant and very invested in the Importance of the work he was doing. Oh well.
This isn’t the first time, that’s the thing. I can understand from a professional point of view, losing it, but he didn’t even take into consideration that the demographic of his audience was black in majority. bad launch. Apparantly though, he has pulled the same stunt before:
“Did Michael Richards attack the Jews? Two Los Angeles residents have come forward and said that’s exactly what happened last Spring at L.A. comedy club, The Improv.
Carol Oschin and J.P. Fillet say they were at The Improv on April 22 when Richards took the stage. They say that in the middle of Richards’ skit, a man in the audience said something to the comedian, when Richards allegedly launched into an anti-Semitic rant. According to Oschin, Richards screamed at the audience member, “You f***ing Jew. You people are the cause of Jesus dying.”
Story source here: http://www.tmz.com/2006/11/22/richards-rant-not-the-first-time
If there’s a track record, there’s a problem. Richards has allegedly hired a new PR sharpshooter to handle the spin.
Michael Richards is apparently full of hate for himself, cause he’s Jewish.
I think it’s just the most childish of tantrums, happening in moments of extreme (PERCEIVED) vulnerability (ie: onstage) – he’s lashing out in the most hateful and venomous ways possible because the heckling is being experienced as a personal attack on ‘HIM’ – not his act, not his words, not the overall stand-up scenario…but on ‘Michael Richards’ as a human being.
It’s called ‘narcissistic rage’, folks…and Michael and Mel certainly ain’t the first celebs to fall because of it.