Dog Community

Do you think Kramer (from Seinfeld) is racist?

Posted : 11/21/2006 12:54:00 PM

Maybe you already heard, but aparently actor Michael Richards went on a angry racial tirade when he was performing stand-up comedy on Friday at some club in California. What are your thoughts?

**Warning - the video is not child friendly at all**

"Kramer's" Racist Tirade -- Caught on Tape
Posted Nov 20th 2006 8:30AM by [linkhttp://www.tmz.com/bloggers/tmz-staff]TMZ Staff[/link]
Filed under: [linkhttp://www.tmz.com/category/train-wrecks/]Train Wrecks[/link]

.home-page-only {display:none;}
[link

mmsid=1772645]>http://us.video.aol.com/video.index.adp?mode=1&

mmsid=1772645]

[/link]WARNING: WHAT YOU ARE ABOUT TO SEE IS PROFANE AND RACIAL

Michael Richards exploded in anger as he performed at a famous L.A. comedy club last Friday, hurling racial epithets that left the crowd gasping, and [linkmmsid=1772645]TMZ>http://us.video.aol.com/video.index.adp?mode=1&mmsid=1772645]TMZ has obtained exclusive video[/link] of the ugly incident.

Richards, who played the wacky Cosmo Kramer on the hit TV show "Seinfeld," appeared onstage at the Laugh Factory in West Hollywood. Kyle Doss, an African-American, told TMZ he and some friends were in the cheap seats and he was playfully heckling Richards when suddenly, the comedian lost it.

The camera started rolling just as Richards began his attack, screaming at one of the men, "Fifty years ago we'd have you upside down with a f***ing fork up your ass."

Richards continued, "You can talk, you can talk, you're brave now motherf**ker. Throw his ass out. He's a ***! He's a ***! He's a ***! A ***, look, there's a ***!"

The crowd is visibly and audibly confused and upset. Richards responds by saying, "They're going to arrest me for calling a black man a ***."

One of the men who was the object of Richard's tirade was outraged, shouting back "That's un-f***ing called for, ain't necessary."

After the three-minute tirade, it appears the majority of the audience members got up and left in disgust.

Attempts to reach Richards' reps were unsuccessful.

rwbeagles

Posted : 11/21/2006 1:28:16 PM

Yeah...I don't think that word's really in your vocab in a handy enough place to use (once, let alone over and over) even when angry, unless you've used it before when you WEREN'T angry, and have some sort of familiarity with it ya know? That's my view on it...

cakana

Posted : 11/21/2006 1:28:20 PM

Absolutely and I also think he needs some help with anger management [:@].

Prince_Pride

Posted : 11/21/2006 1:38:15 PM

I have to say I do think he is racist. Like was mentioned, you don't just have vocabulary like that sitting around in your head waiting to use it whenever. I mean, when I'm mad, I call people lots of names...but none are words deragatory towards their race.

He could have chose a bunch of other things to call those people heckling him. Using the N word b/c they were African American was EXTREMELY not necessary! I mean he could have called them big fat f*ing jerks instead. I'm just in shock at the stuff he said. Especially the "50 yrs ago" comment [:@]

sillysally

Posted : 11/21/2006 1:40:01 PM

I heard the audio and I heard his apology, and I don't buy it. Especially the part where he tried to say that national and world events played a part in his anger. Puleease.

sillysally

Posted : 11/21/2006 1:41:04 PM

Will any of you be able to watch "Seinfeld" the same way again?

ashland

Posted : 11/21/2006 1:53:41 PM

I was just having this discussion with my friend. She doesn't think he's racist, just that he blew up. I think he's racist because if you're not racist (in my opinion), those thoughts and words don't come to your mind when you're angry. They're not even in your vocabulary. I don't care how mad I am at someone, I never ever even THINK to refer to them in terms of what race they are. It's not even a thought process of mine. I believe that if you are racist or prejudice (difference there) that those kinds of thoughts and words are used in your head and in your vocabulary, so I absolutely believe he is a racist.

My friend and coworker are telling me that when they get angry or irritated that they'll think in stereotypical terms. For example, my friend says that she was shopping the other day and a little Mexican boy was running around her being very annoying. In her mind, she was thinking, "Damn sp*ck". (Did I edit that enough?) This is what she feels happened to Kramer. He was being heckled and he blew up. I'm sorry, but IMO, his comments were RACIST. They came from within him and were full of hate.

fuzzy_dogs_mom

Posted : 11/21/2006 2:06:24 PM

I'm surprised that someone who has been part of the entertainment world for as long as he has hasn't learned how to handle hecklers with more grace. [:@] Aren't hecklers just a routine part of the picture? I agree that if that *word* isn't a routine part of your vocabulary, it's not going to just pop out of your mouth.

Joyce

dogslyfe

Posted : 11/21/2006 2:08:46 PM

I'm sorry, but when I get angry at a person, I sometimes may think, "what a jerk". Sometimes I may go so far as to refer to them (inside my head, or in private) in regards to their sex (b word, or the child of an unmarried woman), but the racial or even sexual orientation never comes across. I agree - for this to come out with such ease, even when blowing up, implies familiarity and comfort with the words and feelings behind them.

anne

Posted : 11/21/2006 2:19:30 PM

ORIGINAL: ashland

I was just having this discussion with my friend. She doesn't think he's racist, just that he blew up. I think he's racist because if you're not racist (in my opinion), those thoughts and words don't come to your mind when you're angry. They're not even in your vocabulary. I don't care how mad I am at someone, I never ever even THINK to refer to them in terms of what race they are. It's not even a thought process of mine. I believe that if you are racist or prejudice (difference there) that those kinds of thoughts and words are used in your head and in your vocabulary, so I absolutely believe he is a racist.

My friend and coworker are telling me that when they get angry or irritated that they'll think in stereotypical terms. For example, my friend says that she was shopping the other day and a little Mexican boy was running around her being very annoying. In her mind, she was thinking, "Damn sp*ck". (Did I edit that enough?) This is what she feels happened to Kramer. He was being heckled and he blew up. I'm sorry, but IMO, his comments were RACIST. They came from within him and were full of hate.

Agreed 200%. I would never say that word at all. You dont attack someone's ethnicity. Like she said he could have just said your a f---ing jerk. There was no reason to use such hateful and yes racist language.

cakana

Posted : 11/21/2006 2:20:22 PM

In her mind, she was thinking, "Damn sp*ck".

Gosh, that just makes me cringe to even read [:@], but it does explain why your friend doesn't think Kramer is a racist for his comments because she'd then have to admit that she too is a racist. I just wonder how people rationalize in their head that they're not racist when they have these kinds of thoughts. What do they think racism is?

labcrab

Posted : 11/21/2006 2:40:23 PM

Geez... As has already been touched upon, when one is angry and shouting (out of control) - the words that come out are meaningful. It's like when a non-English native gets upset, their mother tongue takes over. I know that even at my highest point of escalation and loss of control - it would NEVER even occur to me to say those things. He's totally racist as far as I'm concerned. Oh, and I DO understand that as a comedian - you do have to create a certain arsenal of "comebacks" for hecklers and the like. And that profession does lend itself to exposure to all kinds of derogatory comments, jokes, digs, etc. BUT - he's racist. He didn't say anything even the least bit FUNNY in response to the hecklers, just outright horrible, sickening attacks.

ashland

Posted : 11/21/2006 2:45:09 PM

ORIGINAL: cakana

In her mind, she was thinking, "Damn sp*ck".

Gosh, that just makes me cringe to even read [:@], but it does explain why your friend doesn't think Kramer is a racist for his comments because she'd then have to admit that she too is a racist. I just wonder how people rationalize in their head that they're not racist when they have these kinds of thoughts. What do they think racism is?

I asked her that. She says she thinks racism is when you have a hatred for a group of people based on their color alone. She doesn't think she's prejudiced either. Okaaaay . . . . I'm sorry, but she is. It offends me to hear those names, racist jokes, comments or words so I definitely don't use them myself. I don't even think them. When you truly aren't racist or prejudice, you just don't come up with those words. You just don't.

labcrab

Posted : 11/21/2006 2:47:10 PM

Gosh, that just makes me cringe to even read [:@], but it does explain why your friend doesn't think Kramer is a racist for his comments because she'd then have to admit that she too is a racist. I just wonder how people rationalize in their head that they're not racist when they have these kinds of thoughts. What do they think racism is?

Cathy - I totally agree. WHAT do people think racism is? Do they think that it's *just* a matter of action and behaviour? That thoughts are free and meaningless? I will never watch Seinfeld the same way again. It'll still be funny, but the innocent charm of Kramer is gone. I feel the same way about Mel Gibson..

ashland

Posted : 11/21/2006 2:47:38 PM

ORIGINAL: labcrab

Geez... As has already been touched upon, when one is angry and shouting (out of control) - the words that come out are meaningful. It's like when a non-English native gets upset, their mother tongue takes over. I know that even at my highest point of escalation and loss of control - it would NEVER even occur to me to say those things. He's totally racist as far as I'm concerned. Oh, and I DO understand that as a comedian - you do have to create a certain arsenal of "comebacks" for hecklers and the like. And that profession does lend itself to exposure to all kinds of derogatory comments, jokes, digs, etc. BUT - he's racist. He didn't say anything even the least bit FUNNY in response to the hecklers, just outright horrible, sickening attacks.

This reminds me of something I always hear Dr. Phil say. He says that you can really tell a lot about a person when they're mad or angry. In fact, he's said that when you're in a relationship and you argue or are mad, it's the best indicator of how it will work or how long it'll last. I agree. I know what kind of person I can be when I'm angry. The worst can come out in me. I can say the most hurtful things if I'm really pissed off, but never EVER do I think to call someone a racist name.