Posted on 09/29/2012 9:09:45 AM PDT by nickcarraway
Richards also said he would have liked to enjoyed his time on “Seinfeld” more.
Comedian Michael Richards, better known as Kramer on "Seinfeld," gave a rare response to his now-infamous 2006 on-stage tirade with his one-time co-star Jerry Seinfeld.
Seinfeld's laid-back web series “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee” adopted a more serious tone when Richards discussed the meltdown, in which he verbally attacked an audience member with racist slurs.
"It was a selfish response, I took it too personally. I should have said, 'You're absolutely right, I'm not funny, I'm going to go home," Richards said. "Inside it still kicks me around a bit."
The former TV star also dismissed a rumor that he’d done a handful of stand-up comedy performances since the incident.
"No. I busted up after that event," he said. "It broke me down.
Up until Richards' appearance, the biggest conflicts on "Comedians in Cars" could aruably be when “Seinfeld” co-creator and resident contrarian Larry David and comedian Colin Quinn bucked the show's premise and drank tea. Carl Reiner, Mel Brooks and Alec Baldwin have been just a few of the guests on the web series during its first season.
The show with Richards had its share of comedic moments as well. Richards discussed playing chess with homeless people and how he was cast as Jerry’s next-door neighbor.
"I knew I got the part the first time I met you," Richards told Seinfeld with a smile.
Richards also said he would have liked to have enjoyed his time on "Seinfeld” more.
"I think I worked selfishly, and not selflessly. It's not about me, it's about them (the audience). That's the lesson I learned seven years ago when I blew it in the comedy club and lost my temper because somebody interrupted my act and said some things that hurt me and I lashed out in anger. I should have been working selflessly at that time," he said.
Richards, who was on “Seinfeld" for its entire nine-season run, gained national headlines and even a parody on "South Park" in 2006, after he shouted repeated slurs at the heckler that quickly went viral on websites like TMZ.
That was a pretty bad melt down- he is going to be apologizing for that the rest of his life
This is a lesson for all- keep it cool- no reason ever to lash out on anger and do somethign you will regret for the rest of your life
Richards only mistake was in not attacking the guy for being Christian. He would have been awarded Hollywood’s highest honors. But he touched the third rail and there’s no going back after that.
Yes, the problem was not the racism per se but the lack of self control. Who would put him on stage again? He might flip out again and besmirch the reputations of the host and venue owners.
That’s unfortunate, his character solidified the Seinfeld cast just like the Rev. Jim character in Taxi........
Hey, if they announced a return of Seinfeld to tv would ANYONE not watch because Michael Richards was part of that reunion. I think not.
I remember thinking, "Wow, that guy is brilliant at being weird."
And him shedding a tear when his buddy Elliot Spitzer went down was more vile than anything Richards did, in my book.
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