"Kramer's" Racist Tirade -- Caught on Tape

TMZ ^ | 11/20/06 | TMZ Staff

[torchthemummy]

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 TMZ has obtained exclusive video of the ugly incident.

[Defiant]

I can see that your prior post was genuine, so excuse my snide answer. I was being sarcastic when I asked for the heritage of the guy (weegee?) who refuses to criticize Michael Richards, but wants to do nothing but divert, and then he asks where I work so he can come heckle me. What Richards did in attacking a heckler's race was imply that a black person had better not heckle him, it was not acceptable behavior. I was turning it around on weegee. How would he like it if I attacked his heritage as part of my response to his posts, instead of attacking his logic?

Hope that clears things up.

[go-dubya-04]

I hope you know what I mean and are just pretending to be stupid. We all know that those two are the biggest frauds in the country and they cry"Racism" at the drop of a hat. But just because they are phoneys doesn't mean that racism doesn't happen. And when it does, moral, Christian conservatives should be leading the charge to strike it down. Just like they did against slavery but no longer get credit for it.

[Albion Wilde]

I don't believe the etymology in your link. That link is from Britain and appears to take credit for influence in America to offset the lack of influence where it counts. In any event the perpetuation of the word would not have continued without a more common understanding of it's [sic] usage. It also says Redneck means Presbyterian dissenter. The real meaning of Redneck is a dirt poor farmer that is out in the fields all the livelong day until his neck is burned so red that Angels cry and the Devil takes credit.

In both cases, cracker and redneck, I believe you are confusing the eventual usages with the origins. My post identified the origins. Those origins were also found valid by an American scholar from Johns Hopkins, Arthur Herman, who wrote How the Scots Invented the Modern World. The redneck terminology originally referred to a sect of Presbyterian Scots whose pastors wore a red collar with their black robes. Both terms migrated to America with the Scots-Irish, where they eventually took on other, more negative meanings, in similar fashion to the way the term "yankee" was originally applied negatively to the colonist armies by the sneering British, but eventually became a positive.

[higgmeister]

You mean blacks have turned the term into a negative racial stereotype.

No, I meant Yankees! I've heard it used by as many White persons as Black and a Black person from the South knows that calling me a Cracker isn't as bad as calling me late for dinner.

It doesn't raise hackles, stir cockles or get any dander up for me at all.

[trisham]

Thanks. I've been reading this thread with some interest. The responses to this article have really run the gamut.

[Cagey]

"Uncle Klaus: "Come on, you don't find me funny? I'm hilarious. And how do you like my watch I found? It's from Berlin.

[higgmeister]

For his last act Michael Richards needs to be tied to the pipes over the stage and hit with a razor strop until his "Jimmy Legs" stop.

Better still, let's just stop talking about that questionably human refuse.

[go-dubya-04]

I didn't say that prejudice had to do exclusively with race. My example explained that. And anyone who can't admit that, deep down, they struggle to overcome their inherent prejudices, whatever they may be, is lying not just to me but to himself. No prejudices against Dems? You don't tend to put most of them into a certain anti-war category when you see that D by there name? Just one example of prejudging but there are thousands of ways we do it and it is natural when trying to keep the world orderly in our mind.
But the biggest sign that someone is harboring something very deep is when they cannot see a clear sign of unChristian, hateful behavior and call it for what it clearly is. For that, I am still waiting. No comparisons, no caveats. Just that this was a completely hateful tirade that should be condemned by any moral person, especially a person of Christ.

[RayChuang88]

This day and age, you cannot get away with anything with all the cell phones, cameras etc. that are around.

Colin Cowherd of ESPN Radio's The Herd with Colin Cowherd radio show said recently that people will HAVE to be much more careful of anything they say in any public situation, since folks with modern electronic devices such as cellphones that record both audio and video can be around; they could easily take that recording and post it on the Internet in very short order. Why do you think the Dixie Chicks got in PR hot water so fast for that remark Natalie Maines made in 2003?

[ConservaTexan]

I hope you agree, though, that the hypocrisy of others-- be it the media, the Jesse Jackson/Al Sharpton establishment, Hollywood-- in no way justifies defending what Michael Richards said.

I agree, in fact I said that Richards was 'spewing garbage.' I cannot see how that would be considered excusatory of Richards' comments.

My problem is this: Racism is too often solely attributed to white people in this country. Over and over, African-Americans are given a pass when it comes to their racist comments. There has been more attention given to the Gibson and Richards actions individually than was given to the comments of Jackson, Sharpton, Louis Farrakhan, Kanye West et al. cumulatively. Why were Trent Lott and George Allen crucified for their comments (which were benign) and those mentioned above were left alone? My feeling is it is because many people think that only white people can be racists and African-Americans are incapable of racism. That, in itself, is racist.

[Screamname]

White man says the "N" word it is racist. But a black man, specifically a black comedian could say the same exact thing as Richards, word for word, and everyone would laugh. To me, this isn`t racist at all. He was just treating the guy how he wanted to be treated.

[Black Guy who is a Republican]

Holy moly!

There's just no excuse. Even if he was being heckled, you just don't sink to that level.

[Revolting cat!]

[trisham]

But a black man, specifically a black comedian could say the same exact thing as Richards, word for word, and everyone would laugh.

***************

Chris Rock has been mentioned on this thread as an example of a black comedian who uses some of the words that Richard used in his diatribe. I have watched Rock many times, and I have yet to see him direct these words at a specific white person.

I'm not sure that the objection is to Richards' use of the "N" word, but that he directed it toward a particular member of the audience.

[Revolting cat!]

[Revolting cat!]

[ladyinred]

Wow! He lost it. What I wonder is where is the beginning of the tape? He is obviously been heckled by this guy as indicated by the tape, but we don't see what started all of this do we? He is in big trouble.

[Jalapeno]

There is an old tradition of comedians to go for the jugular when dealing with rude patrons. Some will even prod the audience with attacks (like Don Rickles and Rudy Ray Moore).

I saw an interview with Rosanne once. It had to do with standup comedians and their act/trade, and dealing with hecklers.

The interviewer sequeyed into it by describing an event that happened with Rosanne, where a heckler said something to her telling her she looked and talked like a man, and Rosanne's response was "Well, you can suck my d!ck."

She commented that the heckler is apt to always make a fool out of himself, because the comedian has the mike, and can control the rest of the crowd. Therefore, as a heckler, you put yourself at her mercy.

It looks like though old Krammer lost control somehow. He wasn't going for the jugular...the impression I get from watching the video is he was completely unhinged.

[Revolting cat!]

[Defiant]

Why are you posting Joe Wilson's CIA report?