I’m surprised Seinfeld didn’t work in a plug for everyone to buy season 7 tomorrow on DVD.
Difficult one for Jerry, but I think he struck the right note with his comments. Part of me would have liked to hear him be more damning of Richards, but that’s unrealistic considering he’s talking about a guy (and presumably a friend) who helped him make TV history.
One thing’s for sure, the scene in The Wife where Kramer rolls up to meet the parents of his black girlfriend after falling asleep on a tanning bed is going to look really creepy now.
In a few weeks time, I plan to check into an alcohol treatment program to justify flunking out of grad school. After I’m paired up with Richards for my sponsor, I’ll come back and give everyone the inside scoop.
I tried like crazy to find a photo of him after that tanning bed incident. No luck.
I did find this though:
Doesn’t have much to do with his remarks but it’s funny just the same. He looks like a turkey.
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I think Seinfeld’s real response was "what’s the deal with Kramer? He’s dropping n-bombs right and left. I mean, everybody knows he’s full of wacky hijinks but I don’t remember the episode where he joins the ‘Klan.’ What’s… the deal?
From Defamer:
“So I was doing my set at the Laugh Factory on Friday night and yadda, yadda, yadda…I’m now America’s most hated comic.”
Quote:
| Originally Posted by devincf I back Kramer. |
Is there more to this than just bait?
I’m curious because the clip seems to be part, he’s truly lost his cool, and part baiting the crowd to get a reaction. I don’t remember the quote verbatim, but the, “this shocks you, this shocks you, see what’s buried beneath you…” bit almost hinted at something staged.
I’m still waiting for the Andy Kaufman angle.
I can’t believe what I’m reading.
So this guy goes nuclear in stage and makes is very clear he’s got racial issues (big time) and people are already trying to come up with excuses for him? It was a joke? He was staging some kind of prank?
Do you even know how to read?
I’m not making excuses at all. I’m simply waiting for one.
Best case scenario, the “this shocks you…” stuff suggests that Richards thinks he’s engaged in a piece of provocative, high wire commentary on racial taboos and the shock currency of words. If that’s the case -and it’s a serious stretch to think it is- then he’s seriously misguided. Lenny Bruce he ain’t.
To me it looks like he lost his cool, categorically revealed himself as a racist fuck and then dug a deeper hole for himself by ineptly trying to disguise the fact (the “oooh, that’s right, I’m a wash-up” stuff is truly the sound of a man with no ideas or comic skill left to call upon). It saddens me to say it, because Seinfeld’s my favourite show ever, but then, hey, I always rolled with Costanza anyway.
I think of all people it’s George Lopez who’s probably called this one best by saying Richards had no business being up on stage doing stand-up in the first place. He hasn’t got the skill, and the result is that he got flustered and revealed a very dark and disturbed piece of his soul.
A) I don’t think it was racist - he was trying to be the most offensive that he could be.
B) Even if it was racist, so what? He’s a fucking comedian, not the president. I don’t give a shit that Gibson hates Jews, either.
What’s his act, anyway? What type of standup preceded the clip? Why was he heckled?
Quote:
| Originally Posted by Alex Riviello Sounds like Lisa Lampanelli’s act. |
And when Michael Richards starts taking it up the ass from black men, we’ll show him the same leniency.
Quote:
| Originally Posted by Anyawatchin Angel Jerry Seinfeld responds Mel’s buddies didn’t back him up this fast. |
Jesus had his back.
Having just watched the clip again, I’m more convinced than ever that Richards simply loses it. The bit where he justifies his tirade by ‘reasoning’ that the guys had been talking all the way through his act hardly shows a great commitment to any deliberately provocative bit of performance art.
Although, I’ll give him this…As a heckler’s retort, evoking the good old days of lynching certainly beats “I don’t come to your place of work and interrupt you while you’re serving fries.”
Quote:
| Originally Posted by devincf A) I don’t think it was racist - he was trying to be the most offensive that he could be. B) Even if it was racist, so what? He’s a fucking comedian, not the president. I don’t give a shit that Gibson hates Jews, either. |
Thanks for taking time to let everyone know that you don’t care.
Quote:
| Originally Posted by Anyawatchin Angel Jerry Seinfeld responds Mel’s buddies didn’t back him up this fast. |
I wonder what Newman has to say.
Ha. Just a couple weeks ago, I heard that he had hit a female comic at The Improv. She complained to management and was told “well, he’s famous.”
If and when he makes a statement about this (through a publicist or attorney, no doubt), any guesses on what he blames his behavior on? My money is on an addiction to pain killers.