Seinfeld's Kramer freaking loses it!

Richards just devolved from a kitschy pop icon into a crazy guy with a dark side. I think we all have it in us in differing forms. Maybe it's not a racist bent ... maybe it's misogyny or homophobia or maybe it's that we'd love to nail our wife's sister. Maybe we hate hippies. Dunno. I truly believe we all have a darker side we'd prefer to keep out of view of the paying public and do so most of the time and that allows us to be members of functioning society. Many times, it's the difference between those of us who walk free and those who are in prison. Under pressure, Richards' dark side popped out at an inopportune moment and now he has to live with it. But that's just my dime-store psychology.

 

How do I think this happened?

Richards is racist. When he was heckled by a black patron, it brought out his ugly side...

He can't even blame this on liquor. Apparently it's well-known that Richards doesn't drink...

 

Classic.

 

I was one of the people snickering at the beginning of the apology. It was like I was still waiting for this to be some gag... like behind him on the satellite feed, the two hecklers were going to pop up with Jerry Lawler and challenge him to a wrestling match. Then, settled in to the completely uncomfortable stretch run. Career's done. Residuals from syndication is enough to make sure he's never destitute, though.

 

What career?

Richards' racist rant won't change the way I watch and enjoy Seinfeld. Mel Gibson's racist rant didn't change the way I can watch Braveheart or Mad Max any time I catch them on a movie channel.

But I wonder ... was his response to the hecklers the most offensive thing ever said to a heckler by a comedian?

 

I have to agree with Dixie here. I just saw the video and I'll never look at Kramer or Richards the same way. What a thin-skinned little pussy. It wasn't the absolute WORST thing a comedian has ever said to a heckler, but after the whole Mel Gibson episode, you'd think he'd be a little more on-guard about what he says and it is nearly impossible to cover up a monumental fuck-up like that nowadays. I'll still watch Seinfeld now and then and I know I'll chuckle a little at Kramer, but this will definitely be on my mind for a while.

 

Funny you say that. I once heard it was Richards and Jason Alexander putting up a fight in keeping Seinfeld from going to DVD. I actually thought (and I must be mistaken) the cast was against Jerry Seinfeld, because he had the most to gain from DVD release - in fact, I heard EVERYTHING to gain monetarily and everyone else got very little.

 

What a ripoff! Lucy only charges 5 cents for advise! And to that end, why isn't the "cents" symbol on keyboards anymore?

 

I would have preferred Richards/Kramer to have kept his legacy, as Elaine Benes put it, as a "hipster doofus."

I didn't see the Letterman appearance. Not sure I want to.

"Seinfeld" was my favorite show, sitcom or otherwise, of the last 20 years. Elaine was great. George was the total schmuck. Kramer had all the sight gags and towards the end was so far over the top. I thought Newman should have made it a cast of five. For real. Jerry's role was fairly obvious.

I can only hope Michael Richards has a "major epiphany" that Kumar alluded to in the White Castle. We are a forgiving nation/people.

Except you, Orenthal, Pete Rose, Fredo, Lou Holtz, Ann Coulter.

 

Paul Mooney just did a bit on CNN about the Richards thing. Dude is funny as hell. Asked if he had a problem with white people using the "N" word, he said "they can use it, but there better be a punchline. They better be funny." As to why it was OKO if it was funny, Mooney said: "I like a little salt on my cracker." I love this guy.

 

Re: the DVD.

Heading into their final season of Seinfeld, Alexander/Richards/Dreyfus were offered less salary in exchange for a percentage of the DVD sales. They went for the upfront money.

When they realized what a stupid decision that was, they fought to get a better cut. Apparently, there was some extra cash thrown their way, but nowhere what they would have earned had they accepted the original deal.

 

Yeah, that bothers me to no end, too.

Just watched both YouTube clips. Wow. I think the man was completely on auto-pilot on stage; there was NOTHING planned on that. Which is really disturbing.

And I thought he looked like a tortured man on Letterman.

My problem is, how can he be so legitimately racist on stage, and then be so horrified by what he did on Letterman? Unless he's got a split personality, the two just don't fit.