Michael, You’ve Got a Lot to Answer For
Looks like Michael Richards, also known as Kramer from “Seinfeld,” has some explaining to do. During a weekend gig at the Laugh Factory in Los Angeles, the actor lashed out at several audience members, screaming racial slurs and lynching references. See the clip here.
As an avid stand-up comedy fan, I’ve witnessed countless comics at clubs cry out equally offensive racial slurs during performances; as an avid “Seinfeld” fan, I’ve watched countless interviews with Richards, in which he comes across as a genuinely nice, well-adjusted guy. Though there’s really no excuse for an onstage temper tantrum, it often seems to be the young, inexperienced comedians who sometimes respond poorly to audience heckling. But what’s particularly bizarre is that Richards, a show business veteran, should have known better. Jerry Seinfeld will appear on “The Late Show With David Letterman” tonight; he encouraged Richards to make a satellite appearance to discuss the incident. See a preview here.
The incident has called into question other comics and the manner in which they interact with their audiences. The late Lenny Bruce managed to, while delivering insulting jokes, simultaneously force audience members to contemplate their own racial views. Or, consider a comedian like Sarah Silverman; while her crude jokes have resulted in threats of lawsuits, she has, like Bruce, defended her humor and explained that it’s an attempt to poke fun at racist attitudes.
Perhaps it’s Richards’ stand-up inexperience, or performance insecurities, that led him to lose his temper; maybe this was his failed attempt to channel Lenny Bruce; maybe he just feels comfortable enough with fans to wear his personal views on his sleeve. Discuss.