"That's what happens when you interrupt the white man." Have a look at the video of the incident. It gets hard to see what's going on, due to the number of people getting up to leave.
Here’s a news story on it from CNN.
Here's his awkward apology on Letterman.
CBS Broadcasting requested that the video be removed from YouTube and Google, though it seems to be back up. Here’s a link to the appearance on the Letterman website.
Here’s some more comments from a Newsday article.
Friends of Richards came to his defense, saying his outburst was just a poor attempt -- by a talented physical comic with little experience in stand-up -- to pull off a shock tactic that only someone with the savvy of Lenny Bruce or Richard Pryor could pull off.
"He had a tantrum," said Kenny Kramer, the real-life inspiration for the TV character. "Michael is not racist; he is just not a very streetwise performer."
Phil Morris, the actor who portrayed Jackie Chiles, the Johnnie Cochran-esque lawyer who defended Kramer in three episodes and appeared in two other 'Seinfeld' episodes, did not return a call for comment.
Here’s some more, this time from the Chicago Sun-Times.
Adding to the controversy, the Laugh Factory allowed Richards to perform again Saturday night. That led to an impromptu boycott of the comedy club. At a news conference Monday, club owner Jamie Masada faced a number of unhappy protesters who wondered why he allowed Richards' return.
Along with apologizing for the incident, Masada claimed he had only allowed Richards back with the understanding he would issue a formal apology from the stage. That did not occur. Masada made clear Richards was no longer welcome in his club -- either as a performer or a guest.
Calls to Richards' representatives were not returned Monday.
Comedian George Lopez told television station KTLA that he thought Richards' lack of stand-up experience may have been a factor. "The question is you have an actor who is trying to be a comedian who doesn't know what to do when an audience is disruptive," he said.
City comedians: 'He can afford a decent writer'
Look for Michael Richards on a local comedy stage this weekend -- as the punch line.
"I will be discussing this," said Frank Townsend, a Chicago stand-up who's headlining at the Improv in Schaumburg.
"You must be brave enough to suffer the consequences and you also need to have a point. . . . His rant came out of anger when his act was bombing," he said.
And that shouldn't have happened to Richards: "He's rich," Townsend said. "He can afford to hire a decent writer."
Kenny Kramer, the man Richards’s character was based on, wonders how this might affect his ‘Real Kramer’ bus tours.
This is an opinion piece on it from BlackProf.com.
This is The Laugh Factory's official statement on the matter.
Here are a lot of readers’ opinions on it from Canadian paper The Toronto Star.
The Jewish Journal want to point out that Michael Richards is NOT a Jew.
Michael W. Robinson, vice president of Levick Strategic Communications, a Washington, D.C., PR firm provides some damage control advice for Richards and some analysis of how Richards and Jerry Seinfeld have been handling it.
On the Huffington Post, Eric Deggans asks himself the question 'Do I remain a Michael Richards fan?'
In the Chicago Tribune, Mike Marino talks about going onstage after Richards. The article also provides some comedians and booker's opinions. Bert Haas, the talent booker and executive VP of Zanies is asked if he thinks Richards would be forgiven.
“Oh, absolutely,” he said. “Please. Robert Downey woke up in a kid’s bed. He makes five movies a year. If I’m not mistaken, Mel Gibson has a movie coming out this year which will probably be nominated for an Academy Award."
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