According to reports, Michael Richards, who portrayed Jerry Seinfeld’s wacky neighbor Kramer on “Seinfeld,” went on a weird racist rant during a stand-up comedy set, shouting insults at two black guys in the crowd before storming off the stage.
Richards made the racist diatribe while performing at West Hollywood’s Laugh Factory. Kyle Doss, an African-American, told TMZ that he and his buddies were in the cheap seats, and he was heckling Richards when he lost it.
“Fifty years ago we’d have you upside down with a fucking fork up your *ss,” Richards shouts from the stage in the tape.
“You can talk, you can talk, you’re brave now motherf- – -er Throw his ass out. He’s a n- – – – -r! He’s a n- – – – -r! He’s a n- – – – r! A n- – – – r! Look, there’s a n- – – – r!”
The audience was visibly and vocally perplexed and agitated. “They’re going to arrest me for calling a black man a nigger,” Richards said.
Richards’ nasty statements were “f- – -ing uncalled for,” one of the men screamed back.
The video, which was released on TMZ.com, shows some people walking out and others gasping, but there is also some audible laughter throughout the outburst.
“I’m sick about this,” Jerry Seinfeld says. “I’m sure Michael is also sick over this horrible, horrible mistake,” Seinfeld said in a statement.
Richards’ remarks, according to Seinfeld, were “so extremely offensive.” “I feel terrible for all the people who have been hurt,” he continues.
Richards apologized for his outburst during a televised appearance on Monday night, telling presenter David Letterman – who was interviewing Seinfeld star Jerry Seinfeld – that he was not a racist but had lost his cool.
“I was at a comedy club trying to do my act, and I got heckled and I took it badly and went into a rage,” Richards said. “For me to be in a comedy club and flip out and say this crap, I’m deeply, deeply sorry. I’m not a racist. That’s what’s so insane about this.”
Richards blamed the comments on to his performing method.
He explained, “You know, I’m a performer. I push the envelope; I work in a very uncontrolled manner on stage. I do a lot of free association, it’s spontaneous, I go into character.”
Seinfeld, who was a guest on the show, orchestrated the appearance.