A Laugh Factory Performance Without the Laughs - The Michael Richards Racist Rant

Former Seinfeld star Michael Richards, characterized in the show as Kramer, let out a racist and offensive rant while performing a comedy show at the very popular Laugh Factory in Los Angeles on November 17, 2006. After becoming distracted by a group of two African-American individuals who had been talking during his performance, Richards spewed out a series of insults and racial phrases towards the pair that also offended many members of the crowd. His speech was extremely vulgar and offensive and included phrases such as: “Throw his a** out, He’s a n***er. He’s a n***er! He’s a n***er” and “That’s what happens when you interrupt the white man”.

The crowd reacted immediately to the rant, with many of the individuals in the audience calling out the Seinfeld star and telling him that his words were uncalled for. In addition, many of the onlookers decided to walk out of his performance. Most individuals in the crowd across all races displayed their disgust by booing Richards off the stage. The show was eventually cut short after approximately three minutes of the racist tirade, and the event went viral on the internet less than 24 hours later. The crowd in the Laugh Factory was disheartened and offended, but the biggest wave of backlash would come on the various forums and websites all across the internet.

In the months and years following the event, Richards has met quite a bit of backlash from his rant and the media has really stained his reputation. Consistent with the reaction the show’s physical audience, online users who have seen the videos of the performance, which have been posted to YouTube, have also reacted to the offensive rant with outrage. It is safe to say that the public image of Michael Richards, who was once a beloved Seinfeld star, has been forever tarnished. In the current era of online communication, examples of racist outbreaks and celebrity melt-downs can spread like wildfire. Michael Richards himself would later state that anger released his tirade, and not an underlying racist philosophy. This viewpoint has been rejected across online discussion forums, stating that no amount of anger should lead to such openly racist language and behavior. An article by the Associated Press quoted Richards as saying “I’m not a racist. That’s what’s so insane about this” during a 2006 interview. In conclusion, the Michael Richards rant has famously gone down as one of the most disturbing and offensive celebrity melt-downs in history. His November 17, 2006, Laugh Factory performance was truly career ending. 

Links:

YouTube Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BoLPLsQbdt0
Today Article: http://www.today.com/id/15816126/ns/today-today_entertainment/t/richards-says-anger-not-racism-sparked-tirade/