First post. Hi everyone.

A radio show I listened to today had an intelligent take on this whole fiasco. The heckler in the crowd not only threw his own racial slurs towards Richards, but also blantently said "You're Not Funny", and attacked the state of his career as an actor. To a comedian, saying that flat out is probably the worst insult to take. Maybe his reaction was to do the same to the heckler? Who happened to be black....so calling him a 'n-word' would be the lowest of the low.

Personally I think Richards would have went for the jugular with whatever type of person was in the heckler's position. If it was someone in a wheelchair, he would have called them a cripple. A woman? Probably a c**t. And you know he would have railed an overweight person with fat jokes.

Some comedians handle heckling better then others is what I think I'm trying to say. He lost it that night and went overboard. He might be a horrible "apologizer", but I believe he is sorry, and don't personally feel he's a racist.

Wait, was there more to that video? Prior to his outrage, because if someone was unnecessarily calling him names etc, evoking this sort of powerful response, I don't have as much sympathy for the person being attacked, but I don't feel it still justified the outrage.. just makes the situation not... as shocking.

Hmm, I didn't know he was a mason until now either, but I don't think it really has anything to do with his outburst.

I don't know what was going through his head or if he's a true racist or thought he was being funny, but it was certainly not funny and a major faux-pas.

This is most likely the end of his career doing anything in the entertainment business.

Originally posted by Djarums

Why don't you tell me if you are one?

This is interesting... if I'm reading this correctly, because a member disagrees with your opinion you now demand to know if he is Jewish?

If I'm wrong my apologies, if I'm right you're quite out of order.

Making your arguments heard without resorting to tactics like that would be very beneficial.

I still don't understand why they were fast to criticize Mel Gibson but I've yet to hear any comments about Abbie Richards.

Who? The man's name is Michael Anthony Richards.



[edit on 11-22-2006 by Djarums]

I wish I could give you a "way above" vote for that observation. There should be and is a line that cannot be be crossed in any debate. ATS and its moderaters do a good job of pointing out that line in the heat of these debates. Thank you.

Originally posted by Masisoar
The "N-word" has such a deragatory term to it.. unlike cracker etc, as it has a more comical meaning to it in today's social society...

????

Cracker is just as derogatory. I don't know about you, but if a black man calls me a cracker I'm not gonna laugh. That's a racial slur, and they should all be taken with the same outrage, or none at all.

"...that which is persecuted, grows."

Just a quick question. Are you on myspace by chance I have a friend on myspace that has the same avater as you. If you have a myspace page what is your screen name? No back on topic Kramer bad. Very Very bad.

The nigga means something differently than 'n-word', is wrong. They mean the samething. No different than blacks saying mutha rather than mother. He said 'n-word' because he was being heckled(insulted), big deal. The hecklers couldn't take it so they started crying. If you don't want to be insulted then don't start insulting others.

A racial slur, is a racial slur, is racial slur. Honkey, gook, spic and 'n-word' are all racial slurs. No one slur is worse or better than the other. Even though the media would like you to think so.

Anyone remember the Seinfeld episode where Jerry went to a heckler's place of work and heckled her in return?

He was either... drugged or depressed from detoxing off the drugs. He shoulda taken some MDMA before getting on stage lol That man needs to experience love and just chill. Wish there was more to the video.. did he just explode and start calling people the n-word? Maybe he has a bad night and was provoked. Come on guys, for all we know he could have pulled up to the club and heard that audience calling him a 'washed up cracker' before he even set foot on the stage.

Don't think his rather large frat is particularly happy either... espeically the black brothers... In the end there really isn't an excuse for such behavior.

Originally posted by phi_man
He shoulda taken some MDMA before getting on stage lol That man needs to experience love and just chill.

Oh yes, drugs are definately the solution to what seems like a man with some internal problems, and by his own admittance anger issues etc.

Do you honestly think that any type of illegal substance abuse would be good for anyone?

i can tell you from experience.. drugs dont help with anger issues.

And i agree, a slur is a slur. and there is a huge double standard with blacks and whites using them. and i say that if a white man cant drop the N-bomb, then blacks cant say honkey... but i'll give them a pass on cracker.. cause it makes me laugh
:-p

The true hypocrite comes out in a lot of people in circumstances like this. Embrarrased at our own denied prejudices or fleeting thoughts(not people on this forum in particular) enough to overcompensate a demonizing position when something like this happens.

Of course what he was saying was outrageous and he not only let the 'N' word slip out once or twice, but again again and again. I don't trust a high level mason as I find these secret societies pompous and elitist but I have forgiven how racist his rant was and his masonic ties because he played a great character on my favorite sitcom ever.

As far as I am concerned the only mistake he made was insulting an entire race because of some rude bastards in the crowd. Instead of putting his audience into an uncomfortable position prompting them to leave he should have used that oppurtunity to turn the audience against the hecklers. He still could have been vulgar, w/out the racial profanity.


[edit on 24-11-2006 by jenkwater]

Not only is Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton now involved, the famous "victims rights" attorney Gloria Allred *cough* media whore *cough* has now inserted herself into this ruckus, threating to sue Richards for civil rights violations against the audience members.

So now it's officiallya three-ring circus.

Now what Richards said may have been rude and crude, but I don't think it comes anywhere near to a violation of civil rights, it's a free speech isssue. If was an employee of the government conducting official government business, that'd be one thing, but this isn't anything like that!



[edit on 11/24/2006 by djohnsto77]

As an aside, its interesting that he's a catholic, and a well known shriner (which means he must've also been a mason), and yet...he hasn't been excommunicated.
Makes you wonder what you have to do to get excommunicated these days.


Also interesting to note that people aren't comming down on the RCC, which richards is apparently a member of, along with the freemasons. If guilt or responsibility applies to the masons, then it shoudl also apply to the RCC with richards.

I'm a Mason, and Michael Richards certainly does not speak for me nor demonstrate the characteristics of the brothers I know.

I agree with the others here who said that this behavior was outrageous, and the act of one man who has anger problems, not an organization.

Mr. Richardson certainly did not become a 33rd degree mason by exhibiting this behavior. While we may all be angry with or embarrassed for him, maybe we should consider that the poor man needs some psychiatric help.

I honestly believe he was probably just irritated with their heckling, who wouldn't be. He did take his comment's way overboard though. As for him being a Freemason, I don't believe Freemasonry will plan on banning all blacks anytime soon, so that surely has nothing to do with it.

This has turned into the predictable circus I thought it would. Mr Richard's hate filled rant was no accident. His task was to pave the way for an Anti-Hate Speech bill before congress. The first big thwack at free speech here in America. Whether he is jew or catholic has little bearing on any of this. No 57 year old entertainer with significant success behind him committs career suicide for nothing!...btw...Richards is a Jew. Larry David would have never hired a gentile to appear on Seinfeld as a regular.

One can be a Jew (of Jewish lineage) without necessarily being Jewish(of the faith).

How is this incident different from that involving Barbra Strisand (sp ?)? personally
I wish she had kept her promise of 6 yrs ago and vacated this country along with all the others that made similar promises.