I don't believe him. Whether he thinks he's a racist or not, it's pretty obvious there's some pretty serious hatred hiding in there somewhere. He needs to be a little more introspective and figure out where that came from.

you just dont say those things on national television! its such a trouble starter, he should of known better, anger or no anger

I can't believe people were laughing!!!!

I dunno, I'm glad he's made a statement of some sort. We always want people to apologize then never forgive them when they do...why is that? (not a question anyone has to answer, just a thought)

If he's truly sorry, then the first steps of mends are being made here and should be treated as such.

Maybe this is a good way of addressing the fact that we live in world where sometimes we do have internal, deep down biases that we never ever address, then they come to the surface with anger, provocation, etc.

Maybe he truly didn't know he had racist thoughts. I hope he's learned.

He should apologize for not being funny.

Honestly, I don't believe him. I think the only thing he is sorry for is simply getting caught saying that ignorance on camera.
As for him being a racist...I'm not that surprised. I knew someone on Seinfield was...I mean do you guys remember seeing any people of color on that show? Because I most certainly do not.
Racism is still alive in America...thats why a movie like "Crash" was such a hit. The racial stereo-types that people have are very ignorant...its so sad.

I can understand why people were laughing. Having something like that in that kind of venue can be very confusing. It's hard to go from a happy upbeat environment and then get hit with that and not really understand what's going on. Oh is this a act, is he being funny, he's usually funny, maybe I should laugh. They stopped after realizing he was serious. I think Michael realized it probably wasn't the best place to do that kind of thing.

There were definitely no minorities on that show, ever. Which is weird because how can you base a show in NY and not ever cast minorities? Even as extras? Friends was the same way, as were many other unrealistic shows in 90s.

Being angry is not a trigger for racist behavior. When I get mad at someone, the last thing that pops into my mind is something derogatory regarding their race/color/religion. Probably because Im not a bigot. Anyway, this dude is just as lame and as unfunny as Jerry Seinfeld. They should both dissolve back into obscurity.

I knew someone on Seinfield was...
> I seriously doubt Michael Richards had anything to do with casting on Seinfeld.

> I found his apology to be genuine. It's interesting how we want an immediate response and public apology when celebrities do something a little taboo yet we don't demand that politicians explain themselves for things that are far worse. At least he was accountable and outright apologized without rationalizing and excuse making.

Insert foot in mouth

It seems that he's genuinely sorry and shaken up... but I watched the tape and that was some serious stuff. It wasn't even meant to be funny.
But he said it himself that he has some personal stuff to work on.

i would not imagine he enjoyed being called ' racist names ' while he was performing either !

WHY IS HE APOLOGIZING??? As a black person myself I dont understand why him or Mel Gibson for that matter are apologizing when they said how they really felt in my opinion! They are both only sorry because they got caught and it spread to the media....if they say that stuff in public only imagine what they say behind closed doors. He can keep his apology for all I care.

And I hate the term African-Americans! lol I dont know why it makes no sense Charlize Theron was born in Africa she why dont we call her African American lol but thats a whole other subject.

after years of wondering........just what would you like to be called ?????

I saw the video and it made me sick. I was standing there with my jaw dropped. How can you let those words come out of your mouth? I don't get it. Shame on him. I just don't know what his excuse is (not like there is anything he can say that would justify it). He just went on and on.

tharightgirl, i agree that they shouldn't apologize. He's apologizing for getting caught on camera. I especially like when he says that he's not a racist. Right. Sure. How can you even say things like that and follow it up two days later with "I'm not a racist"?

I liked to be called by my name.

Why the f*ck was the audience laughing.. that's funny Good Lord..

Ms I seriously doubt that his racial outburst has anything to do with the casting on Seinfeld. And I do think everyone deserves a chance to apologize.

I agree that African American is an annoying term, I don't see anyone calling me a European American Why not just call everyone American

There was nothing sincere in his apology. And like someone already stated he is not sorry for what he said, just the fact that it was caught on tape. I think he and people like him should just "man-up" to their comments, don't blame it on being angry for being heckled, drunk, or the weather. You are a racist, Mr. Richards and you have always habored these thoughts! Keep your so-called apology, I'm not buying it.

Style Before Comfort!

La I'm not trying to defend the dude because his comments were outrageously disturbing and offensive, but how do you know that he's always harbored those thoughts

I was hopeful for his apology, but some of what he said was deeply disturbing. He apologized for offending people - not what he said. He never said that what he said was wrong and ignorant, he just apologized he lost his temper meaning that's his usual angry rant. I don't support him whatsoever

I was hopeful for his apology, but some of what he said was deeply disturbing. He apologized for offending people - not what he said. He never said that what he said was wrong and ignorant, he just apologized he lost his temper meaning that's his usual angry rant. I don't support him whatsoever

he seems genuinely sorry, i'm glad he recognized he has some deep problems and he's going to address them. the first step to fixing anything is admitting there is something wrong with you and then trying to figure out how to make it better.
what he said was sick, sick, sick. i hope everything works out for him for the better.

if white people are white, black people are black. calling people african american, latin american, asian american, etc insinuates that white people are just normal americans.

There are no excuses for his behavior. He said what he felt and I also believe that he is only sorry he got caught.
______________________________________

~~ El gato dice meow ~~

karmasab*tch,

It just seems to me, this "rage" came from something deep seeded. You don't just get angry in one instance and make comments about hangings. If this one guy is heckling you, you take him on, you do not attack an entire race of people.

Style Before Comfort!

everyone demands an apology ! when an apology is offered, no one wants to accept it. what do you want ????? do ya' want to sue him & get rich because he inserted his foot into his mouth ???? is that what it's all about ? don't tell me you have never said something or made a statement.....then immediately regretted it ? if not you are one fantastic person, no matter what your color.

i dont know what he said?.. i didnt see it and im not sure i want to...i do hope he finds out what it is that made all this happen.

ladybug, i am actually serious: I've always thought of white people as normal americans with the exception of "ethnic" people i.e. Italians, Greeks. Why? Because that's what I learned in school and from society. As a hyphenated American, I feel (and do) have very strong ties to my country/continent of origin. Some people don't. An Indian-American girl I know gets pissed when people say she's "Indian" vs. "American." I, frankly, could care less. It's irritating at times, yes, because subconsciously, I feel like every time someone puts you into a certain category, they are making sweeping assumptions about you that go FAR beyond your skin color or culture. Most of the time, it doesn't matter at all, but when it comes to one's academic and professional life, those little categories start to matter because it affects how you're treated, whether and when you get promoted, etc. Oddly enough, the biggest cliques (ergo network groups) I've seen in my life have been in the professional world, not in high school.

if we all really & truly think about it; the only true, real, original americans are the various tribes of native american indians.

At first I was like "So what black people call white people cracker and it goes unnoticed all the time" (not that it makes it OK to do such a thing!)... until I watched the clip. Yikes. He really did LOSE it. What could those guys do in order to make him jump off that cliff?

I am so proud of the honesty of the sugars on this subject!From the point of view of someone in comedy - I think his rant came from a Richard Pryor, Eddie Murphy and Dave Chappelle place. It came from trying to control the heckler and Richards always plays characters that go into hysteria. It looked as though he was trying to be "funny" and it didn't work because: 1. He is not black 2. Racist jokes and humor is only funny when you make fun of yourself. 3. People weren't laughing so he kept pushing when he should have let it go. Look at Borat - aka Sacha Cohen who is a Jewish man. His Borat character depicted someone fearful of Jews all throughout the movie. Richards screwed up big time. His career looks over to me because whether he knew he really is a racist or not it sure came off that way. I do think everyone's a little bit racist, and don't even know it until they are pushed. In this country we should keep talking about it, because the world is watching us - especially the entertainment industry.

The term African-American is a self-referential term (meaning that it was coined by blacks of African descent) and was never meant as an insulting or racist term.

That said, Michael Richards is a jackass. He could have done what most performers do to hecklers - ignore them. He chose not to. He also chose to use the words of hate that he used.

And I think the label of an "American" cannot be given to one race or be categorized by skin color. Being American is an idea. Someone whose heritage can be traced back centuries in this region is an American AND someone who arrived here yesterday is an American. Labels suck. Hyphenated words suck. Freedom and equality rule. Kindess and opportunities rock.

I, too, was completely slack-jawed watching that clip of the tirade. It was really scary that that much rage was so close to the surface. When will the people that called Michael Richards a "white cracker" and a "f---ing white boy" (didn't white people get in trouble for calling black males of all ages "boy" back in the day?) be issuing an apology for their racist comments as well? Racist comments are either wrong or right (my vote is that they're wrong). It's not okay for one race to use racial slurs and another cannot. Let's just get rid of them all together. I feel that way about the "n" word most of all. I cringe whenever I hear that one, whether the person who said it is black or white.

I so agree with the earlier comment about people demanding an apology and then claiming it was insincere, insufficient, etc. A little graciousness and forgiveness is needed by the offended parties in those situations. The only way to move past incidents such as these is to forgive, learn the lesson from it, and forget your hurt feelings. There is not one person on the planet (black, white, polka dotted) who has never harbored stereotypes or blanket judgements about a different race of people. I live in DC where I daily encounter people from all over the world, and I constantly have to remind myself that, just as I would hate to be judged based on another person's behavior, I should not judge someone by another person's behavior.

Sorry, that was really long. But as a white person I am really sick of being the bad guy. White people alone can't "cure" racism, since white people are not the only offenders.

VERONICA81..............you just said it all ! AMEN & THANK YOU.

ugh..this dude sickens me

I believe in second chances, and he seemed sorry, but his apology falls flat. Why go off on tangents about katrina or whatever else is going on in the world? He talks about katrina and being a comedian and going into "character"... he said hateful things, he should have just owned up to them and left it at that. His apology just falls flat.

OK so who are all these "people" who demanded this apology? I don't know of anyone personally and after reading hundreds of post about this. No person I saw demanded this ignorant azz to apologize. So what if he apologized he's still a racist bastard and can shove that apology up his azz! He's just apoligizing to save face and appease those who are naive enough to believe him!

he's damned if he does. he's damned if he doesn't. apologize.or it was insincere, he didn't really sound sorry, seinfiels show was all white ( what about miss. black america ? hmmmmm, a seperate contest for each race ?

maybe there should be a mandatory ' apology school ' ( of course, run & funded by the goverment.) then maybe we can all get it right.

yeah, and why are us white people made out to be the guys wearing the black hat & the villians? i think there are a few of us guys that get quite sick of that.also, whatever mr.richards or mr. gibson say behind closed doors in the privacy of their own home, is their own business.

everytime an issue such as this is in the public spotlight..................oh geeze; they have a deep seeded issue, they must of been an abused child, they are a closet racists, they are harboring hatred. the list doesn't stop.

if there were no ' people of color ' on the seinfield show; then so what ???????

all of this is pure trouble making baloney. as justin timberlake said " don't you know there is a war going on in iraq?" focus on the important things going on in the world, while we still have a free country to focus upon.

cough*bullsh*t*cough