Michael Richards was out of line but???

Question

I know that Michael Richards (Kramer) stepped out of line by using the "n" word. However I see other racist comedians like Chris Rock poking fun at whitey all of the time. How come he isn't condemed for his racist jokes? America is full of double standards.

Answer 1

hey He's Sorry for those Racial Comments and I Accepted Apology.

Can we move on and Not Say " Kramer is a Racist".

Answer 2

I believe people will justify any wrong to make it right. I have heard Chris Rock and others make fun of whitey but why can't you see this is different. If Michael Richards had been talking about blacks, okay. The N word has been associated for many years to mean a put down on blacks. In all my life I work with white and I'm the only black but in all my life I have never been so angry and believe me I've been angry at my coworkers but to call this names,never. If he was making a joke different many blacks love Krammer but what came out was not angry to hecklers but I don't like you black people. Why use the N word because you know it hurts. What about the part of lyching? If it was a white heckler do you think he would call them name. Keep an open mind and empathize. Stand up for what is right regardless if it was you or somebody else.

Answer 3

If a comic didn't poke fun at some race, religion or color then they wouldn't be funny to the extent that people would pay to see them. Jay Leno makes fun of people all the time, he just leaves out the racial comments and he's about as funny as he is good looking. Anyway the "n" word is the universal greeting in the black community but as soon as a white person utters it they might as well crawl under a rock and die. I have trouble understanding how African American people can continually degrade their ethic roots my using the terms that were specifically coined to do just that. Richards went way over the established line and put his career in the toilet, but I think he opened some eyes as to how f'd up our society is with racial division. So how many of you see a turban and don't even bat an eye? Think about that.

Answer 4

Of course he was over the line, but let's not put our own selves on a pedestal. Who here among you isn't guilty of saying something awful at one point or another, whether it be racially based or not? The difference is that Michael Richards is famous and now it's front page news. True, he should have used better judgement, but the man was angry/nervous and he just snapped in defense.

Also, while I don't mean to sound racist myself here, but I have a problem with the double standard that is in this country. Why is it the cruelest thing in the world to use the N word if you are white, but it's perfectly fine to call a white man a "honkey" or "cracker". I realize, as other people have explained above, that blacks have been persecuted throughout history where as whites in general haven't been. However, no living black person today was a slave in America. I just feel that there is too much sensitivity when it comes to derogatory comments about that race. And I don't mean that it's just blacks that are oversensitive, I am saying that Americans of every race are overly sensitive when it comes to African American issues. I'm not saying that it's okay to use that kind of derogatory language towards blacks by any means, I'm just saying that if it's such a terrible thing to do to blacks then it should be the same standard for all races.

Bottom line is that Michael Richards was wrong and said some awful things, but let's not crucify the man for this mistake.

Answer 5

Whites were never oppressed like the blacks? Have you read history?

There was plenty done to whites as well as every other group..hell read the paper there is a frickin white slave trade TODAY!, whites were forced to work and starve when working land and were not even valuable enough to be sold seperate from land, Romans had white slaves..but oh no none of that counts cause screw whitey is what I see here

I am sickened and disgusted by some of these blatent reverse discriminators here...OK to call whites anything you want but heaven forbid whites try to respond as if the other was an equal.

This is the true reason racism will never die..even if one side tries to help end it the other is too busy "getting even". I used to think that people could grow up but seriously I really hope and pray now for all human life on Earth to be extingushed

Answer 6

What this situation is REALLY about most people are missing. It is not about Michael Richard's racism -- is about the double standard that blacks expect in America. If a black comedian uses the word "honky" or "cracker" nobody bats an eye because whites choose to not be offended by those terms. I could not care less if some black comic calls a white person a cracker or a honky. But blacks have chosen to create this taboo aura around the use of the word n i gg e r so that no one EXCEPT BLACKS CAN USE IT. Blacks call one another n i gg e r all day every day and no one is supposed to bat an eye. It is all right if blacks use it. But whites can't. Mexicans can't. Asians can't. Only blacks get to use that word. What if we as whites suddenly said that only WE can use words like, "graduate", "not guilty", "educated" and we said that blacks cannot use those words--only WE can. Blacks would be screaming within five minutes that we were racist. Yet when blacks choose to only get to use the word n i gg e r it is the EXACT same thing. That proves that blacks don't really mean it when they claim they want to be treated equally--they don't. They want SPECIAL treatment. In effect, they are saying, "WE can use this term but no one else can." Translated that means, "We want to have special privileges that others don't enjoy." Therefore in an ironic twist that only O.Henry would truly appreciate, it is the BLACK community that really demonstrates the most racism over this whole Michael Richards episode much more than Michael Richards does. Ironic huh?

Answer 7

Michael Richards needs to do more than just apologize on Letterman for his remarks. He was a famous comedic actor on a very popular sit com and should have known better than to use racial slurs towards a black heckler in an audience of maybe over 100 people. Whether you agree with politically correctness or not, he sounded like he's a member of the KKK. The black person was a heckler at a comedy club, not someone who stuck a gun to his head and asked him for his wallet.There's a lot of black entertainers in Hollywood, how's he going to face them and the public after his hateful remarks? He might have used these racial slurs because he might have had some bad experiences with some black people in the past, but as a public figure, you can't be so hateful towards another race in our ethnically diverse culture and expect to continue your career as a Hollywood actor.
He should offer to apologize on Oprah if he truly wants the black community to forgive him for his remarks. This isn't about double standards, this is about common sense, racial hatred and having the professionalism to control your temper.

Answer 8

Isn't freedom of speech guaranteed by the US constitution? The guy lost it on stage in a moment of anger. It's not part of his act. Dumb? You bet. It's not like he killed someone. And now the African-Americans that were heckling Richards are sueing him??? Give me a fricking break! Oh, and for those of you who made comments that white people have never been oppressed. Tell that to the more than six million Jews, Gypsies and Slavs killed by the Nazis in WWII. I swear, some of you Yanks need to learn a little more about the world and history. It's like a Jay Leno Jaywalking episode!

Answer 9

To all you clowns who say Michael Richards was speaking from his heart. How the hell do you know what is in this mans heart. The man lost control of his emotions. It does not make him a racist.
Also if the n word is so offensive. Then you all should be just as upset when an African American uses the word.
Also, everyone says what they want from this man was an apology. Well, he has said he is very sorry for what he said. That still does not seem to be enough. This man is going to be ruined for something he said. Man our country is pretty messed up. With all the horrible things that happen every day. We are all worked up over someones words.

Answer 10

Yes, America IS full of double-standards. However, I don't think Richards meant it as a racial slur; I honestly think he was trying to be funny/insulting and wasn't thinking. I don't think anyone in Hollywood can be a racist and hope for any type of career.
As far as the double standard; most people would agree that it's okay to make fun of other black people if you're black, other white people if you're white, etc. But Carlos Mencia, who is Hispanic, makes fun of everybody and we don't say anything to him. Dave Chapelle, who I love, makes fun of white people. DL Hughley and Cedric the Entertainer both make fun of white people and we don't say a word. You'd better believe, however, that if Dane Cook suddenly made racist jokes part of his schtick, no one would be laughing. The bottom line is minorities have had it more difficult than white people in this country, as far as becoming free, equal citizens, and until everyone feels the same (retribution), there will always be sensitivities.

Answer 11

I dont think this example is a comparable 'double standard' that you are seeking. If you think about it, all of the black comedians that were mentioned was within their acting character to tell such jokes and have been excepted by their audience that pays to listen to them. And most of the times you will find them making 'lite' of a situation in their jokes rendering the joke harmless.

However Michael Richards was definately NOT within his acting character to say such thing even if he was joking. It was too hardcore to come out swinging with that kind of comments. Simply put, he was out of character and out of line since he wasn't joking in the first place. It is not just the N word, but the whole comment what was said.. there was nothing 'making lite' of the situation of being heckled. Very unprofessional.

So this incident is not in the same context when double standards comes to mind.