Should Micheal Richards Have To Pay Money To The People He Verbally Attacked?

Question

I watched an interview with the two men who were the blunt of Micheal Richard's racial attack. They say they won't forgive him and they don't accept his apology. They hired a slick lawyer that want's him to appear in front of a retired judge (alá Judge Judy) and have him defend the undefendable so he would have to pay money out to these two guys. I certainly agree that he was dead wrong in his racial attack of these two people but come on, the guy groveled on national TV and admitted that he has a problem that he wants to work out and apologized. Besides that his career is now gone. What are your thoughts?

Here's the tape of the two hecklers from this morning.

http://us.video.aol.com/video.index.adp?mode=1&pmmsid=1775780

Answer 1

As a litigator myself, I have to say people like this drive me CRAZY. It is reprehensible that people sue over every imagined slight or injury, and it gives all lawyers a bad name that some slimy clown is willing to represent would-be plaintiffs in b.s. cases like this one promises to be.

Appalling as what MR said is (and it certainly suggests that he and Mel Gibson can go to anger management classes and therapy together), what's the harm, at the end of the day, apart from the damage to his own career and professional prospects?

What makes these "victims" (don't get me started!!!) think they're entitled to anything at all? What monetary damages did they suffer? What harm? In fact, if not for their coming forward, who would even have ever known who they are? (This last is in case people want to argue that they were humiliated or their reputations were harmed.)

Over-reactions like this,and the ugliness they reveal about our system, are among the reasons Americans are reviled in so many places. It's embarrassing.

p.s. If anyone had a cause of action against MR, it would be the Laugh Factory, by the way, and they actually could sue him for the lost revenue and lost reputation, etc., if it were found that his disgusting display kept patrons away from the club. But that's it; no other legitimate case exists.

Answer 2

NO! He's already apologized.
Whether they accept the apology or not he did make the effort. And he's paid for this with his career, most likely. Who are those two guys anyway? Royalty? Money wouldn't take back what Richards said to them.
And exactly how could one calculate the value of his offense? The slurs ran both ways - so both parties are guilty in this case. I'd say none of them owes any of the others.
He (as a "professional" stand-up) should have known how to deal with hecklers better than that. His behavior was disgusting and disturbing.
If anyone is "owed" anything, I'd say the rest of the paying audience is at least owed a refund for the comedy show they expected but only got a bunch of idiots flinging verbal poo at each other.

Answer 3

Michael Richards' actions were surprising and unacceptable. I've watched videotapes of the incident and I've watched him sit on television and apologize. I'm not so accepting of his apology. I'm no longer a fan of Cosmo Kramer. His career (as he knew it) is dead now.

But I don't think he should be required to pay the men. What will his money do? It won't change what happened. Unfortunately too many people are quick to sue for every little thing.

Shucks - tell them to write a book like all the other people. I just don't think he should have to pay. If anything, tell him to donate money to the UNCF, NAACP or some other organization - but money in their pockets does not seem appropriate or rightfully earned.

Answer 4

I truly believe in Kramer's apology. What is happening now? There is Mel Gibson, Kramer, Kelly Ripa, Clay Aiken, Rosie, Barbra Streisand.......they are all not racist or attack mongers! Bad judgment! I do not feel any Black person should be ranted at like Kramer did to those "hecklers" but does everyone expect special treatment when intoxicated and being a pain? Words can hurt and I am sure that they did however Kramer did apologize profusely on David Lettermen......And who is keeping this going? THE PRESS!!!! Let Kramer apologize, let the PRESS GO BYE-BYE....

Answer 5

If being a jerk was against the law, and people were fined for it, we'd all be at the courthouse at some point in time paying a fine for having a big mouth. Everyone says stupid things on occassion- even hateful things. Sometimes people regret these outbursts, sometimes they don't. This outburst was racially motivated, and maybe it reflects his true feeling, maybe it doesn't- who knows. But it's a free country- that's why most of us live here- and freedom of speech- even offensive speech- is in the constitution. So boo hoo hoo, to the guys who were the brunt of the outburst. They shouldn't get a penny.

Answer 6

Well what I've been hearing NOW...is this is all a lampoon...ala Andy Kaufman style...and that allllllllll of this was "put on" and those two guys, the club, Seinfeld, Letterman...allll part of the plan...including the retired judge (which is why they want a retired judge). Who knows?...if so?...it's a bad bad BAD joke and not comedy in my book. If it's real...then he's a nasty racist and a bad comedian that can't even handle being heckled like all "professional" comedians are. He specifically attacked verbally and in a brutally verbally way two people. Not part of his routine folks - went after TWO specific people (who only said he wasn't funny...and I tend to agree)...if that is all REAL...then I really don't care what happens to him. If it's NOT?...and this really is Lampooning the American Public....shame on him for that too. It's NOT funny.

Answer 7

That is why being a lawyer is such big business in US. Because people everywhere are suing and screwing other people. I once heard in the news that a burglar sued the owner of the house because the owner hit him with a baker's rolling pin when he tried to rob his house. Where is the justice in that??? Suing means paying a lot of money for the accused. So it is all about the damn moolah!!! Those 2 guys are heckling Richards in a very insulting manner before his outburst. In my opinion they deserved to be verbally attacked but I think not in a racist manner. Maybe fat jokes or small weiner jokes will do without insulting their racial roots.

Answer 8

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!? NO!! That's just a case of someone trying to get something for nothing!!

What we have here is a double standard! The fact that rappers say the "N" word (No I don't use it!!) all the time!! And you hear all these little hip hop clowns refer to themselves as it again every other word...I have no problem with the fact that he snapped and called them something they probably refered to themselves as all day long anyway....It was the comment that precipitated it

"If it was 50 years ago you'd be hanging upside down with a fork in your a*s" That blew my mind...

Something like that just doesn't roll off your tongue unless you've thought about it before..That was unbelievably offensive and crossed every there was to cross in my mind!! The dudes career has been dead for years. So I can't even say he buried himself with that comment...But he sure let people know where his mind lies..He's racist no if's ands or buts about it.

Answer 9

I totally agree with you. I think I saw the same interview this morning and I believe it was classified under "Freedom of Speech". I Found his behavior disgusting and as you say I think his career is pretty much gone.

Answer 10

Anyone ignorant enough to throw racial slurs and display a violent anger problem needs to be punished if only in the pocketbook. The comment about hanging from a tree? Absolutely horrible and unwarranted. And unprovoked as far as I can see. No humiliation he is feeling is good enough. People need to stand up and speak out to end this kind of hate being spouted in the name of comedy.