Should Michael Richards, Seinfeld's Kramer, have to pay money for racial slurs?

Question

He was doing standup comedy at a comedy club and two black guys in the audience were being loud. So Richards went off on them using the n-word.

Now some people are talking about sueing him and him paying money.

Answer 1

Let me clarify your statement. From what I understand the reason they are talking about suing is because his statements were personal and had nothing to do with his comedy show.

Now with that said, I am sick to death of all this suing because someone hurt your feelings.

I am a lesbian and have been called names on occasion; but, I take responsibility for the choice of letting names, words insult me or not.

What has happened to 'sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never hurt me.'

Suing for name calling is ludicrous.

Answer 2

Way to jump start a Sunday Morning without caffeine Gart. LOL I'm not sure how things are over there in the UK but here in the US some feel that there is a double standard of sorts. Because it " is " considered appropriate and socially acceptable for members of the black community to refer to themselves or others with the N word. HOWEVER It is totally unacceptable for anyone else to use the N word under any circumstance. Although that seems to be general consensus at the moment it does seem to be a heated topic because many feel it is a double standard and NO one should EVER use the word. Either it's a slur or it's not, it shouldn't be ok for some and not for others. I'm not gonna comment on the merits of that argument just the existence of it.

Answer 3

When blacks discontinue the use of the n-word in song and comedy maybe then we can consider paying me because I found his words offensive .
I was physically ill when I watched his performance and feel I should be compensated for enduring his insult type humor .Bush also offends me and so does ted kennedy ,Along with many others .Lets sensor the language and words of all people to better reflect the proper form of acceptable public behavior one would expect to find in a civilized society . When I call a spade a spade no one tries or even thinks to sue me .They just call me cracker or red neck .I have used the n word and often and will never change .Same as the c word the b word the f word and any other words you can think of .When i use the n word it is in the proper context just like all the other words I use .
Stupid red head is the same thing as stupid n-word in my book Some day blonds may have the power to end blond jokes and until they do I imagine blonds like all other people will suffer from insults .
Sticks and stones will break your bones but names will never hurt you . Grow up America and tell the two hecklers to grow a thick skin and move on .

Answer 4

Noooo...it was soo wrong..but let's get real here...

For me?...The N word was not the worst of it - the pitchfork and hanging from trees comment was...horrific. I'm sure there were people sitting with white hoods over their heads that gasped at that. Come on now...give me a break.

Besides, I sure thought he was a big ugly racist yesterday...but today it's coming out that it's all a big Lampoon. That he and the two guys that heckled him, the club, Seinfeld, Letterman...and the tv judge they are going in front of now...are allllll in on it. It's a Lampoon Andy Kaufmann style...(which IS the kind of comedy Michael Richards comedy roots are from & he was close friends with Andy Kaufmann)

Don't know what to think now. Those were racist remarks...clearly. If this is all some elaborate lampoon on the American public?...not funny either.

Answer 5

If you call your neighbor an A**hole should you have to pay them?
Has anyone ever called you something and you received a cash payout for it?? No he doesn't owe them any money...And besides As bad as his comment was what about towards the end of the incident when they called him a "Cracker" and a "F**cking Whiteboy" And I havent heard anything about their apology's for their racist remarks yet..

It's 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 line 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 6

Those guys weren't being loud. They were heckling Richards. He was trying to his job and he was being teased by people who didn't had anything better to do. He lost it. He went on a crazy rage that sadly included racial slurs. He shouldn't have to pay money for it. He apologized. If it had been other races, he probably would've come up with other racial slurs for that race. If it was white guys, he would've insulted them. I don't approve of what he did but I don't think he is a racist.

Answer 7

The idiots that are suing Richards are cheapening the impact of Richards' racism - they should be ashamed of themselves because they're taking attention away from Richards' disgusting behavior.

If the Seinfeld people are so upset about this they should donate a portion of proceeds from DVD sales to Katrina victims - or are they just upset because this might cut into their profits? C'mon guys - put your money where your mouths are.

Answer 8

I think this thing needs to just go away already... I mean, I'm black and even though I know what he said was in poor state, I didn't automatically label him as a racist. And either way, you're not breaking any laws being a bigot.
Some people are trying to make it something that it isn't..It was just a unfunny has-been who went on a weird stage rage and couldn't stop himself.. nothing to cry a river over. I hear there's a war somewhere in Iraq....anyone?

Answer 9

No payment from Richards to the hecklers BUT a lot of us should sue Gloria Allred for being such a pain. It was very unnerving to turn on the Today show and see mouthing off once again.

Answer 10

No, the only people who should get money is possibly those who paid to see him, and that should just be a refund of the ticket price.

You can't sue someone for speaking freely, even if it is idiotic things coming out of their mouth.

He'll pay enough since his career is now officially over.