Do you think "Kramer" should be forgiven?

Question

Michael Richards' outburst on stage at a comedy club last week were far from outlandish. If you saw the clips... would you forgive him for what he said? He even appeared on the Rev. Jesse Jackson's radio show to try and "smooth things over" with Jackson's African American audience. How do you feel about Kramer now? Did you like him before? Any thoughts?

Answer 1

He got P.O.ed and he said the worst thing that he could say to get back at a heckler. He had a new girlfriend in the audience, so that probably added to his humiliation. He hasn't done anything funny since Sinfield and his tirade gave him more publicity than he's ever gotten. It helped his career more than anything. Before this incident, he was off the radar. When people get into a rage they get diarrhea of the mouth and constipation of the brain. Most people have gotten mad at some point and have said things that they regret. He deserves the benefit of the doubt. Racist remarks are hateful and wrong. The heckler was wrong for his racist comments, also.

Answer 2

I wasn't too big of a Seinfeld fan to begin with, but I think people should just let it go and forget about it. Definitely he went too far, not just by saying the N-word, but "joking" about lynching and slavery. Now compare that to a black man who got shot fifty times by the NYPD outside a club during his bachelor party recently. Compare that to a recently released video that shows a man getting brutalized by the LAPD.

Ask yourself which is worse, which is more offensive and which is more racist: A comedian who flips out and says something racist, or police brutality? Michael Richards might have offended people, but he didn't beat anyone into submission or shoot them. He also apologized for what he said and seems sincere -- in this case, the families of those victims will be lucky to get a written statement from the police. How come there's not nearly as much outrage about what happened to those men?

That's just my perspective, but it seems strange that a video of Kramer saying the N-word offends everybody but a video of the LA police beating a man's head in seems to offend nobody.

Answer 3

I liked Kramer before all this happened but I do think he was out of line but I would forgive him because sometimes when you are very upset, you tend to say things that you don't mean. However, his career is over and I am not surprised.

Answer 4

I think that what he said was out of pure humor. Black comics say sh!t like that all of the time and is acceptable because they're black and have "felt the hardships of the white man" blah blah blah and their great great great grandparents were slaves. I went and saw DL Hugley once with my husband (who's white) and two of my friends, who are white as well. They were actually offended that all of these black people were laughing so hard because DL was using the "n" word left and right.... in the endearing sense and in the racist sense. I saw a table of white folks get up because he was just using the word.... it was pouring from his mouth like dihereea. Don't get me wrong, I thought he was hilarious! But the only reason DL gets away with it is because he's black. The Kramer guy is a "comic" just as DL is, and he was using his life experiences in his comedy routine.... albeit a poor experience to use, but and experience none the less. I don't think he did anything wrong. Neither does Don Cheadle (Hotel Rwanda actor). I think everyone needs to lay off of him.

You asked for my thoughts. Here they are.

Oh, I'm black, too.

Answer 5

Michael Richards apologized and he should be forgiven, especially if he continues to atone for what he has said. Many other celebrities and politicians have said things that they later regretted, apologized, and went on to be successful in their various fields. Comedians have targeted people of a certain race, cultures, religions, gender, sexual orientations, ect. for years and have generated a laugh at theses peoples expense. After the Micheal Richards' incident, I believe that these issues are finally going to be addressed. I disagree with Rev. Jesse Jackson on some things, but I like the fact that he intends to meet with African American comedians and musicians to facilitate the end of using the n-word in their comedy and music. The n-word or ANY racial/ethnic slur should not be used....even as a term of endearment by anybody. Use of racial slurs in any way perpetuates the use of the word by all. We have too many other problems in society. Let's erase the hate.

Answer 6

In time if he is sincere enough in his apologies, yes, but he sould make the apologies directly to the Black people who were heckling him so we can all see both sides of the story. What did they say that made him loose control like that and if the people in question took him to court, would Jackie Chiles still be his lawyer? David Letterman said that Michael is already making amends because he bought a George Forman Grill. I don't think it completely ruins him.

Answer 7

He apoligized. If you can't forgive than you have a serious problem and the day you make a mistake people won't forgive you either. I forgive him because he admitted what a jerk he was and that takes courage. He is a better man than all those that can't forgive.

Answer 8

It was atrocious, but I think everyone is deserving of forgiveness. He's asking for forgiveness, and he's inadvertantly launched a movement for change, so I think a lot of good has come out of the incident.

Answer 9

I think he should be forgiven and those people that were yelling at him should move the hell on...Im still going to watch Seinfeld...Kramer is still ok in my book....

Answer 10

To err is human, to forgive is Divine. Don't you hate it when you apologize to somebody, and instead of accepting the apology they start arguing about whatever it was you did. This is why so many people are reluctant to say sorry.