Michael Richards

So I am sure you have heard by now the racist tirade Michael Richards went on in his stand up act in Laugh Factory out in Hollywood. And it pains me to have to turn around a let a once beloved actor out of my heart, especially on the level that he took it to. It's even harder to listen to other people try to defend his actions, mistakenly associating him with his character on Seinfeld with the real man. I am even arguing with my boyfriend who says that he said those words to try to get at the hecklers. Really? Anyone who knows stand up comedy in the least knows that hecklers are a part of the package. That's comedy 101. How the person handles the hecklers is what makes or breaks him. And obviously Michael Richards let it break him. Not only did he handle his hecklers in such a disgusting manner, he let them heckle him into damning his future for doing ANYTHING else. That's a damn good heckler if you ask me. And even the media tries to downplay it by saying that he flew into a rage. Really? Just like drinking can turn you into an anti-Semite, right Mel? There was a woman here at work today that said these words that summed it up perfectly: What's in the well comes up with the bucket. And that is dead on. If you have actually seen the footage, you'd see that his answer to black hecklers is to hang them from a tree (i.e. lynch them) and stick a fork in their asses. What about his fellow Jewish hecklers? Should they be put in gas chambers? Or how about Chinese hecklers? Set on fire? Eastern Europeans impaled? Western Europeans tortured and left to die in towers? C'mon Michael, that is a bit excessive for a heckler isn't it? It really hurts me that the media is trying to play it down, like there is a viable excuse for one to spew racial epithets at anyone. On the flip side, I am very impressed with the way the man in the audience handled the situation. Yes, he cussed and yelled back, just as anyone in anger would, but he walked out and let Michael know it "was uncalled for". And I think the rest of the audience agreed. Michael could have sworn up and down at the guy for talking during his routine, but going straight for the racial angle is just pathetic nowadays, or at least in my opinion. For someone who is supposed to be quick witted and funny, or at least have a repertoire of comebacks, he went for the easiest way to get back at his heckler, rather than being more creative and insulting him in some other way. Goes to show how funny he really is. Which is not at all.