Okay, Mel Gibson is not an anti-Semite. He just got a little too drunk and those hateful antisemitic words just came tumbling out of his mouth. Not his fault. And now former Seinfeld cast member, Michael Richards is not a racist. He just got flustered on stage at a comedy club when some audience members heckled him for being terribly un-funny and a sitcom has-been.
In case you don't watch Entertainment Tonight as diligently as I, or you don't scour the entertainment gossip blogs every half hour, the latest celebrity gaffe has been committed by Richards. Last weekend he got onstage at the Laugh Factory in Hollywood and when he got taunted by some Black audience members who didn't find his act funny, he responded by calling them niggers and making rude off-color comments. Note to Richards: If you're not Black, you can't do that in a room full of people who have paid money to be entertained.
Let it be known, I've never found Michael Richards funny. In fact, I found his Seinfeld character, Kramer, super annoying. I don't think he's a skilled actor either. So it doesn't surprise me that when confronted with a heckler in the crowd, he got flustered and then let his anger cloud his judgment. He didn't have the comedy chops required to deal with the dissatisfied crowd. He didn't know how to include the heckler into his act. Lame!
And it doesn't surprise me that three days later Richards went on the Dave Letterman Show to apologize where he said, " I'm not a racist." But I did find that funny. In fact, I'm still laughing. How are you going to go on a public rant in front of hundreds of people, calling Black people niggers and then say, "I'm not a racist." (Ha-Ha Hee-Hee)
I just don't think Hollywood celebrities understand what racist means. Just because Michael Richards parties with Bernie Mack (and I'm not saying he does, this is just an example) he thinks he's down with the colored folks. And likewise, Mel Gibson, just because the Jewish people produce and distribute your films doesn't mean you have a great love and respect for the Chosen ones. When these guys become unhinged, and start baring their souls in anger or drunkenness, that's their truth. Too bad they can't admit it, to the public or themselves.
I just hope they know we're not buying their bull!
Peace Out!
1 comment:
I saw the interview/"apology" today. I think he's annoyed that he got called out for taking the comedic leap and going there, "saying what everyone is thinking" (in his mind, at least) . It was so obvious to me that Richards was more pissed off about getting called on this than actually offending anyone.
There were two things that killed me about that interview, secondary to the "I'm not a racist" claim:
1) Richards saying he "got into character" (was Kramer supposed to be a bigot? Did I just not get the memo?)
2) Seinfeld having to tell the audience to stop laughing ("It's not funny...")
Why were people laughing in the first place? Do Americans have no ability to seperate real life from fiction?
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