What he did, is what many of us have done in our lives. I still remember how I called my best friend 'nigger' when we were having one of our 9-year old arguments (i'm white, he's black). And if you're paying attention, you saw a Senate candidate in Virginia have a similar slip into this primitive cloak of name-calling and anger just this fall, and we see these moments in public because of the video revolution we find ourselves in.

Kramer is absolutely right to compare his outburst to the negligence in New Orleans and the ill-considered turmoil of Iraq. It is exactly the primitive cloak of name-calling and anger that lives with each of us, especially in America, but it's everywhere. It's a tribalism that we can't afford but find oh so hard to shake. Kramer channeled that hideous monster on-stage, mocking himself and all those like him, meaning all of us, demonstrating what lies beneath and laying it bare onstage because he's a performer and knows how to do that.

He's not glorious, but I'm so glad to see, through this Letterman experience, that he understands perfectly well what happened to him. The remaining question is, does his outburst hurt or help the overall situation? His manner seemed to say he thinks he hurt the world. But really, it's not up to him, it's up to us. We can mock him and mock each other, pretending it's a 'bad apple' thing like Abu Ghraib, not a symptom of us as a community, or we can consider this an indicator, like Katrina, that we desperately need to work on this part of ourselves, for the sake of America.

Posted by: Corbin Supak at November 22, 2006 3:11 AM

Michael Richards is who he is...a racist! He is whom he is. Nothing more, nothing less. The sad thing is that he comes out with a pathetic apology and fraudulent claims on not being a racist. We live in a country that you are free to believe whatever you like...just be intelligent enough to voice your opinions in company with the same views. I do not condone his actions nor do I see him as being a non racist. Michael Richards is just another celebrity whom now may have his income threatened by his own stupidity. Serves him right and we as a nation should stop tolerating celebritys or anyone else who has views that are not conducive to our societies well being as a whole.

Posted by: AZ Reality at November 22, 2006 10:03 AM

He went into a rage over the comments, and out of
his mouth came the most vile and offensive things
he could think to say. I don't think he himself
felt he would say such things. He regrets what he's done and now it's time for him to do something to earn back any respect he has lost over this. A sincere public apology was a good
start.

Posted by: cindy at November 22, 2006 11:07 AM

Michael Richards is a 33rd degree freemason who believed every word of his disgusting onstage rant last week.

Any contrite apology should be viewed with suspicion.

Posted by: jerseydope at November 22, 2006 1:20 PM

why apologize for the way he feels? when is it gonna happen when a "celeb" will say, "yeah, i said it!!! whatcha gonna do?" you know, be accountable for your words and actions . like his mama shoulda taught him. did this guy have a future in show biz anyway? have some balls and stand up for being the idiot he portrayed for ten years. well, maybe he wasn't portraying an imbecile, after all...

Posted by: al at November 22, 2006 1:38 PM

All I can say is that's a short-assed apology for such a long-assed tirade of racial slurs. Michael, boyfriend, next time you want to fake an apology, use a timer!

Posted by: D J ZANDVELD at November 22, 2006 4:59 PM

Was I the only one who noticed that he said "Afro American" twice in his apology?

Posted by: Terri D Rimmer at November 23, 2006 1:23 AM

What's the difference if he makes an apology? It only makes things worse, because it reveals what's really gong on here: These are his personal beliefs being spewed, and his only true regret is that now virtually everyone knows him for what he is. He was a one-trick act prior to Seinfeld and carried that shtick into the show. His acting range extends no further. That he's a bigot is not open to question, since he also ranted about Jews in a previous stand-up performance. He has nothing new to say, nor a new way to say it. Since Seinfeld went off, no one has given him a second thought. A month from now, that will be the case again. He just doesn't matter, so quit reading more into this from a societal point of view.
What, are you shocked that people still hold bigoted points of view? How naive are you?

Posted by: Leon Trotsky at November 23, 2006 3:24 PM

Mr. Richards as every Citizen and Human Being in this World has a Right to make a Mistake and hopefully recognize it. If he is truly sincere about his Acts and I believe him, we should let him make amends/correct it. For those of you who don't believe in him being able to make a mends, well maybe you suffer from the same mistake he made and Cannot help yourself. I am happy he is a better Man today because of it.

Posted by: Michele at November 26, 2006 7:18 PM

Mr. Richards only apologized because Seinfeld is releasing their next season and he wants BLACK people----who really do love Seinfeld---to go and buy the DVD. He is only concerned with his pockets. He really feels that way and he could care less---he is thinking about his money. He apologized on LETTERMAN, which is not a show that POC are really concerned about. He should have called OPRAH and begged to be on her show and then apologize. STOP MAKING EXCUSES FOR HIM.

Posted by: Taylor-BKLYN at November 29, 2006 11:33 PM