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Comedy club guests seek personal apology, money from ex-"Seinfeld" star »
Posted by: bluecuparoo 3 years, 1 month agoTwo black men who say they were insulted by actor-comedian Michael Richards during his racist rant at a comedy club want a personal apology and perhaps some money, their lawyer said Friday.
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Comments: 208
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jock
Nov. 24, 2006, 9:21 p.m.These men deserve an apology. They do not deserve cash. You don't get money just because some creep called you a name. They were obviously not "captive" in the room-since they got up and left along with many other people who were offended.
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goodgrief
Nov. 25, 2006, 3:45 p.m.I think this is fascinating. Also uplifting. That so many people think an apology (at best) is called for, it tells me that the divisivness created by our worthless stinking government, the likes of Sharpton and Jackson, attorneys, marketers, and opportunists is being seen for what it is. Money-grubbing.
As for the "damaged" members of the audience - maybe they shouldn't have been so personal in ther heckling. Typical liberals - strike first then complain about someone striking back.
btw - cracker is short for shell cracker. Doesn't have a thing to do with whips and slaves. Ignorance. sigh
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wilkokke
Nov. 25, 2006, 2:40 p.m.For black trash, it is easy to find the ambulance-chasing type of lawyer.
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chadua2004
Nov. 25, 2006, 3:03 a.m.they dont deserve money, they should just take their apology and move on. nothing more can be done about this now. my main problem with this whole situation is that people on here on other stories keep blaming this tirade on blacks' use of the word amongst themselves. some people fail to realize that the connotation displayed has a lot to do with how it will be received. i have a firm belief that some things are just inexcusable. such as domestic violence. u'll never hear somebody rationalize that display by that man. but when richards says what he says, it's blacks' fault that he said it....
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mamasan
Nov. 25, 2006, 1 p.m.sorry we could never sue for that type of insult that chris rock throws...just doesnt get us as riled based on our history.
any white slaves who came here were always able to assimilate based on skin color....
"Afro Americans" could never do that.
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1basque1
Nov. 25, 2006, 8:52 a.m.It is called Freedom of Speech for a reason.Richards has given them an apology.They are smelling the scent of money.They were being rude during HIS show.He has lost some fans because of his comments.That is all he should lose..
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Gungnir
Nov. 25, 2006, 4:54 p.m.Exactly. If I could file suit everytime someone said something I didn't like, DocJ would be in the poorhouse.
What a flimsily-premised cash grab.
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Pedra
Nov. 25, 2006, 2:08 p.m.Richards should have been aware that he was being recorded. A production company was taping it as a commercial enterprise. Who knows, if Richards were good, it could have ended up on HBO, Showtime, etc.
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crimsonsplendor
Nov. 25, 2006, 10:05 a.m.I have a question. Remember a few days before the Michael Richards fiasco, when Netscape had a video of Kamau Kambon, a former university professor, calling for the extermination of the white race?
How does a washed up white comedian dropping the 'n-bomb' and saying other racist things become an 'outrage' while most people remain unaware of Mr. (and i use that very loosely) Kambon calling for genocide?
Mr. Kambon's statements were televised (albeit on C-Span), while Richards set would have never even been mentioned were it not for his outburst. Even more frightening is that there were a number of other black people agreeing with and cheering Kamau on.
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zucker43456
Nov. 25, 2006, 10:16 a.m.I am not condoning nor condeming what Michael Richards did,but I don't suppose that anyone remembers Lenny Bruce?The whole thing is like something from 40 yrs ago.People are too quick to slam someone.I hope that they take a look at BET then as we can't offend anybody.Does the word context mean anything to anyone?
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blog2006
Nov. 25, 2006, 11:48 a.m.certainly does,and that made it worse.
He referred to hanging as punishment.
Not too long ago,some rednecks in texas dragged an african american man and father,just randomly picked in the street,behind their pick up truck.
If the tirade had been antisemitic and he had talked about gasing the guys or the like,it would deserve major financial punishment.
I hope Richards can sit in court in front of a popular jury composed of many african americans.
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ningyo
Nov. 25, 2006, 10:46 a.m."perhaps some money"??--dont make me laugh--its all they want--they should set the damages at $5 for every lawyer that contacted them--$10 for every "black leader"--$6 for every reverend..sharpton and jackson dont count--should come to a couple hundred..seems like plenty--maybe i should start watching more tv and get a lawyer every time somebody says whitey or honky or nip or ******--amthough ****** wouldnt be technically accurate for me..i know what they meant--and thats a thought crime --right?
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bobshotme
Nov. 25, 2006, 10:51 a.m.So now we should pay money for using our right to free speach? that is sick. If you dont like it leave, everyone has a right to say what they want and shouldnt be in trouble for it.
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HomeGManComment has been removed: User banned.
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Locky12
Nov. 25, 2006, 11:03 a.m.WAKE UP PEOPLE!!!!
In New York City, everyone is saying it's an outrage that the Fire Dept is over 90% white male...but nobody is saying the NBA is too black or any other city agency is too black!
We have black college professors calling for the extermination of white people.
But yet Kramer calls Al Sharpton for an apology and how to set this right? Who the heck made that racist A***OLE the standard bearer??
What Kramer said is no worse than anything I've heard on Def Comedy Jam and his apology on Letterman was pathetic when he brought up Hurricane Katrina.
He should have just said, "yeah, I said it!"
As for the "offended" in the audience, well, they're just looking for a pay day. I'm sure they also submitted slave reparation paperwork to the same lawyer!
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chadua2004
Nov. 25, 2006, 11:19 a.m.yes, everyone has a right for free speech. and it is so easy for us to sit at our computers and speak on what should or shouldnt happen but the fact remains that we werent there. most of the people actually got up and left after that rant, so obviously something was wrong w/ what he said to all the races that were there. and about that comment about the nba bein too black, the people in the nba are sought after by management, the coaching staff, and sometimes fans. people apply to be a firefighter, and i'm guessing some black people apply as well. with as many minorities as new york has, anybody with any kind of statistics background would tell u that there is a fallacy in that system UNLESS over 90% of the qualified applicants are white. because last i checked, the best man should get the job. just like in the nba, they dont care what color they just want to win. do i have a problem no blacks are in the nhl? no. in sports, talent overcomes everything else in most cases.
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Seradene
Nov. 26, 2006, 10:43 a.m.not really ive seen so many talented europeans sitting on the bench in the NBA because they cant overshadow the amazing black guys.
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BruiserTom
Nov. 25, 2006, 11:35 a.m.The apology isn't acceptable until the proper people extort the proper amount of money from him.
Everybody is scratching his head saying, "Hmm. It sort of sounds like an apology, but...gee... there seems to be something missing. It kind of falls sort. It lacks substance and sincerity. I wonder what it could be." :::furtive glance at Michael Richards:::
Duh. It's the money, stupid!
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blog2006
Nov. 25, 2006, 11:42 a.m.Take the bozzo and the club to the cleaners,way to go.
If everytime an overtly racist offense was commited,a major fine had to be paid,we would move forward.
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slate
Nov. 25, 2006, 11:49 a.m.They don't deserve money if you ask me. An apology is merited though.
Only when ALL comedians quit using racial slurs against those of other races will this end; or when everyone can do so with impunity. When will people as a whole grow thicker skin and quit sitting around waiting to be 'offended' in hopes of a pay day?
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chadua2004
Nov. 25, 2006, 11:53 a.m.hmmm how bout we count the number of black people in america who HONESTLY want to exterminate all the white people.....THEN we count the number of white people who GENUINELY want black people gone. i'm pretty sure this little group called the kkk would cause the ladder # to be much higher. so please all that stuff about what that black college professor said is moot compared to what some white people say. he does not speak for us nor does one or two white idiots speak for whites. so that point is moot.
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Seradene
Nov. 26, 2006, 10:45 a.m.i dont know where u live but in my old area in downtown toronto there aws alot of blacks. when i walked to school i would pass by a group of blacks minding my own business and they shout out ****** white boy ****** and what not. im pretty sure if it was up to them they would have me exterminated as well as many other black people would to.
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Illuminate
Dec. 2, 2006, 8:36 a.m.Nation of Islam and Black Panthers come to mind
Are WHite MORE racist or a larger percentage? I'd beg to differ
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EricKarlTalerico
Nov. 25, 2006, 11:56 a.m.Another fine example of the American culture of litigation which is guided by the principle that if something bad happens to you, you should automatically win the lottery! Nuisance lawsuits - for car accidents, libel cases, malpractice,
etc. have made it impossible for folks with legitimate causes to get what they deserve, while anyone with avarice and a good lawyer can win the lottery simply by claiming "whiplash". We need to reset the constitution, clean out all the loopholes, and come up with a set of laws which are guided by common sense and can be understood and applied by citizens without ambiguity.
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chadua2004
Nov. 25, 2006, 11:59 a.m.i dont think they were waitin around to be called ******, that is my honest opinion. i dont think they went to get that type of reaction from richards. he had never said anything like that before on stage so why would they all of a suddent think "hmmm, maybe he will go on a racist tirade and we can get rick". they were being a** holes, so does a lot of other people in this nation. regardless u cant spout those types of things. like i have said before it's easy to sit around and say that people should have thicker skin and what not until it's your sister being called a b**** or a ******, or ur mom being called the same. i dont think people would think that words are just words if that happened to a close loved one. but i do agree on some level, thicker skin in most cases would be great. but there are times where words can really go too far. and this is one of those times.
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DanmLiberals
Nov. 25, 2006, 12:13 p.m.ya they should have thicker skins, especially when black people call eachother ****** all the time... I know that you can search for soome kind of difference but to most of us, a ****** is a ******. Why dont these guys ask for apology from every black musician that says that word. It's all a bunch of bull and they are just trying to take advantage of the color of their skin.
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DanmLiberals
Nov. 25, 2006, 12:08 p.m.If you watched the tape then we all heard the black man call richards A Fu$%ing Crackerass White boy.... counter Suit?
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DanmLiberals
Nov. 25, 2006, 12:11 p.m.BTw, this is what makes white people racist. I was completely astonished by richards comments but when the blacks try to play their race card it really makes them look greedy. The other day a black man tried to sue his boss citing discrimination. The employee didn't know his boss was a man, and he was black. Sounds like a big conspiracy to me..
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slate
Nov. 25, 2006, 12:19 p.m.I've been called what I consider racist things in my life and have heard my family be called the same thing. Both sides need to stop this nonsense, feeling justified in doing so is wrong no matter what reason is given. I work around the country and admonish those of all races that do so in front of me. You have good men and women in all races, calling names only shows that the person doing so has personal problems. Not one person I've ever known likes to be called names because of their skin color or because of something their forefathers have done.
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Vim99
Nov. 25, 2006, 12:21 p.m.Richards does not owe black people an apology - he owes an apology to whoever his invective was directed to and he also probably owes an apology to the general civilized society of which people who write here (black or whatever), as well as those who were pat of the audience (again black or whatever), are members. Kamau Kambon owes an apology to whichever white person he was talking to and then to the rest of civilized society, which includes all black people who despise bigotry. We are only promoting vengeful social interaction by quoting instances of black on white bigotry anytime a white person acted like a bigot. Richards needs to apologise not because black people are not bigots but because he is a member of civilized society and civilized human beings form part of his clientelle. He needs to apologise inspite of what some blacks have done or said to white people - he needs to apologise because (if it is true) he does not want to reduce himself to them.
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Hobe
Nov. 25, 2006, 12:26 p.m.This is all a Bogus argument! There are very little boundaries in comedy, and YES of course, many comedians go over the line.
It was stupid, uncalled for, and offended some people. I enjoy comedy acts and it is very common for me to be offended by the various routines of some of our major White/Black Comics.
I loved Richard Prior, if I were offended every time he used some of the language Kramer did, I would be in Therapy.
Aldright, is just getting her Face on TV, she knows it's bogus but, she is going where the Money might be....
Very SAD but, that's our legal system at it's best. Lawyers our Pigs, the will lie for which side will pay them the most.
In any case, I think Jerry, George, and Elaine will say it's Much To Do About Nothing...
Kramer, go forward with your comedy routine, leave out the stupid stuff....
Sincerely,
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