Michael Richards says he is 'shattered' over racial tirade at Comedy Club NEW YORK -- Comedian Michael Richards said Sunday he did not consider himself a racist, and that he was "shattered" by the comments he made to two young black men during a tirade at a Los Angeles comedy club. Richards appeared on Jesse Jackson's nationally syndicated radio program, "Keep Hope Alive," as a part of a series of apologies for the incident. He said he knew his comments hurt the black community. Richards told Jackson the tirade was fueled by anger, not bigotry. He said he wanted to hurt those who had hurt him. He also told Jackson that he had not used the language before: "That's why I'm shattered by it. The way this came through me was like a freight train. After it was over, when I went to look for them, they had gone. And I've tried to meet them, to talk to them, to get some healing." Richards, who played Kramer on the TV sitcom "Seinfeld," was performing in West Hollywood on Nov. 17 when he lashed out at hecklers with a string of racial obscenities. The Reverend Jesse Jackson says actor Michael Richards' racial tirade during a standup comedy routine amounts to - quote - "hate speech." Jackson said this morning that Richards called and apologized for his rant against two black hecklers in a Los Angeles comedy club. Jackson says he advised Richards to see a psychiatrist to discover why he's angry and hostile toward black people, and also to undergo race sensitivity training. He says Richards' point of view wasn't just a slip of the tongue, and is a symbol of deep-seeded feelings in the culture and in Hollywood. Richards is scheduled to speak tomorrow morning on Jackson's radio program to discuss the issue. Richards' publicist didn't immediately return a telephone call for comment. In related news... Seinfeld' actor Michael Richards to meet with offended black comedy club attendees LOS ANGELES (AP) - ``Seinfeld'' actor Michael Richards will apologize in person to the four black men he targeted in a tirade of racial slurs during a recent comedy club performance. A retired judge will mediate the meeting and determine whether Richards should take any other action to resolve the matter, Richards' spokesman and an attorney for the men said Friday. A cash settlement could be part of the resolution, said Howard J. Rubenstein, who represents Richards. ``My client Michael hopes to put it behind him,'' Rubenstein said. A time and place for the meeting has not been set. Rubenstein complimented attorney Gloria Allred, who is representing the four comedy club patrons, for recommending the meeting. Allred said Richards should meet with her clients ``to hear the pain that he inflicted on them and to apologize to them.'' She and the four men were scheduled to hold a press conference later Friday. Richards, who played the wacky neighbor Kramer on the long-running TV comedy series 'Seinfeld,' has been on a campaign of contrition since videotaped footage of his Nov. 17 outburst at the Laugh Factory nightclub surfaced on the Web site TMZ.com. He has apologized on the Rev. Jesse Jackson's nationally syndicated radio program ``Keep Hope Alive'' and the ``Late Show with David Letterman.'' He also apologized to another civil rights leader, the Rev. Al Sharpton. Richards has said the tirade was fueled by anger at being heckled and not bigotry.

We hope you found this article helpful.

Search for more other news articles related to:
"Michael Richards says he is 'shattered' over racial tirade at Comedy Club"

Bookmark this Page!