Michael Richards, who played Jerry Seinfeld’s eccentric neighbor Kramer on the sitcom “Seinfeld,” publicly apologized for racist comments he made on stage during a tirade aimed at some hecklers at a nightclub where he was working as a stand-up comic.
Appearing on the “Late Show With David Letterman” Monday, the actor spoke live via satellite from Television City, Calif., and fielded questions from Letterman, while in-studio guest Jerry Seinfeld looked on.
“For me to be at a comedy club and flip out and say this crap…” said Richards. “I’m deeply, deeply sorry.”
Earlier in the day, as news of Richards’ comments hit the web, Seinfeld issued a statement saying he is “sick over this horrible, horrible mistake” and calling Richards’ remarks offensive.
A video on TMZ.com shows the actor, 57, repeatedly yelling racial remarks at a man who sat in the audience at the Laugh Factory in West Hollywood. It apparently happened after someone in the crowd said he wasn’t funny.
“Fifty years ago we’d have you upside down with a f—— fork up your ass,” he says while on stage.
“You can talk, you can talk, you’re brave now motherf——. Throw his ass out. He’s a n——! He’s a n——! He’s a n——! A n——, look, there’s a n——!”
Richards had second thoughts about appearing on the “Late Show With David Letterman” when his use of the term “Afro-American” sparked some laughs in the audience. “I’m not even sure that this is where I should be addressing the situation,” he said.
Michael Richards’ on-stage tirade can be viewed at http://us.video.aol.com/video.index.adp?mode=1&pmmsid=1772645&referer=http%3A//news.search.aol.com/search
STRONG LANGUAGE IN CONTENT. PARENTAL GUIDANCE ADVISED.