Any Seinfeld fans out there?

[Vikash]

The 'Kramer' racist outburst incident was only just brought to my attention today: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15816126/

Now I'm going to have to find a new Avatar. Sigh.

V

[SY]

I saw that video. Not racist, IMO, just insane desperation, total inexperience with stand-up in clubs, and the worst case of flop sweat I've ever seen. But he's been tried and convicted in the press and that ever-elusive Court of Public Opinion, so one has no other choice than to change avatars over to Newman.

[kelticwizard]

I'd like to see the video but I operate on 28.8 dialup. Streaming videos is kind of out of the question.

SY's is the first comment I have read that seemed to indicate that what Richards said was not that bad. I'd like to see if I can download the video and see for myself. Richards has hired a "crisis manager", CNN reports.

Possibly having a small bearing on the situation is the fact that Seinfeld, (and Woody Allen as well), had come under some criticism because they set their comedy in Manhattan, yet there were never any minorities involved among the characters. That always struck me as somewhat strange as well. Late in the show, Seinfeld did introduce a semi-regular black character, very funny, Jackie Charles, (a fast talking injury lawyer in the Johnny Cochran mold). After Seinfeld was over, Jerry did push to try to get the Jackie Charles character a show, unsucessfully.

[SY]

It's bad if the very use of that particular racial slur is automatically bad; to many people, it is. But for me watching the clips, it was more reminiscent of Richards being flustered by hecklers, trying to rip off an old Lenny Bruce bit, failing miserably, then doing even a worse job recovering.

[kelticwizard]

That's what I am wondering-was he really that bad or was he trying for a Lenny Bruce type thing and flubbed it horribly.

I'll have to try to find some way to download this thing and see for myself. My antiquated system-Windows 98SE, IBM 300 MHZ-can't run WMP 9, so I can't run the video off Vikash's link.

[SY]

It's unlikely that a guy who works in show biz in New York and Hollywood keeps a Klan hat in his closet. Or has raging homophobia, for that matter...

[kelticwizard]

You wouldn't think so, but then there's Mel Gibson.

Also, going back a couple of decades, John Simon, theater critic for the New York magazine, reacted to viewing a homosexually themed play by angrily exclaiming to someone in public, "I hope AIDS takes them all".

[Vikash]

Few people are stupid enough to let themselves appear that rascist (who actually are), and in public, and certainly not an actor like that. I doubt he is truly rascist but I didn't appreciate the malice with which he said what he did, and that's what he should pay for. It was quite a visious attack and without a punchline in sight - so how else can it be acceptably treated in public with such a delicate subject at hand?

Originally posted by kelticwizard
[B]I'd like to see the video but I operate on 28.8 dialup. Streaming videos is kind of out of the question.

It should buffer it up so pause it at the beginning, wait till the whole thing it buffered then press play. Should work.

Originally posted by kelticwizard
Possibly having a small bearing on the situation is the fact that Seinfeld, (and Woody Allen as well), had come under some criticism because they set their comedy in Manhattan, yet there were never any minorities involved among the characters. That always struck me as somewhat strange as well. Late in the show, Seinfeld did introduce a semi-regular black character, very funny, Jackie Charles, (a fast talking injury lawyer in the Johnny Cochran mold). After Seinfeld was over, Jerry did push to try to get the Jackie Charles character a show, unsucessfully.

There were numerous 'minority' characters in the show. I remember the one where George was trying to appear he had more black friends - to appear he wasn't prejudice to his boss who reacted to being told he looked similar to a famous black boxer. There's the hispanic 'busyboy', the episode where elaine was going out with a fella who nobody could figure out was black/white. Numerous chinese characters, many eipsode with Babu (the pakistani restaurant owner). Several epsisode dealt with rascism issues. Black and white cookie anyone?

The Jacki Charles character was excellent.

[Nordic]

Not condoneing what he said, but man am I glad I don't have cameras and worldwide appeal when I do loose it and say something idiotic the day.