Kramer's Off-Color Remarks

It's been online for a day or more, and it's now on the news channels and network news programs.

Michael "Kramer" Richards, going off of his act and into a racist tirade after being heckled.

Some people are saying that the hecklers, who are black males, where calling him a "dumb cracker". This might have, and some say did, provoke Richards into going off on the hecklers and saying such un-PC things as, "Fifty years ago we'd have you upside down with a f***ing fork up your ass."

I saw the video of the thing, but we must realize. We were not there. We cannot completely judge him when we were not there. I have no idea what the hecklers said or did to get such a reaction from Richards. But I can guess there was a bit more than just screaming out, "You're a dumb cracker!"

Being a white male, I've heard the term "cracker" most of my life. I've even used it. And it's no "nigger" insult. So in my mind, something else was going on with those hecklers. Although, it can be argued to varied success that the hecklers brought race into this when they said the term "cracker."

It can be argued to much more success, and much easier, that Richard's is a racist and not worth talking about. I've heard the later far, far more than the former online today.

I think the truth, like most things, is somewhere in the middle. I think Richard's is like most white Americans in this country. That being mildly racist, many times to a degree that they don't realize they are racist. Many of those calling Richard racist online, show a great deal of racism in their posts. I do love irony.

But while I do believe Richard's is racist, along with a vast majority of people regardless of race, I also believe that the hecklers really got under his skin and got the reaction they were looking for. I won't pretend to understand why people heckle. I've been to countless shows and I'm more than content to sit in my seat and leave the comedian alone to do his act.

My personal opinion on hecklers are that they are pricks looking for attention. These hecklers brought up some degree of race into the matter by screaming out that Richards is a "dumb cracker." This made Richards vent his anger out in a similar fashion by going ape-shit on his tirade.

To sum up.

-Michael Richards is a racist. But so are my parents, so are some of my friends, and my high school black friend's grandmother who would spit at white people.
-Those hecklers were pricks that were trying to piss off Richards and then are shocked at what a pissed off Richards was able to throw back at them.

I think this is nothing worth any more consideration. This will be blown up and people will spit bile at Richards for being a racist. Which he is, but one sort of famous racist guy getting grilled will not change the views of the majority of America. It's just a time to scream out "ignorant" "racist" and my all time favorite "what a dumb cracker."