Seinfeld star Michael Richards reflects on infamous 2006 racist rant: ‘The damage was inside of me’

seinfeld star michael richards reflects on infamous 2006 racist rant: ‘the damage was inside of me’

GettyImages-2150905387.jpg

Seinfeld star Michael Richards has reflected on the 2006 racist rant that ended his stand-up career, saying: “Crisis managers wanted me to do damage control. But as far as I was concerned, the damage was inside of me.”

Richards, 74, shot to fame playing Jerry Seinfeld’s eccentric neighbor Cosmo Kramer on the hit sitcom that ran between 1989 and 1998.

However, he’s spent the last 18 years largely out of the limelight since being filmed onstage at the Laugh Factory in Los Angeles hurling racist insults, including the N-word, at a group of hecklers during his stand-up set.

In a new interview with People, Richards said: “I was immediately sorry the moment I said it onstage.”

The actor and comedian will publish a memoir, Entrances and Exits, next month, but added: “I’m not looking for a comeback.”

Asked about that night in 2006, Richards said he has no excuse for the language he used. “I’m not racist,” he said. “I have nothing against Black people. The man who told me I wasn’t funny had just said what I’d been saying to myself for a while. I felt put down. I wanted to put him down.”

“My anger was all over the place and it came through hard and fast,” continued Richards. “Anger is quite a force. But it happened. Rather than run from it, I dove into the deep end and tried to learn from it. It hasn’t been easy.”

Richards told the publication that he’s spent the last 17 years in “deep analysis,” and said: “It was time to figure out where all the anger was coming from.”

In his book, Richards writes that the answer came down to his insecurities, and a feeling of not being wanted that he traced back to being raised by a single mother who had initially wanted an abortion, but didn’t have one as they were illegal and dangerous at the time.

“Somehow I couldn’t connect to the joy of being an artist,” said Richards, who says his struggles continued even after he became famous. “I was a good character actor, but I was comfortable being the character, not in being me.”

He added that his insecurities led him to turn down multiple opportunities. “I said no to the offer of a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. I didn’t feel deserving,” he said. “I said no to hosting Saturday Night Live twice because I didn’t feel good enough. I was never really satisfied with my Seinfeld performance. Fame magnified my insecurities.”

In 2021, Seinfeld writer Larry Charles said that if the show were being made in the present day, Kramer would be a “QAnon believer”.

The Independent is the world’s most free-thinking news brand, providing global news, commentary and analysis for the independently-minded. We have grown a huge, global readership of independently minded individuals, who value our trusted voice and commitment to positive change. Our mission, making change happen, has never been as important as it is today.

OTHER NEWS

43 minutes ago

Erik Ten Hag makes new demand to Man Utd bosses after stay of execution

43 minutes ago

India Considered A Mega Region For Chip Business: Jaya Jagdish, Country Head, AMD | CNBC TV18

43 minutes ago

Mitchell set for Blues recall, Johns wants Walker there

43 minutes ago

Challenge Accepted: UW Freshman Safety Mencke Jr. Stood Firm Through Chaotic Coaching Transition

43 minutes ago

India-Canada match abandoned in T20 World Cup owing to wet outfield

43 minutes ago

Dodgers ace leaves game against Royals due to triceps tightness

43 minutes ago

Verstappen wants 'impossible' F1 2026 weight reduction for fun, agile cars

43 minutes ago

Liam Gallagher bids for permission to use huge wall to beef up security at mansion

43 minutes ago

'We're both individuals': Nicole Ari Parker opens up about 19 years of marriage to Boris Kodjoe

43 minutes ago

Lupita Nyong’o desperate to star in rom-com

43 minutes ago

England vs. Serbia expected lineups, starting 11, team news: Alexander-Arnold poised to start Euro 2024 in midfield

43 minutes ago

If I had a spare £2,000 in an ISA, I’d rush to buy this bargain FTSE 100 stock

45 minutes ago

Kevin Campbell never wanted to leave Arsenal – but one meeting changed everything

50 minutes ago

What Is The HRC-4 Engine And How Did It Help Break Speed Records In 2024?

50 minutes ago

"As long as my wife and my kids and my mom think cool of me" - Rasheed Wallace explains why he ignored criticism towards his personality

50 minutes ago

‘He’d had enough’: Oilers humanize Sergei Bobrovsky in Game 4 rout

50 minutes ago

Italy star compares Albania to England after opening victory at Euro 2024

50 minutes ago

Why this photo of a mobile speed camera operator has sparked outrage

50 minutes ago

Home Secretary calls for 'urgent explanation' after police stop cow with car

50 minutes ago

Byron Murphy II throws out the first pitch at Seattle Mariners game

50 minutes ago

NBA legend Charles Barkley announces retirement from TV after 2024-25 season

50 minutes ago

Wayne Rooney tells Gareth Southgate two calls he got wrong for England's Euros squad

50 minutes ago

Spain v Croatia player ratings: Carvajal 8, Yamal 8; Modric 6, Budimir 5

54 minutes ago

Adidas investigates bribery allegations in China, FT reports

56 minutes ago

More Small Businesses Seek to Include Neurodiverse Talent

56 minutes ago

Wells Fargo Fires Employees For 'Fake Work'

56 minutes ago

The seaside town on the front lines of boarded-up Britain

56 minutes ago

Late Queen's favourite teatime treat was posh biscuit you may not have heard of

56 minutes ago

‘Tank’ Davis knocks out Martin in eighth round to keep WBA lightweight title

56 minutes ago

Hajj: Over 2 Mln Pilgrims at Mount Arafat for Most Important Rite

56 minutes ago

IDF announces 'humanitarian pause' in Salah al-Din area of Gaza

56 minutes ago

England's sigh of relief as Aussies weather huge Scottish storm

56 minutes ago

University of Galway is ‘short on academics, but has too many managers’, say worried staff

56 minutes ago

Bloody night across NYC sees two shot during party at Brooklyn park

56 minutes ago

Gervonta Davis seals brutal knockout of Frank Martin to take his unbeaten record to 30-0... before celebrating at ringside in Vegas with Ryan Garcia

59 minutes ago

Flood alert for some WA regions as nation shivers

1 hour ago

Israeli military announces daily 'tactical pause' in Rafah area to get aid into Gaza

1 hour ago

Melendez hits grand slam on 12th pitch, Royals beat Dodgers 7-2 as Yamamoto leaves early

1 hour ago

Rory McIlroy feeling confident despite Bryson DeChambeau’s sizable U.S. Open lead

1 hour ago

ABC Classic presenter Ed Le Brocq's portrait 'I am a centaur' by Jaq Grantford a finalist in 2024 Archibald prize