Is Kramer a racist? Michael Richards, who played Kramer on Seinfeld, went on a tirad recently at a comedy club when some African American started heckling him. It wouldn’t have been so bad if Richards hadn’t used the “n” word over and over again.
Later on Richards went on Letterman to apologize, stating that he was “busted up” by the experience. “I’m not a racist. That’s what’s so insane about this,” Richards said. And yet he used racist words which must have been on the tip of his tongue when it happened.
And yet I do believe Richard’s apology is sincere. He wants to correct the situation and move on. But somehow watching Kramer on Seinfeld may never be the same for me and other viewers.
The sad thing is that the “good” Reverend Al Sharpton won’t accept Richards’ apology. Someone really needs to show the good reverend the part in the Bible which says if you don’t forgive, then neither will your heavenly Father forgive you. Let’s move on, Sharpton.
We as a society are usually very willing to forgive if the apology is sincere enough. And many times our thoughts are that it is easier to beg for forgiveness than ask for permission. With few exceptions any sin is forgiveable to society as a whole. Usually it is easier to forgive if we ourselves have been tempted to do the same thing. Such is the case with Hugh Grant and Divine Brown, of which Grant apologized on Leno’s show a few days after being caught. It was a “hand in the cookie jar” experience.
And yet Richards’ apology may not be acceptable for the American public at large. Somehow the “n” word has become more profane than any other word in the American vernacular. And yet to me, the curse words are all equally profane.