TMZ Audio Clip: Michael Richards informs radio audience "My best friends were African-Americans"

[Human Torch]

Kramer Uses the "Black Friends" Defense

Posted Nov 27th 2006 10:36AM by TMZ Staff

Filed under: Train Wrecks



In a desperate effort to salvage what's left of his poisoned reputation, a "shattered" Michael Richards told Reverend Jesse Jackson that he "loves" black people, adding that some of his "best friends were African-Americans." Interviewed on Jackson's "Keep Hope Alive" radio show on Sunday, the former "Seinfeld" star again claimed that he harbors no racist feelings toward black people, and blamed his racist diatribe on months of pent up rage that, "has no color."

Richards explained that he should have recognized his problem, when his frustration with hecklers started affecting his comedy routine. "It's a rough and tumble environment," Richards claimed, "I've been noticing how aggressive my work had been getting."

Jackson was convinced that the problem had deeper roots, telling Richards, "You used the word nigger, and then the lynching scene ... have you been here before?" Richards responded, "No, no, no, no, no. That's why I'm shattered by it. The way it just came through me like a freight train."

According to Richards' publicist, Howard Rubenstein, the disgraced actor has already begun psychiatric counseling in Los Angeles to learn how to manage his anger and understand why he made the racist remarks.

http://www.tmz.com/2006/11/27/kramer-uses-the-black-friends-defense/

[htuttle]

1. Does he have a black friend named Alan, too?

Satirists are going to have to work harder to stay in front of things -- reality seems to be catching up to them all too fast nowdays...

[King Coal]

2. I feel sorry for Michael and I accept his apology.

We should all be able to recognize sincerity and be forgiving.

[Marie26]

3. Too funny.

I think he needs to enter a rehab center to complete the celebrity scandal cliche.

[ck4829]

4. Why do they ALWAYS say that?

"Some of my best friends are black!"

[Crankie Avalon]

5. Are any of these black friends of his coming forward to say...

..."I'm his friend and I don't think he's as racist as his recent remarks made him seem"?

That would be a little more convincing than him claiming "some of my best friends are black." Or, in his case, maybe, "some of my best imaginary friends are black."

[Lerkfish]

6. its interesting to me that he feels victimized and wrongly accused

there is a difference between apologizing for hurtful remarks and saying the perception of the hurtful remarks do not accurately describe him.

no matter how you come down on the initial incident, his attempts to spin his way out of trouble are bizarre and lame at best.

[ecstatic]

7. after hearing about his anti-semitic and misogynistic rants

I'm inclined to believe that Richards truly does have an anger problem.

I'm at the point now where I reserve judgment. After his apology on Letterman, I really was not convinced. However, he has continued to apologize.

I think about jerks like Bush who NEVER apologize and can't help but feel that Richards deserves a tiny bit of credit for at least trying.

As far as the "best friends who are black" defense, where are they? Why haven't they come forward in Richard's defense yet?