Michael Richards: Jewish by association?

[oberliner]

LOS ANGELES - Just when it seemed Michael Richards was about to leave the most troubling incident of his career behind, his publicist is having to explain how the comic could consider himself to be Jewish.

Last week, crisis-management expert Howard Rubenstein acknowledged that Richards had shouted anti-Semitic remarks in an April standup comedy routine — well before his appearance earlier this month in which he harangued hecklers with the n-word. But he defended Richards' language about Jews, saying that the comic "is Jewish. He's not anti-Semitic at all. He was role-playing."

As Rubenstein's assertion circulated, Jewish organizations and commentators pointed out that the man who played Cosmo Kramer on "Seinfeld" has not converted to Judaism and neither of his parents are Jewish.

Which makes him ...

"Technically, not having been born by blood as Jewish and not formally going into a conversion, it was purely his interpretation of having adopted Judaism as his religion," Rubenstein told The Associated Press on Tuesday. "He told me, `I'm Jewish,' when I asked him.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061129/ap_on_en_tv/michael_richards

[marmar]

1. That saga gets stranger by the minute....

He's a wee bit :crazy: :crazy:, methinks.

[Rockstone]

2. Some of us think of ourselves this way

I totally understand what he is saying.

There is a debate over whether it is blood or culture. In some looser interpretations, it is cultural. My father calls himself Jewish because he grew up in Shaker Heights. And his Jewish friends tell him "You're one of us". Consequently we were raised being told that if someone asks why you don't go to church, tell them you're Jewish.

:shrug:

[KharmaTrain]

3. Richards Had No "Off" Switch

The most offensive anti-semetic remarks I've heard have been from fellow Jews...as they knew what scabs to pick at and the right amount of salt to rub in to make one feel it. Just because Richards haranged at Jews at another show doesn't dismiss the real issue here...and that was Richards lack of common sense and sensitivity.

A black friend and I have long debated the double standard of blacks using the "n" word and Jewish comics who stereotyped Jews as being a cheap "convention" or gimmick to get attention. When they don't get that attention they feel they need to dig deeper...go for an even bigger shock and that's where the line gets crossed.

What came out of Richards pie hole was hate. He's no Lenny Bruce. He tried to verbally beat down an audience member and instead of using humor to disarm the hecklers, he tried hate instead. He's lucky the place didn't get violent and chairs start flying.

I find it dishonest for people to try to "rationalize" what happened. It's clear for all to see on the tape. This was a verbal attack intended to lash out...not as some prepared bit or attempt at using shock to emphasize an irony or hypocrisy. What this shows is the hatred inside Richards that has destroyed him professionally...and may yet personally.

[Rockstone]

5. Does anyone have a good quality clip of Richards rant?

I couldn't really get a good viewing. I just saw a bit I couldn't read the captions and my wife made me turn it off. I thought he was just trying to be funny, but I must have missed the worst of it.

Link anyone?

[mitchum]

4. "Michael did what? People don't think he's Jewish, do they?...

Fuck...I bet they think he's Jewish. He's a Mason. Everybody knows you can't be in two groups that run the world at the same time. Don't they?"
delivered in a slightly raspy voice
My Larry David impression from last week.
Hey, my mom liked it!