A Remorseful and Seemingly Shellshocked Michael Richards Apologizes On 'Letterman' Tonight Via Satellite

It just so happens that Jerry Seinfeld was slated to appear on "Late Show with David Letterman" tonight to hawk the release of the Season 7 DVD of "Seinfeld." And considering the Michael Richards racial-epithet-spewing brouhaha that exploded today, the timing could not have been more fortuitous for Seinfeld's series co-star and longtime friend, who makes an appearance from Los Angeles via satellite during Seinfeld's already-scheduled guest stint. Reported to be near tears, Richards utters a heartfelt and achingly sincere apology for his behavior that was captured on tape. It airs tonight at 11:35 p.m. on CBS.

Interviewed by Letterman, Richards is said to look haggard and forlorn and seems genuinely devastated by the fallout from his Friday night stand-up gig at The Laugh Factory in West Hollywood. He apparently makes the point that he is not a racist and was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol  at the time (hallelujah to that) but that he obviously has some significant anger issues to work out. Uh, yeah.

UPDATE: In case you can't, or couldn't, watch Richards' interview on Letterman, here's a partial transcript. It speaks to the deep level of bitterness and befuddlement that gripped, and perhaps continues to grip, this once wildly popular performer. Simply reading these words leaves me feeling more sorry for him than any need to further castigate a man who clearly has lost his way.

Letterman: “Why don’t you explain exactly what happened for the folks who may not know.”

Richards: “I lost my temper on stage. I was at a comedy club trying to do my act and I got heckled and I took it badly and went into a rage and said some pretty nasty things to some Afro-Americans, a lot of trash talk, and uh…”

Letterman: “And you were actually being heckled or were they just talking and disturbing the act?”

Richards: “That was going on too.”

(Later)

Richards: “…You know, I’m really busted up over this and I’m very, very sorry to those people in the audience, the Blacks, the Hispanics, Whites – everyone that was there that took the brunt of that anger and hate and rage and how it came through, and I’m concerned about more hate and more rage and more anger coming through, not just towards me but towards a black/white conflict. There’s a great deal of disturbance in this country and how Blacks feel about what happened (with) Katrina, and, you know, many of the comics, many of the performers are in Las Vegas and New Orleans trying to raise money for what happened there, and for this to happen, for me to be in a comedy club and flip out and say this crap, you know, I’m deeply, deeply sorry. And I’ll get to the force field of this hostility, why it’s there, why the rage is in any of us, why the trash takes place, whether or not it’s between me and a couple of hecklers in the audience or between this country and another nation, the rage..."

Letterman: “But Michael, let me interrupt here for a second and ask a question about had the people doing the heckling or the people who were not paying attention, had they been white or Caucasian or any other race, what would have been the nature of your response then?”

Richards: “It may have happened. It may have happened. You know, I’m a performer. I push the envelope, I work in a very uncontrolled manner onstage. I do a lot of free association, it’s spontaneous, I go into character.  I don’t know, in view of the situation and the act going where it was going, I don’t know the rage did go all over the place. It went to everybody in the room. But you can’t – you know it’s, I don’t – I know people could, blacks could feel – I’m not a racist, that’s what so insane about this, and yet it’s said, it comes through, it fires out of me and even now, in the passion that’s here as I confront myself.”

Comments

[Theodora]

Welcome to the Gospel According to Flip Wilson...

Sorry, "Cosmo" --but The Cosmos is just not gonna take your half-assed 'apology' as a salve to your insanity.

Whut the pharque is in the water in L.A. that's causing all this racism???

What gives 'celebrity' the "right" to be so self-absorbed to think that the world should revolve around their miscreant mentality?

Richards should be used to hecklers, as a 'stand up' comedian --but apparently NOT as a stand up human being. What could possibly have been said to put him over the edge --ranting and raving like a NeoNazi...

That Seinfeld had to force him to apologize is even more heinous. For all the money Richards' earned in character --you'd think he'd be a little more aware of the gift he was given.

Then again, HAS BEEN actors have never been able to acclimate to early retirement. He had the role of his career --and he'll never regain that level of acclaim......

What Richards did was inexcusable.

But why does it seem to be OK that the heckler hit back with "cracker" and "white boy"? Is racism a "white-only" phenomenon or are we all just hypocrites?

[Debora]

What was all the laughing in the Letterman audience while Michael Richards was trying to explain what happened? I don't understand how people could be laughing at what he was saying. He seemed truly distraught to me. Can somebody explain why people in the Letterman audience were laughing?

[Lance Mazmanian]

Apparently, Russell Johnson (the Professor on "Gilligan's Island") was for years hating that he'd been "pigeonholed" as a beloved castaway ensemble character.

I understand Nimoy had, at one time, a love/hate thing with Spock.

To these guys I say, if you don't dig these natural tides of the business (and who does?), then make your own films/TV. You certainly have the leverage and contacts, so gather a team and be about it.

Don't wait for someone to offer you the role of a lifetime: Go out and CREATE it.

L.

P.S. "Alas, poor Richards! We knew him, Ray: A fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy..."

[Mrs. MLB]

And somewhere, Mel Gibson is saying "Thank you Jesus!"

[Cheez-IT]

Note to self: It's ok for black people to call us crackers, but not OK for us to call them the N-word.

CHECK

Edit: I want to be called Cheez-IT

:-)

[UrBestGirl]

Debora, as for why people were laughing last night on Letterman, it sounded to me mostly like nervous giggles, as it was a COMPLETELY awkward, painfully uncomfortable apology -- as much so to watch as I'm sure it was for him to make. It seemed to have no direction, he was totally rambling and painfully nervous/ashamed...and at moments in the beginning, it almost looked like he was morphing into Kramer, which is going to make some people instinctively laugh. (Also, his repeatedly using the term "Afro-American" caused some people to snicker, too.)

I am completely turned off by what he did, but at the same time, I was a little alarmed by his demeanor on Letterman last night...he truly seemed broken and in need of some major therapy or something. He was so out of sorts I half expected to hear that he left the studio and put a gun in his mouth or something. We can only hope he gets the help he needs...

[Newsboy]

I, too, am totally disgusted by what Richards did, but on a related note, since everyone is so focused on the prejudiced/racist behavior of celebrities suddenly, I wish more people were focusing on what that prissy little holier-than-thou diva Kelly Ripa said to Clay Aiken on Friday. Omigod...SO inappropriate and rude! And then YESTERDAY she has the nerve to go and rail on Clay for mistreating HER? Give me a break, honey...Clay is an overwhelmed adolescent with NO talk show experience. Cut the kid a break for acting like the kid he IS. YOU, Kelly, on the other hand, should be able to handle yourself by now. GROW UP, show some class, and keep your narcissistic little gay-bashing remarks to yourself. Ugh! And then yesterday she tries to validate her own judgemental self by name-dropping and aligning herself with Howard Stern, of all people? HOWARD? Are you kidding me? I'm sure that's just what her audience of stay-at-home-moms and "Claymates" really wanted to hear. Exactly how clueless and self-absorbed IS this little witch?

By the way, in short, what happened is during his co-hosting gig, Clay playfully put his hand over Ripa's mouth as if to "shut her up" for a moment. A little geeky/highschoolish/inappropriate, but whatever. She launches into her ultra-condescending "ohhhh, that's a 'no-no'" comments...and THEN says, "especially because we don't know where that hand has BEEN, honey." Whaaaa? UNREAL. But her little tirade on the show yesterday, as if to get in front of any complaints that might come her way as a result of how she treated Clay, was even MORE appalling.

I must say, I am personally just as turned off by Kelly Ripa as I am by Michael Richards. I guess Kelly can just thank her lucky stars that yesterday RICHARDS got all the attention...otherwise she would have likely received the bad press she so righfully deserves. At this point I'd be happy to see the likes of Star Jones replace Kelly Ripa. Good riddance, I say. Maybe Kelly and Michael can host their own show, "LIVE with Racist & Kelly." Those two deserve each other.

But kudos to Regis for not giving into her little self-important "I'm not apologizing" stunt yesterday. He became almost scoldingly parental as he tried to rationalize Clay's immature behavior and that just MAYBE, Kelly was making too big a deal of it all. YA THINK? Go, Reege!!

For anyone who doesn't know what I'm referring to, check it out (clips from Friday and Monday):

http://www.tmz.com/2006/11/20/ripa-rips-aiken-a-new-one-dont-hush-me-dork/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFEZ9jkO14I

Enjoy. Ick.

[Anthony Williams]

Ahhh, I see. All he had to do was pull the "America is evil, Katrina, the world hates us." card and now you feel sorry for him? Nice. There's your tip, kids. Do, say or think anything you want and then just rage against the "Evils" of America and you'll be just another hapless victim.

[joe rhodes]

For those who were puzzled by the Letterman audience reaction, the likeliest reason is that a good chunk of that audience may not have known about the Laugh Factory incident. The show was taped yesterday afternoon and, sad to say, not everyone follows the travails of celebrities as closely as they should. So I'm sure a lot of people in the Letterman audience thought they were watching a bit, that Jerry and Dave and good ol' Kramer were involved in some sort of parody. They had no idea what Richards had done or what he was apologizing about. They laughed because they were at a tv show that they assumed would be funny. Oops.

[Tamara]

Richards should get the same treatment as they gave Mel Gibson but I see already the media is making excuses for him and I'm not seeing the story that much. Same cover up for friends.
Mel was drunk, his guy was NOT.

[Lori R]

In response to Tamara's post, YES, Mel Gibson was drunk...but drunk and SANE. Which is why what Gibson did is SUCH a big--and in my opinion--unforgivable/'unrehab-able" deal. Mel's being DRUNK simply unleashed his hideously true feelings. As for Richards, however, whether or not he truly has deep-seated Gibson-esque bigotry issues is not entirely clear. What DOES seem to be clear is that the man IS emotionally damaged to some degree -- likely he was damaged BEFOREhand which is what led to his Laugh Factory tirade, but he would appear to be even MORE so now, as he reacts to the harrowing reality of what he's done.

The main difference I see in the two men is that while Richards, however screwed up mentally, DOES seem to be genuinely mortified/ashamed of his own actions. So much so that his raw, uncomfortable demeanor on Letterman--obviously without the pre-game coaching of a publicity team--seemed to inspire empathy for the guy, as his demeanor seemed to reflect what you, or I or any of us "normal" people may have felt if we found ourselves in just such a regrettable position. I wouldn't say Michael's apology was "half-assed" at all. A bit awkward, yes, but that's because it was REAL. Was it sufficient? Maybe not. But UNLIKE MEL's "attempts" at apologizing, Richard's was clearly REAL.

Gibson has not yet shown ANY genuine remorse at all. He has continually tried to excuse his actions away by repeatedly citing the "totally unpredictable" effects of the evil alcohol...that somehow a little "sippy sippy" led him to develop temporary multiple personality disorder and made him COMPELETELY unaware of his actions. GIVE ME A BREAK. The man was of sound mind when he said those heinous things, and he's of sound mind now (remarkably), as he tries to "reach out" to the Jewish community that he "so respects." Please.

As for the two men getting the "same treatment" by the media, I think you're dealing with two DIFFERENT people and two DIFFERENT situations. Just because they both involved some level of bigotry doesn't make them the SAME. And enough with the "drunk" excuse...it is NOT an excuse. NEXT.

[Theodora]

As a 'digression' to Newsboy's comments...

ABSOPHARQUIN'LUTELY!!!

The "I'm A SacreDiva" rant offered by PippaRipa was completely unwarRANTed...

Admit it, y'all... How many of you have wanted to to *exactly* the same thing Clay had the 'nads to do???!!!???

Childish times call for childish measures.

The chick *never* lets anyone finish a sentence; then juxtiposes every 'conversation' to be about HER.

Same with Regis --tottering precariously on the edge of Alzheimer's...

Their insufferable homoerotic rants, fantasizing about Regis' love affair with Jack Nicholson and Dave Letterman and her notso closeted attraction for Madonna is pathetically laughable...

Yet they joined in the smarmy Diane Sawyer "whatta ya eat for breakfast..." gay-Clay allusions.

Hell...

I'm *straight* --and I got thegay0bash implication from Ripa's rip at Clay --both at the time of the 'incident' --and three days later when she whined to Regis about the incident.

And again, taking Rosie O' down for questioning Kelly's bullshit...

Clay is a breath of fresh air in an industry over-sotted with egomaniacs and over-hyped 'stars'. His VOICE is what's selling more then 7 million CDs... His unabashed personality endears him to people --straight and gay --and on the fence.

Morning TV is little more than junk-mail...

I'd rather watch Megan Mullaley mug her way thru the hour --or endure Rachel Ray bellow quick fix recipes than listen to the mindless blather of Regis trying to impress everyone with his limited knowledge of world events or the yammerings of a bleached blonde bimbo...

BTW --this chich needs to get her sexual proclivities in check... A few weeks ago, while 'playing' with an overzealous "puppy whuppy" --she proceeded to wrap her legs around the dog... A few days later, during the clip show for their "Relly Awards" --she started wrapping her legs around an actor in an on-camera scene.

Talk about questioning being touched by someone whose hands have no accountability-locale...

Enjoy your "Golden Stools" Kelly... They're the only awards you'll ever get...