Kramer's a racist - Not that there's anything wrong with that ...

Well ... of course there's lots wrong with that. And how ironic (in more than an Alanis Morrissette kind of way) that less than 24 hrs after my post about being a squeaky-clean wussy comic ...the news shows are filled with cautionary tales about a comic who crossed the line. Between Michael Richards' awful rant, John Kerry's joke that wasn't and Studio 60's plot implosion... November has been a tough month for comedy.

Forgive my lengthy diatribe on this topic ... it's so close to home that I can't help but speak my virtual mind.

I saw the actual rant on You Tube (link above) and I watched the bizarre and addled apology on Letterman. I can't help but feel bad for Michael Richards. I think he honestly shocked himself with what came out of his mouth. I don't know that he even knew he had all that hatred in there.

We all have our "stuff" -- biases and prejudices formed by a combination of ignorance, fear and negative experience. More often than not, we keep this stuff bottled up inside and deny it exists.Usually, we're just highly-evolved enough to realize these feelings (irrational or not) are inappropriate and we keep control of our impulses rather than rant or act out. I'd like to meet the person who is truly unbiased down to the core -- I doubt they exist.

Our dirty little biases stay tucked away deep inside our subconscious until something potent -- like rage (or alcohol) triggers what we don't even consciously know is there. If we're lucky, our rant happens in an acceptable context -- with close or like-minded friends or in private.

These biases and rage triggers are even sometimes put to "constructive" use. Think about any major military action -- that's when racism and bias are in vogue (locally if not globally). Watch footage from Iraq - our soldiers are make tons of racial, cultural and ethnic slurs in the name of attacking the enemy. If those same soldiers made those same comments here at home & out of uniform -- we'd be horrified. Because they are under duress, and vulnerable in the middle of conflict - it becomes acceptable & even desirable to objectify the enemy and attack. Wonder how those poor folks are going to switch off that trigger when they come home?

I don't think Michael Richards was doing mortal combat on the stage of The Laugh Factory. But, as a comic, I know he was vulnerable out there and the hecklers were messing with his head. Public speaking (and mortification during speaking) is a fear worse than death for many -- even seasoned comics.
Those hecklers got to him on stage & his primal "fight or flight" brain went into a rage. Michael's brain reacted with the words that would be most powerful and defeating to the hecklers.
He lost control, went way over the line and -- unfortunately -- he did it in a room full of people he was supposed to entertain.

Is it acceptable?- No. Did the Hecklers have it coming ?- No. There were about 200 better ways to handle and defuse that situation. Is Michael Richards a secret racist and awful human being that hates African Americans? Probably not. Its always a lot more complicated than that.

You watch him on Letterman and he's obviously rattled by the whole experience. He hasn't processed this or gotten a handle on his reactions. His entertainment career is going to be seriously compromised -- especially on the heels of Gibson. No more lovable, insane Kramer. His punishment will be the loss of his career -- we have no tolerance of this behavior in comedians ... which is also ironic, because comics are usually the only ones allowed to speak the unspeakable.

Everyone is morally outraged, but I think this raises some interesting issues. Its easy to be your best self when things are going well -- but under pressure and extreme stress - what seeps out? What do we each have there deep inside? We're all human and all flawed and shouldn't really forget that.

I recently saw Crash - which was a phenomenal movie about race and the complexities we all have as human beings. Our morals and values are sometimes relative to our situation and circumstances. I don't think any of this excuses Michael Richards ... but I think if we were all honest -we'd be a little more compassionate.

I don't think his behavior is admirable or excusable -- I do think it's explainable and ultimately forgivable.

I have never been heckled ... but I am beginning to think my probable reaction of bursting into tears and running away from the stage might be a preferable YouTube clip.

Here endeth my dissertation.