Anyone who watched television in the 1990s or is currently a fan of 90s television is likely to recall Michael Richards as Jerry Seinfeld’s zany neighbour from the popular series Seinfeld. For a while, he would become well-known due to his role in the show, which propelled him to popularity.
What was he like before Seinfeld, and why don’t we hear anything about him anymore?
Richards has had a long career, but the majority of it has been dedicated to stand-up comedy. Through the 1980s, Richards was most known for his stand-up routine and his guest spots on a number of then-popular shows.
His big break came when he made a cameo on Billy Crystal’s comedy show. A mainstay on the ABC programme Fridays, he also rose to fame.
Richards also appeared in a few small roles in several 80s and 90s films, such as Coneheads and UHF, but Seinfeld would remain his main claim to fame until an incident at The Laugh Factory in 2006 would entirely ruin his career.
The Laugh Factory Incident
In 2006, Richards had resumed his stand-up career and was putting on a show at a renowned Laugh Factory location. A heckler interrupted Richards midway through the performance.
When he was interrupted, Richards screamed obscenities at the audience and turned on the audience members who had called him out for using the “N word” before using racist insults towards the person who had interrupted him.
Richards received harsh criticism on social media and in other places when the entire outburst was captured on camera by a reporter for the entertainment news programme TMZ and later broadcast. Richards formally withdrew from stand-up comedy as a result in 2007.
Michael Richards’ Apology
A few days after the Laugh Factory incident, Keith Richards attempted to make a sincere apology on The Late Show With David Letterman, where Jerry Seinfeld was a guest that night.
Unfortunately, the audience at the event interpreted the entire affair as a comedy and started laughing during Richards’ apology, presumably as a result of the seriousness of the occurrence and his manner during it.
As a result, Richards’ attempts to make amends for the tragedy were never really taken seriously.
The Cast of Seinfeld’s Reaction to the Incident
While several of the performers did enjoy Richards on the Seinfeld set, the majority of them were quick to criticise him for his behaviour and to provide words of support and encouragement to those who had been offended by the racial outburst.
Jerry Seinfeld, who expressed regret for the incident but maintained that Richards shouldn’t be blamed because it was typical of his comedic style, was Richards’ most ardent supporter.
Seinfeld Reflects on the Incident
Jerry Seinfeld has mentioned the incident a few times over the years, and he even invited Richards to speak about it on his programme Comedians in Cars Having Coffee.
Seinfeld has revealed his awareness of how an occurrence like that can damage individuals and how it may be challenging to recover from, even though he continues to support his friend and fellow comic despite the situation.
Richards was able to explain how he had learnt from his actions and how those statements had altered him, left him with emotional damage, and made him think on his own career and comedy style in the portion from his show where he and Richards candidly discussed the issue.
Seinfeld Fans
Even after all these years, Seinfeld fans’ opinions on Richards following the incident are still divided. While many of his followers have pardoned him and said that he received his punishment, others believe that because of how inappropriate his outburst was, he actually deserved the criticism and reactions he received.
Richards may still be a fan favourite, but he has so far decided against making a comedic comeback and has remained fairly inactive.
What is Michael Richards Doing Now?
Richards had ended his comic career after the tragedy, although he still managed to make a few TV and film appearances.
Richards made an appearance on Curb Your Enthusiasm in 2009 and made fun of himself for the Laugh Factory incident on the programme.
Alongside Kirstie Alley, Richards won a major part in the 2012 television series Kirstie, however it was cancelled after only one season.
Richards’ most recent performance was as Daddy Hogwood in the 2019 indie film Faith, Hope, and Love, which had a modest budget.
Richards has not appeared on screen since that time and hardly ever appears in public.
Except for Richards, most of the Seinfeld performers were able to build successful careers despite the fact that none of them were able to match the show’s immense success in the 1990s.
The incident caused irreparable damage to his career, which was ultimately only sustained by sporadic tiny appearances.
