Since his racial outburst at the Laugh Factory in 2006, Michael Richards has been on a journey of self-improvement.
In his upcoming memoir “Entrances and Exits,” the “Seinfeld” star will detail the aftermath of that life-changing night, the insecurities that followed and how he’s managed to turn the downfall into a life lesson.
“I was immediately sorry the moment I said it onstage,” the 74-year-old comedian told People magazine of his past rant in which he shouted racial slurs during a stand-up show. “I’m not looking for a comeback.”
‘SEINFELD’ STAR MICHAEL RICHARDS ADDRESSES OUTBURST THAT LED TO ‘LIFELONG SPIRITUAL QUEST’
Michael Richards says he’s “not looking for a comeback” after 2006 racial outburst. (Rob Latour/WWD/Penske Media)
“My anger was all over the place, and it came through hard and fast,” he said. “Anger is quite a force. But it happened. Rather than run from it, I dove into the deep end and tried to learn from it. It hasn’t been easy. Crisis managers wanted me to do damage control. But as far as I was concerned, the damage was inside of me. It was time to figure out where all the anger was coming from.”
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“I’m not racist,” he added. “I have nothing against Black people. The man who told me I wasn’t funny had just said what I’d been saying to myself for a while. I felt put down. I wanted to put him down.”
Michael Richards’ memoir, “Entrances and Exits,” will be released June 4. (Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)
Michael Richards played Cosmo Kramer on “Seinfeld” from 1989 to 1998. (J. Delvalle/NBCU Photo Bank)
In a statement to Fox News Digital last year, Richards said his book will serve as a “reflection” of his past — the good, the bad and the ugly.
“My book is a hymn to the irrational, the senseless spirit that breaks the whole into pieces, a reflection on the seemingly absurd difficulties that intrude upon us all,” he said. “It’s like Harpo Marx turning us about, shaking up my plans, throwing me for a loop. Upset and turmoil is with us all the time. It’s at the basis of comedy. It’s the pratfall we all take. It’s the unavoidable mistake we didn’t expect. It’s everywhere I go. It’s in the way that I am, both light and dark, good and not-so-good. It’s my life.”
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Richards will also dive deep into the evolution of his beloved “Seinfeld” character Cosmo Kramer — whom he played from 1989 to 1998 — and how the fame impacted his self-esteem.
Michael Richards says he was “never really satisfied” with his “Seinfeld” performance. (Scott Flynn/AFP)
“Somehow I couldn’t connect to the joy of being an artist,” he told People. “I was a good character actor, but I was comfortable being the character, not in being me.”
“I said no to the offer of a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. I didn’t feel deserving,” he added. “I said no to hosting ‘Saturday Night Live’ twice because I didn’t feel good enough. I was never really satisfied with my ‘Seinfeld’ performance. Fame magnified my insecurities.”
At the end of the day, Richards said he knows his journey to better himself is never quite over.
“[I’m] learning and healing. Healing and learning,” he said. “But life is always an up and a down. I continue to work through the day and the night, the light and the dark that I am.”
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