Wednesday, December 06, 2006
The N Word
Michael Richards recently re-opened this can of worms. Truth is, this has never been a very nice word to toss around, no matter what race you are.
And, to my way of thinking, this kind of language in comedy only underlines a laziness in the comedy writing. How many comics resort to tossing language around rather than actually come up with some clever or witty remarks to wow the audience with? Most of them these days. It used to be for shock value but now it’s “just the way it is.”
Perhaps if one good thing comes out of the Michael Richards event, it won’t be the banning of the “N Word.” I don’t think censorship is really ever the answer to anything. It’ll be writers and comics actually doing their job and coming up with the funniest stuff they can rather than dressing up schlock in dirty language.
There’s plenty of stuff in this world to laugh at. What we need are people to point it out to those of us too busy to notice it.
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2 comments:
I can't believe this Michael Richards racist outburst has gathered this much steam. This is now being kept alive by famed Bullshit artist/ambulance chaser/media whore, Gloria Alred. What an opportunistic scumbag! Everytime I see her Femi-Nazi mug on CNN or some other news service claiming to represent the "underdog" I want to vomit. How does one sue someone else for hurting their feelings. The hecklers at that comedy club definitely got a vulgar cussing out by Richards, but isn't that free speech? Those guys took the high road and walked out while making some remarks that were appropriate and dignified and good for them. They did the right thing. Isn't that where the justice in this matter comes from, for people to make up their own minds and say to themselves, "I don't want any part of listening to Michael Richards ever again"?
When lawyers get involved in this kind of crap it shreds the constitution a little bit more. People get their feelings hurt. So what? Shout back and then move on!! So long as you don't violate someones civil rights and just use your words these things resolve themselves. Sometimes badly but they do.
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I'm with you, Kevin. The most amazing thing is that Richards didn't really do anything other comics aren't doing. Chris Rock uses that word all the time. I guess the arguement could be made that he's of that race, so it's okay. So how come the same comic can call white people Crackers? No one throws up their arms in protest about that. The whole thing is just an excuse to have an outrage. For Richards' part, I can't help but wonder if he only did it to raise his profile and help sell those Seinfeld DVDs. Dunno. I'm not advocating hate here, but I think the market can decide what's okay and what's not okay under the free speech umbrella. If people find his humor distasteful, they don't have to watch him, whether he's in a comedy club or on TV. If he continues with his brand of humor and no one likes it, he'll have to change his act if he wants to make any coin.
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