More On Michael Richards Jewish Question
Really friends… I just don’t understand why this question of whether or not Michael Richards is Jewish is so damn complicated? Really! Now, I’ve argued that in our imperfect world, that, yes, it’s relevant.
Last week Richard’s publicist Howard Rubenstein said that Richards was Jewish. Rubenstein says Richards told him, “I’m Jewish.” And? And? AND!
Now, you can’t be Jewish because you feel Jewish.
What’s all this nonsense now? The guy says he’s Jewish and his publicist says he’s Jewish and now some news sources are telling us, “No, he’s not.”
If Richards isn’t Jewish, I think that may help to not exacerbate any existing tensions between the two communities… and, that obviously is a good thing!
But, why has this aspect of the story gotten so complicated and murky… any time a tangent gets this complicated it makes me wonder about what’s really going on… it’s such a damn simple question. Why such a complex answer?
Important ideas, concepts, and terms in this post:Michael Richards, Jewish, religion, religious identity, complicated, murky, racial tension, celebrity, hate speech, prejudice, intolerance
Posted: November 28th, 2006 under Closer Look.
Comments: 3
Comments
Comment from wluky
Time: November 29, 2006, 2:12 am
There is actually nothing complicated about this story. I just love though how so many people, including apparently the writers on this site, jumped to the conclusion that he was.
Why?
Oh because he PLAYED a Jew. He MUST be Jewish, of course. And how dare a JEW make use the N word! How dare he! This was so relevant. In fact it was so relevant that you folks thought it relevant to bring up sticking Jews in ovens and making them into soap. Not that that should bother anybody, after all its only hypothetical. And we’re intellectuals, of course.
By the way, Michael Richards is not Jewish, has never been Jewish. If you care here is an authorative link that describes the whole sordidness:
http://www.salon.com/wire/ap/archive.html?wire=D8LMBG180.html
Comment from Mr. Gol
Time: November 29, 2006, 5:02 am
By the way, nice website you have here.
Did you ever see the Seinfeld episode were Kramer walks in carrying a stack of flyers, he hands a few to Jerry and Elaine.)
KRAMER: Yowza yowza. Check it out.
JERRY: (reading) Jewish singles night?
KRAMER: I expect you both to be there.
ELAINE: I’m not Jewish.
KRAMER: Well neither am I.
JERRY: Well why are you going?
KRAMER: I’m not, I’m running it.
JERRY: What are you talking about?
Comment from Katie
Time: November 29, 2006, 9:57 am
Hi Wluky,
I don’t consider reporting on the comments of Mr. Richards’ publicist, Howard Rubenstein, to fall into the “jumping to conclusions” category. In fact, most sources, including major newspapers, considered him to be a rather reliable source, as common sense suggests a high-profile publicist would be. So, the beginning of the third paragraph in your comment is inaccurate and misleading. We made no such assumption based on the Kramer television identity.
Furthermore, I wrote an article about the very troubling blending of reality and television character. You can see that article here:
http://www.celebritysatan.com/2006/11/23/michael-richards-fiction-and-betrayal/
And, Skippy addressed this issue here
http://www.celebritysatan.com/2006/11/26/the-real-kramer-im-sorry-the-public-is-so-stupid/
So, respectfully, I ask that you please read our work a bit more carefully before so dramatically characterizing our general demeanors and views.
Now, we value humility, so, please interpret no implied self-importance when I say that, with some of our writings, readers can benefit from repeated readings… just as I benefit from repeated readings of different authors who discuss complicated ideas.
And, furthermore, your premise is actually inaccurate, because Kramer was not playing a Jew on Seinfeld, and, this was indicated on the show, as Mr Gol was kind enough to point out in the comment beneath yours (complete with link!) … thanks a lot for that Mr. Gol! And, shame on you for assuming that the Cosmo character was a Jew! Why assume that the Cosmo Kramer character is Jewish Wluky? Because he was on a television show with Jerry Seinfeld? Really, now! : )
Howard Rubenstein said Richards was Jewish. Rubenstein said that Richards told him he was Jewish. Now, there’s information to the contrary: thus, the characterization of “complicated.” And, I maintain that characterization, and, I’m still baffled by why this simple point of religious identity couldn’t have been clearly established from the outset: and, that being the case, I am still skeptical of the current information’s veracity.
As far as your reference to the Nazi ovens, you are taking that out of context, just as you did in your original remarks. You have prior insinuated that the writers here have some sort of unpleasant agenda, and, Skippy already responded to that repugnant suggestion in this post:
http://www.celebritysatan.com/2006/11/26/publicist-confirms-michael-richards-is-jewish
and, in addition, I have chimed in as well.
Now, if Richards is indeed not Jewish, you can likely expect some tangents to come up here, because, that adds a new disturbing quality to the reported anti-Semitic remarks which he’s prior used in his act. As things currently stand, there seems to be a certain socially acceptableness to a comedian taking some verbal shot at his or her own ethnic, religious, or cultural group. So, if the Jewish identity is not indeed Richards’ identity, it might suggest that there’s more going on there than just anti-African American racism.
Thank you again for your interest.
Katie
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