That’s my hypothesis: Howard Rubenstein Didn’t Want To Deal With TWO Hate Rants. And, it just makes sense; though, I have no hard evidence to support this view. Let’s explore.

Michael Richards, as we all know, got himself quite jammed-up recently with his recent hate speech at the Laugh Factory. Among other things, Richards repeatedly yelled “nigger,” which is mostly being euphemistically referenced as “the n word.” To either try to make amends… or, to try and salvage his career and/or reputation, Richards hired a spin doctor, Howard Rubenstein, who is euphemistically being referenced as “a publicist.”

You know, I haven’t seen a whole lot of coverage of this essential point, but, it’s time Richards got called out on this as well: the whole hiring of “a publicist.” The rationale that I’ve seen put forth is that Mr. Rubenstein has deep connections with the African American community, and, thus, could easily facilitate dialogue with prominent African American leaders; and, indeed, subsequently, Mr. Richards did indeed meet with both Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton: which, of course, lends credibility to this proposition.

But, what I’d like to know is why we’re supposed to believe that Mr. Richards himself is a man with no connections. Are we expected to believe this world-famous man, once almost universally beloved for his brilliant work as Seinfeld’s Cosmo Kramer, is suddenly some nobody who doesn’t get listened to? … I just can’t buy it. It seems to me that Mr. Richards could quite easily facilitate his own meetings.

Now, I remind you that in this post, I am dealing almost exclusively in terms of speculation. And, my guiding light is common sense. After all, Michael Richards is a huge celebrity. And, he’s got everything that goes along with that: money, contacts, influence, power, connections…

So, the whole hiring of a publicist strikes some as at least a bit unsavory. And, it seems that Mr. Rubenstein actually did a rather effective job, perhaps unintentionally, of muddling an already complicated situation, and, actually making it more complicated. If the criteria to judge a publicist’s success in this situation is how effectively he mitigates the damage to his client, it seems fair to say that Mr. Rubinstein’s work in this case is less than stellar, as, this story just won’t go away.

And, I’ll tell you one reason it won’t go away (and, there are several.) But, one reason it is just hanging on is because information is not being delivered in a simple, candid way to the public. We can see this particularly in respect to Mr. Richard’s religious identity: whether or not he is, indeed, Jewish. Now, there is some dispute about whether or not this is relevant; but, one thing that seems to be quite clear to, at least me, is that it’s just not a very complicated question. Or, is it…

First, Mr. Rubenstein said that Mr. Richards was Jewish. Now, as is being pointed-out, Rubenstein asserted Richards religious identity as Jewish in response to questions about an April 2006 performance in which Richards let fly a good dose of anti-Semitic remarks at a different comedy club. Here’s an interview of several folks who were at that performance.

You’ll hear the female witness being interviewed says,

“He just kept blurting out derogatory statements about the Jews… he got very violent and very agitated… and then he stormed off the stage.”

Now, unfortunately, there doesn’t appear to be a video captured of Richards’ anti-Semitic hate rant, and, that’s obviously a shame, because, video does make everything very real. I will say that this couple being interviewed seems quite credible, and, certainly, I’m sure, others are going to be stepping forward (who were also at the comedy event in question.)

Oh, whooeee, this is really getting rich! The publicist (or “crisis management counselor” lol) enters the picture to deal with a “Nigger! nigger! hate rant.” And, as if that’s not bad enough, he’s also got an anti-Semitic hate rant to deal with on top of it! Oh, boy! Oh, Boy!

Now, as indicated, I can’t be certain of Mr. Rubenstein’s motivations, but, there is one reality about language and epithet that I think every American is familiar with… that, there’s really not much room to dispute… and, that’s the simple observation that it is socially acceptable for the comedian to take some jabs at his own ethnic, racial, and/or religious group. And, we’ve seen this with Chris Rock, Richard Pryor et. al, who can liberally say “nigger,” and, we’ve seen this from comedians of all backgrounds who, sometimes, almost viciously it would seem, turn their own racial or religious group into the object of their comedic material.

Thus, it follows, if Richards were Jewish, his anti-Semitic rant at the performance wouldn’t be regarded as truly anti-Semitic, because, “Hey, he’s a Jew. He’s allowed to say that.” Just like, “Hey, Chris Rock’s black, it’s okay for him to say ‘nigger’.”

So, if Richards is Jewish, two hate rants become one.

But, ah, if Richards is not Jewish, we’ve got two hate rants on our hands Howard!

We’ve got the anti-African American AND the anti-Semitic one! OH BOY!

Here’s what Mr. Rubenstein recently told the associated press:

“Technically, not having been born by blood as Jewish and not formally going into a conversion, it was purely his interpretation of having adopted Judaism as his religion,” Rubenstein told The Associated Press on Tuesday. “He told me, `I’m Jewish,’ when I asked him.

You see, though, simply considering yourself Jewish, does not make you Jewish.

As Michael Richards is going through his KKKramergate Apology Tour, you might as well make it a double-header, so to speak, and invite the prominent Jewish leaders to sit down with the prominent Black leaders. As a “crisis management consultant”, or whatever terminology fits out of our vast occupational lexicon, your clean-up job just got a bit bigger… exponentially!

Oh, yes, it did…

Yours truly,
Katie

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