Racism in Hollywood

In the latest example of racism in Hollywood Michael Richards best known for his role as Cosmo Kramer in the hit television show SEINFELD responded to some black men who were heckling him by going off on a racially charged tirade against them with statements like:

"Fifty years ago we'd have you upside down with a fucking fork up your ass."

"Throw his ass out. He's a nigger! He's a nigger! He's a nigger! A nigger, look, there's a nigger!"

"That's what happens when you interrupt the white man, don't you know?"

It was at this point that many people in the audience, apparently disgusted with the whole episode, got up and left. Here is the video of the entire episode:
[youtube="http://youtube.com/watch?v=j2AVfSBJQHA"]

Darryl Pitts who was in the audience at the time gave an interview to CNN explaining what happened.

Richards later made an apology for his remarks on David Letterman's "Late Show"

Although this is the latest example (and I don't think he can claim to have been drunk) there have been other "stars" that have exhibited this kind of reprehensible behavior in public. Mel Gibson had a drunken outburst against Jews as well as Marlon Brando's comments about Jews running Hollywood.

Arnold Schwarzenegger, Governor of California and ex-actor, made comments about Cubans and Puerto Ricans calling them "all very hot" because of the mixture of Black and Latino blood in them.

Tommy Lee and Nikki Sixx of the Motley Crue were accused in a racial incident involving the beating of a Black security guard.

One would hope that these are just the actions of a few uninformed bigots or at the very best misguided mistakes by otherwise honorable people. However given the history of Hollywood, which has in the past, made many films that show minorities in disparaging ways, I would be very careful about giving the benefit of the doubt.