- Michael Richards played "Kramer" on Seinfeld
- You hardly see the actor at all these days
- A terrible scandal basically ended his career
Actor Michael Richards was on top of the world in the 1990s. The star landed the role of "Kramer" on Seinfeld and became a household name on the legendary sitcom.
So why is it that you never see Richards in anything new today? You may or may not remember, but a brutal scandal left the "Kramer" actor blacklisted in Hollywood, and his image never recovered.
Michael Richards's shocking scandal after Seinfeld
Despite the massive hit that was Seinfeld, Michael Richards found little success on TV afterward. He briefly starred in The Michael Richards Show, but it was cancelled in 2000 after just eight episodes.
The "Kramer" actor was also a stand-up comedian, but it was a comedy gig that essentially ended his career in 2006. The incident happened when Richards got heckled during a performance at the Laugh Factory.
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On stage, Richards launched into a horribly racist rant at the hecklers, who were Black. He screamed the N-word and made references to lynching, as seen in a notorious video that went viral back in the day.
"Kramer" after the Laugh Factory incident
After his tirade, Richards apologized on programs including The Late Show with David Letterman, where he insisted he's not a racist. His career has been very limited ever since.
After the Laugh Factory scandal, Richards has only had small parts in projects by Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David. Kirstie Alley also brought him onto her sitcom in 2013, but it was cancelled shortly after.
In rare appearances since, Michael Richards still expresses remorse for his rant, such as when he appeared on Jerry Seinfeld's Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee in 2013.
Asked by Jerry if he'd ever get back into comedy, Richards said: "No. No, I busted up after that event seven years ago. It broke me down. It was a selfish response. I took it too personally."
Michael Richards last gave a rare performance in the 2019 film Faith, Love & Hope. You can catch up with the cast of Seinfeld here.
