Mike And Mel

I think the comparison between Michael Richards' tirade and Mel Gibson's is instructive. Richards' statements, as ugly and stupid as they are, were done in a place where insults, racial and otherwise, fly thick and heavy. It's not as if Richards was waiting for an opportunity to insult African-Americans. It could have been any group.

On the other hand, Gibson, out of nowhere, started blaming the Jews. It was something deep inside him.

Comedian Paul Rodriguez stated "Freedom of speech has its limitations and I think Michael Richards found those limitations." Paul, you do a lot of ethnic humor yourself, so you better watch out or those limitations might end your career some day.

Lita Sister Herron of the Youth Advocacy Coalition (who?) said "these kind of comments hurt all of us." I think they mostly hurt Richards. Everyone pretty much understand he's a jerk.

Laugh Factory club owner Jamie Masada said "this is one thing we don't tolerate." Does he mean ugly comments, or someone getting caught at it?

Comedian George Lopez got it right:

The question is you have an actor who is trying to be a comedian who doesn't know what to do when an audience is disruptive. He's an actor whose show has been off the air, he shouldn't ever be on a stand-up gig.