Seinfeld star Michael Richards opened up about his 2006 Racist controversy. The actor revealed that the incident took a toll on him, and Richards canceled himself out of the comments.
The comedian-actor sat down for an interview with Today, where Richards shared how the comments he made 18 years ago affected his career as a comedian.
Richards was performing at the Laugh Factory when he yelled racist comments at a group of people. Soon after, he disappeared from the screen altogether, except for being a part of Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee alongside Jerry Seinfeld in 2012.
Michael Richards on the Racist incident taking a toll on him
In conversation with the host of Today, Richards shared that it was his anger that made him yell at people and be rude to them. The actor shared, "Anger had a hold of me. I canceled myself out.” The Friday actor went on to say, "Take an exodus, get away from show business, and see what the heck is going on inside me to have been so despicable that night, losing my cool and hurting people."
When Richards was asked if he regretted his mistake and made amends for it, the comedian replied, "I think so. Certainly getting to a place where I could forgive myself because I have to move on and be true blue about that."
Michael Richards has returned to the public eye for the first time after 20 years since the racist incident. The actor released his memoir, Entrances and Exits, on June 4. Richards jotted down his essential life stories and experiences so that the audience could get to know the actor better.
Michael Richards opens up about his battle with cancer
Ahead of his memoir release, Richards shared that he had been battling prostate cancer and would have been dead if he hadn't undergone surgery. Richards revealed, "I thought I was going to go, really. I had given in to that. And then I found out that if we moved fast enough, we could get at the cancer."
The actor had a successful surgery and has been fit since. The comedian said, "I made it. I beat it, and that certainly motivated me to get at the book because I went through a big review of my life."
Michael Richards’ memoir is out for grabs now.
'Anger Had A Hold Of Me': Seinfeld Star Michael Richards Reflects On 2006 Racist Controversy