# How will Michael Anthony Richards be remembered? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 21, 2020, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-michael-anthony-richards-be-remembered/921130 "2020-09-21T07:13:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2020, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-michael-anthony-richards-be-remembered/921130/1 "2020-09-21T07:13:13Z")
As the best character in one of the funniest sitcoms ever, or the lame sitcom guy who yelled the N-word at a comedy club and possibly became one of the first examples of Cancel Culture in the 20th century? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2020, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-michael-anthony-richards-be-remembered/921130/2 "2020-09-21T07:57:29Z")
He won’t be remembered at all by his actual name. ---
**Author:** ![scareyfaerie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scareyfaerie/32/3135_2.png) [@scareyfaerie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scareyfaerie)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2020, 9:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-michael-anthony-richards-be-remembered/921130/3 "2020-09-21T09:43:41Z")
He won’t be remembered by me, I have no idea who he is so I’m off to ask t’interweb. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2020, 10:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-michael-anthony-richards-be-remembered/921130/4 "2020-09-21T10:03:40Z")
As Kramer. I’d forgotten about the other thing. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2020, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-michael-anthony-richards-be-remembered/921130/5 "2020-09-21T10:22:55Z")
I will always fondly remember him as Stanley Spudowski. But the N-word thing was pretty dumb on his part. Did he die or something? ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2020, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-michael-anthony-richards-be-remembered/921130/6 "2020-09-21T10:41:27Z")
> [@Asuka](#): > > …first examples of Cancel Culture in the 20th century… This, of course, can’t be serious. Wasn’t the Smothers Brothers an earlier example of Cancel Culture? Also, [here](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollywood_blacklist)’s a Wikipedia article on the Hollywood blacklist, in case you’re looking for even earlier 20th Century cancel culture. Regarding Michael Richards, since Seinfeld is in constant re-runs, I don’t even see how he’s a victim of cancel culture – the show that made him famous hasn’t been canceled. I guess [Fridays](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aim1oleFbn0) was canceled, but that was way before Seinfeld. Given the constant Seinfeld re-runs, I’d say he’ll be remembered as Cosmo. ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2020, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-michael-anthony-richards-be-remembered/921130/7 "2020-09-21T10:47:29Z")
Sorry I meant 21st since it was 2006 when it all went down. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2020, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-michael-anthony-richards-be-remembered/921130/8 "2020-09-21T10:51:12Z")
Dixie Chicks French Fries ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2020, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-michael-anthony-richards-be-remembered/921130/9 "2020-09-21T11:32:13Z")
Maybe you ask this thread be closed and start a new one just asking about how Richards will be remembered, and skip the well-poisoning cancel culture reference. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2020, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-michael-anthony-richards-be-remembered/921130/10 "2020-09-21T11:45:00Z")
I’m curious if the term cancel culture only applies when a white person does something racist or sexist? It sure seems like it is a term used by whites who want to down play the impact of bigotry. When black athletes lost their medals at the 1968 Olympics for raising their fists on the podium, was that cancel culture? And when Colin Kaepernick couldn’t get hired in the NFL after taking a knee, was that cancel culture? Or is it only cancel culture when it happens to white people? And if so, why is that? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2020, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-michael-anthony-richards-be-remembered/921130/11 "2020-09-21T12:34:30Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > Or is it only cancel culture when it happens to white people? And if so, why is that? Because white is the color of snowflakes. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2020, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-michael-anthony-richards-be-remembered/921130/12 "2020-09-21T12:41:01Z")
Yeah, it sure seems like the term has a very narrow definition. Since the term was used in the OP, it seems reasonable that we define ther term before going forward. As for how Richards is remembered, I imagine his racist rant will be mentioned in his obituary as well as his starring role in a tv show from the previous century. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2020, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-michael-anthony-richards-be-remembered/921130/13 "2020-09-21T12:41:42Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > Or is it only cancel culture when it happens to white people? I think it only counts when it’s white people who were “canceled” for doing something offensive to minorities or women. The Dixie Chicks experienced it, but they had gone after GW Bush (talking about punching up!), and the Smothers Brothers as well, for going after Nixon, but somehow that wasn’t Cancel Culture. The Hollywood Blacklist was all white people as well, but somehow doesn’t count. Disney was boycotted for hiring gays and giving out partner benefits. Canceled is in quotes, since, of course, Seinfeld is still going strong in syndication. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2020, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-michael-anthony-richards-be-remembered/921130/14 "2020-09-21T12:53:04Z")
Sure seems that way, since the OP brought up the term, I’m interested to hear his take. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2020, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-michael-anthony-richards-be-remembered/921130/15 "2020-09-21T13:02:58Z")
I just remembered that Bill Maher’s show Politically Incorrect was cancelled when he said after 9-11: "We have been the cowards, lobbing cruise missiles from 2,000 miles away. That’s cowardly. Staying in the airplane when it hits the building, say what you want about it, [it’s] not cowardly.” That’s literally cancel culture and predates Richards’ rant. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2020, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-michael-anthony-richards-be-remembered/921130/16 "2020-09-21T13:06:22Z")
Yeah, that’s pretty early in the 21st century. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2020, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-michael-anthony-richards-be-remembered/921130/17 "2020-09-21T13:41:40Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > That’s literally cancel culture and predates Richards’ rant. Maher is on the air today, and this was an issue that split the usual partisan lines. This is not a good example of cancel culture at all. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2020, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-michael-anthony-richards-be-remembered/921130/18 "2020-09-21T13:45:01Z")
> [@Asuka](#): > > As the best character in one of the funniest sitcoms ever, or the lame sitcom guy who yelled the N-word at a comedy club and possibly became one of the first examples of Cancel Culture in the 20th century? Why the use of the full name, including a middle name that most don’t know, when phrasing the question? If you wanted to clarify which Michael Richards you were referring to, couldn’t you just have said “of Seinfeld fame”? ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2020, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-michael-anthony-richards-be-remembered/921130/19 "2020-09-21T13:51:05Z")
Why? He was cancelled. Does it have to be permanent loss of work? If so don’t we have to wait until the person dies before we can determine if he or she was a victim of cancel culture? Also, don’t most of the examples of cancel culture split along partisan lines? But usually it’s conservatives defending overt bigots. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2020, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-michael-anthony-richards-be-remembered/921130/20 "2020-09-21T14:09:38Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > Also, don’t most of the examples of cancel culture split along partisan lines? I think he meant that it split differently than the usual partisan split. Anyway, I agree with you – his show was literally canceled by ABC, but HBO decided to pick it up. The show Richards is on wasn’t canceled at all, although he probably lost his stand-up gigs. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-michael-anthony-richards-be-remembered/921130.md?page=2)