Seinfeld Poll - most despicable main character?

King By-Tor wrote: When speaking of actors it's easily Michael Richards. Love the show but can't watch it the same way after his horrible racist f**k-up.

The T wrote: JLocke wrote: King By-Tor wrote: When speaking of actors it's easily Michael Richards. Love the show but can't watch it the same way after his horrible racist f**k-up. But you know we're not talking about the actors, here. We're talking about the characters.  Exactly.  If we were to judge movies or tv shows or anything like it by the conducts of their real life actors and performers, we would have to dislike pretty much everything.

George obviously! 

I don't know....I'd have to see a pattern of behavior beyond ONE incident before I could be judge and jury that someone is a racist. 

Give you a hypothetical.  If Richards were a gay man, and the guys at the show whom he exploded at screamed back at him "F you, F___t !!!!" or something like that, would that automatically make you classify them as certified homophobic bigots?   Or could they have just been trying to really agitate and provoke in that particular exchange, in the heat of the moment?  Had that happened, I would say both parties were trying to hurt the other with awful words, but I think to label either with something so lasting and harsh over one exchange is perhaps inaccurate. 

I don't think a true racist, particularly one in the public eye for decades, could go through his whole life with just one incident.  There would be much more smoke, and comments from people who know him that....yeah this guy doesn't like blacks...other stories would have surfaced....but to my knowledge there is nothing else. 

You didn't even read the hypothetical because you messed up in your response.   I won't hijack this poor guys poll any further.....you're free to your definitions.  

JLocke wrote: Finnforest wrote: You didn't even read the hypothetical because you messed up in your response.   I won't hijack this poor guys poll any further.....you're free to your definitions.   Whoops, my bad. I'll address it correctly, now. The short answer: yes. The long answer: it's complicated. If Richards still made it personal first in your example, and if he were gay, it's possible the guys would have merely been trying to hurt him back as a reaction. It still wouldn't be right of them, but it would a bit more understandable. But by all logic, if Richards were gay, he wouldn't be spouting off racial slurs of any kind, because he himself would already be part of one of a minory and most likely knows how it feels. It would stop him, perhaps. But let's say that did happen . . . even if it would have been as a reaction, anybody who calls someone else a name based on that person's ethnicity, sexual orientation, mental defect, etc. is being a bigot. Of course, they could be joking, but in this situation, they wouldn't be, clearly.  In the actual case with Richards, it's not complicated at all. We know all the variables and we know exactly what was said and for what reason. Richards was being heckled, so he decided to say something racist and cruel-hearted in return. Apparently he thought that was the appropriate, even-handed response. The first thing he jumped on was the color of their skin, which as far as I can see has nothing to do with how they were behaving. Had they been white hecklers, Richards probably would have still gotten angry, but he would have called them 'idiots' or some other name that is non-race-specific. Why? Because he is white, too. It is painfully clear that Richards said what he did because he is white, and they were black. Their heckling no longer became the issue, and he made it about race. He did. Not them. Why should I assume anything other than what is glaring obvious about this man? That's all I'm saying. He's  a funny guy, but he did something very disgusting in my eyes. But you know what? He has the right to say or think whatever he wants about what any type of people he wants. And I'll support his right to say racist things, no matter how hurtful they might be. Because they ARE just words, not actions. It's also The Laugh Factory's right to keep him from coming back there if they want. And I think they are right for doing so.

Minority groups are not racist against other minority groups? Hahahahahahahaha!

manofmystery wrote:   George is just doing what a short, stocky, slow-witted, bald man has to do to survive.

Atavachron wrote: George is winning in a landslide?  Really?

George, but only cause it's tough love between us


Edited by Deleuze - September 25 2010 at 23:14

If I knew those characters in real life, I'd probably be bothered the most by Kramer.  His character is a good guy at heart, but I couldn't stand having someone popping in and out of my home and taking whatever he wants out of my fridge or misplacing my belongings.  I'm a fairly organized guy, and I appreciate my privacy.  I'd say Jerry was right for taking his keys back, although it made things complicated.

I have a twin brother, and Kramer would be one of those people who could know us both for years and still mix us up regularly.  He kept calling Susan "Lilly".  "Poor Lilly ...."

Kramer obviously makes me laugh, but I relate more to the other 3 characters.

I won't vote for Kramer though, because he's technically not the worst human being of the 4.  Tough call.  Let me think about it.





Edited by Stooge - September 29 2010 at 17:00