Michael Richards poses at the premiere of the Netflix film “Unfrosted” at the Egyptian Theatre, Tuesday, April 30, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Michael Richards, forever enshrined in people’s minds as the incomparably quirky Kramer on “Seinfeld,” was one of thousands of people who lost their homes last year to the wildfires in the Palisades Park neighborhood of Los Angeles.
But he didn’t get angry like many of his neighbors. Instead, he became reflective. From those ashes, Richards is getting back on the public stage after years of self-imposed public exile after a shocking racist outburst he made toward a heckler at a comedy club in 2006.
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“Entrances and Exits” by Michael Richards
Courtesy of Permuted Press
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Michael Richards (right) makes his first appearance before an audience in a decade on Nov. 9, 2024 at the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta’s annual book festival with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution entertainment reporter Rodney Ho. MJCCA
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In a Zoom call in January, 2026, Rodney Ho interviews “Seinfeld” star Michael Richards, who shows off a new Kramer bobblehead before his Q&A and storytelling session at Center Stage in Atlanta Feb. 17, 2026. RODNEY HO/AJC
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FILE – In this Feb. 22, 1997 file photo, “Seinfeld” cast members, from left, Jason Alexander, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jerry Seinfeld and Michael Richards pose together backstage after they won Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, in Los Angeles. Online network Hulu on Wednesday, April 29, 2015 announced it has landed exclusive subscription on-demand rights to “Seinfeld” and future AMC series. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, File)
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If you go
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Rodney Ho writes about entertainment for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution including TV, radio, film, comedy and all things in between. A native New Yorker, he has covered education at The Virginian-Pilot, small business for The Wall Street Journal and a host of beats at the AJC over 20-plus years. He loves tennis, pop culture & seeing live events.
