Michael Richards

Michael Anthony Richards is an American actor and comedian best known for playing Cosmo Kramer on the NBC sitcom *Seinfeld* from 1989 to 1998.

Michael Anthony Richards is an American actor and comedian best known for playing Cosmo Kramer on the NBC sitcom Seinfeld from 1989 to 1998. Born on July 24, 1949, in Culver City, California, his career was significantly affected after a 2006 racist tirade at a Los Angeles comedy club. In Canada, Richards is best known through the long-running popularity of Seinfeld, which remains a familiar reference in Canadian pop culture.

Early life and career

Michael Richards was born in Culver City, California, and began developing his stand-up comedy on the Los Angeles club circuit in the late 1970s. He also appeared in television work before Seinfeld, including Fridays and films such as UHF.

Seinfeld breakthrough

Richards achieved global recognition for playing Cosmo Kramer on Seinfeld, one of the most popular American sitcoms of the 1990s. His performance earned him three Emmy Awards and remains his defining role.

Controversy and career impact

In 2006, Richards was recorded shouting racist slurs at hecklers during a Los Angeles comedy-club performance, and the incident was widely reported online and in the media. Britannica says the episode damaged his career.

Later work

After the controversy, Richards appeared only intermittently in screen projects, including Bee Movie, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and Kirstie. He also published the memoir Entrances and Exits in 2024.