Michael Richards is slowly rebuilding his shattered career following the cell phone fiasco, far from North American media hounds. He's appearing on stage in Durban, South Africa. It's a start - IMO he's tootalented and too funny to let his talent die.
Here's a short blurb from an online entertainment guide...
CATALINA THEATRE: Comedian Michael Richards stars in his one-man show, My Mother's Italian, My Father is Jewish and I'm in Therapy. Runs from tomorrow to Friday. Tickets R65 to R110 from Strictly Tickets.
That sounds suspiciously like a troll and I wouldn't answer if I didn't recognize your name. Richards was doing his stand up gig when he was rudely interrupted by some ethnic minority people and lost his temper. In the US one simply doesn't use the 'N' word unless one is an 'N', then it's OK and forms the basis for much humor and good fun and entertainment.
Because the incident was captured on a cell phone camera by a member of the audience and distributed around the world on the Internet. As often happens in these events, actual film or digital coverage is what makes them so newsworthy, as in the case of Los Angeles police officers attacking Rodney King, a black man.
Anyone who's knowledgable in Seinfeld, the doings of the cast, or the incident that led to this senseless thread of queries would know exactly what "cell phone fiasco" meant.
Perhaps I'm not quite the fan that you are, but I also wondered if the Michael Richards "cell phone fiasco" you referred to was an event I had not heard of yet, separate from Mr. Richards' "N word meltdown" fiasco, which went on to spawn the Jerry Seinfeld "that's not funny!" fiasco on the David Letterman show during Mr. Richards' videotaped apology. Shades of Mr. Lippman, indeed!
Certainly I could have used a better phrase than "cellphone fiasco". I wrote that initial post at 6:53 am, not a great time for wordsmithery (?), and "cell phone fiasco" was the first thing that came to mind because there wouldn't have been such a fuss if an audience member hadn't captured Michael Richards' meltdown on a cellphone.
Notice: "TWO YEARS EARLIER" (Jerry is sitting at a booth with Nina)
NINA: And they call it the World Wide Web. You can e-mail anyone!
JERRY: (Mesmerized) What are you, a scientist?!
NINA: Ah, I gotta go. (Gets up to leave)
JERRY: Ah.
NINA: It's great talkin'
JERRY: Great talkin' to you. (Nina leaves. To himself) What the hell is e-mail?
One wonders if there are any references to the internet prior to Season 8 (not counting the two year time shift of the above scene). By comparison, alt.tv.seinfeld has been around since at least season 4.
Mark, here is my list of ALL the references to computers and any type of electronic technology in the show. Considering the show was written in the 90's when the 'net and PC's were exploding in use, there are very few references.
=======
Personal Computers/Software =========================== Kramer say, "'Cause I read on the Internet " [The Butter Shave] Jerry asks, "What's email?" [The Betrayal] Jerry says" I must get on that internet I'm late on everything" [The Yada Yada] Jerry is seen at his computer [The Stall] Jerry calls a computer store to trace a receipt for his computer [The Truth] Murphy Brown asks Kramer if he's familiar with computer programs ... "Oh! I'm familiar" [The Keys] Mac Plus on kid's desk on set of All My Children - [The Stand In] One secretary is "proficient in many IBM and MAC programs". [The Secretary] A computer!...We can check porn, and stock quotes. [The Serenity Now] Frank saw the movie The Net [Serenity Now] Frank is selling computers [The Serenity Now]
Office Computers ================ Elaine rubs Peggy's keyboard on her butt. [The Apology] We see Sandi typing on a computer at work. [The Switch] Bookman found Jerry's name on the library computer. [The Library] DMV woman checks her computer to confirm that Kramer is "The Assman" [The Fusilli Jerry]
Store Computers ================ Video store looks up price of lost Rochelle Rochelle [The Smelly Car] Vincent gets Elaine's number from the video store computer [The Comeback] Reservation lady has no car for Jerry on the computer [The Alternate Side] George use the video store computer to get the address. [The Couch] George's book was flagged as being in the bathroom " by the computer" [The Bookstore]
Electronic Devices ================== "My son just got me a hot Wizard computer...." [The Wizard] ATM [The Secret Code] ATM [The Marine Biologist] Frogger game [The Frogger] Organizer [The Marine Biologist]
References ========== Morty says to Jerry, that Ellen is smart like a computer. [The Van Buren Boys]
Computers and other "technology" stuff ============================================= Two line phone screwed up [The Outing] Cell phone social problems [The Finale] Telephone crossed lines [The Chinese Woman] The organizer beeping [The Marine Biologist] Car phone [The Alternate Side, The Chinese Woman, The Good Samaritan, The Secret Code] =======================================================================