In a recent revelation, Michael Richards, known for his role as Kramer on the hit sitcom “Seinfeld,” shared that his co-star Jason Alexander once threatened to quit the show over concerns about his character’s screen time. This incident occurred in 1991 during the filming of the Season 3 episode titled “The Pen.”
In his memoir, “Entrances and Exits,” set for release on June 4, Richards details the tense moment. The episode in question features Jerry Seinfeld (playing a fictional version of himself) and Elaine Benes (played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus) visiting Jerry’s parents in Florida. Neither Richards’ character, Kramer, nor Alexander’s character, George Costanza, appears in this episode.
“But Jason threatens to quit upon discovering his character’s exclusion from the episode. He’s livid,” writes Richards. This incident was particularly jarring for Alexander, who came to the show with significant confidence, having already won a Tony Award for his work on the New York stage. Richards explains that Alexander initially perceived “Seinfeld” as a buddy show centered around him and Seinfeld.
“This business breeds both massive egos and incredible insecurity, and this episode is one of those ego-jarring wakeup calls,” Richards adds.
The tension didn’t end there. According to the book “Seinfeldia: How a Show About Nothing Changed Everything,” by Jennifer Keishin Armstrong, Alexander expressed his frustration directly to head writer Larry David, saying, “If you write me out again, do it permanently.” When David tried to explain the complexities of balancing screen time for four main characters, Alexander reportedly responded, “Don’t burden me with your issues. If I’m not needed, I’ll leave.”
Alexander himself confirmed these events in a later interview. He acknowledged his heated exchange with David but expressed gratitude that David didn’t take his threat seriously. “Thank goodness he didn’t say ‘Leave,’ or I’d have had no life and no career,” Alexander admitted.
Michael Richards also recounts his insecurity when his character was omitted from the Season 2 episode “The Chinese Restaurant.” He describes the experience as humiliating because he was not forewarned about the absence of lines for his character. Richards writes, “I sat at the table in complete silence, as there were no lines written for Kramer.” He recalls Larry David reassuring him after the table read, promising it wouldn’t happen again.
Richards also reveals in his memoir that he feared for his job during the show’s initial four-episode season. He had heard rumors that NBC wanted to cut his character, and he wasn’t included in the first official cast photo shoot. Despite these rocky beginnings and internal conflicts, “Seinfeld” eventually ran for nine successful seasons and became one of the most acclaimed sitcoms ever.
Richards’ memoir, in addition to covering these behind-the-scenes tensions, also addresses other significant moments in his career, including his infamous racist tirade and a personal battle with prostate cancer in 2018.
Richards relates how he used racially offensive language towards an audience that interrupted him with their remarks in 2006 at a comedy club.
He mentions he was still feeling the sting from the unsuccessful run of his sitcom after “Seinfeld,” titled “The Michael Richards Show,” which only aired for eight episodes in 2000—a full six years before the event at the Laugh Factory in Los Angeles.
He writes that, during his performance, he was distracted by voices from the balcony and responded by loudly telling them to “Shut the f–k up!” much to the amusement of the rest of the spectators.
He then heard a voice from the balcony exclaim, “You’re not amusing. We don’t find you funny at all!”
Richards says that he took the comment very personally, like a harsh blow to his dignity.
While he doesn’t specify his response in the book, footage from that evening reveals him stating, “Fifty years ago, we’d have you hanging upside down with a fork in your backside” and he used the n-word towards one of the individuals interrupting his performance.
“Reflecting on the entire incident, I now wish I had simply concurred with his opinion,” Richards remarks about the audience member’s criticism.
