Kramer (Michael Richards) went on Letterman last night to apologize for rockin’ the mike Mel Gibson-style, according to Yahoo! News.

He called two black hecklers the “n-word” and enthusiastically referenced a time when blacks were often victims of civil rights abuses, but Michael Richards said his verbal barrage during a stand-up routine was fueled by anger and not bigotry.

“For me to be at a comedy club and flip out and say this crap, I’m deeply, deeply sorry,” the former “Seinfeld” co-star said during a satellite appearance for David Letterman’s “Late Show” in New York.

“I’m not a racist. That’s what’s so insane about this,” Richards said, his tone becoming angry and frustrated as he defended himself.

Richards described himself as going into “a rage” over the two audience members who interrupted his act Friday at the Laugh Factory in West Hollywood.

Industry reaction after the jump.

Written by J. Harvey

Veteran publicist Michael Levine, whose clients have included comedians George Carlin, Sam Kinison and Rodney Dangerfield, called Richards’ remarks inexcusable. Comics often face hecklers without losing their cool, he said.

“I’ve never seen anything like this in my life,” Levine said Monday. “I think it’s a career ruiner for him. … It’s going to be a long road back for him, if at all.”

Hollywood is showing its true colors recently, and it’s not pretty. Plus, everyone knows the proper way to deal with hecklers is with a thrown chair not an ugly bigoted verbal lynching. Wackjob.

Kramer’s deeply sorry for being a racist [Yahoo]