27. Michael Richards
Richards (pictured left) is most known the wacky and unique next door neighbor Kramer in arguably the most prolific comedy of all-time in Seinfeld. Years later when doing a stand-up set in Los Angeles, things got very dark, very quickly. During the show in 2006, Richards responded to a heckler with a series of racially charged insults. The incident was caught on video and quickly went viral, causing a media firestorm and public backlash. Richards issued several apologies, but the incident had already tarnished his reputation and career.
The incident highlighted the issue of racism in comedy and the responsibility of comedians to be mindful of their language and the impact it can have on their audience.
Image Source: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for MDA
