Irish urban-rural relations were said to be "at an all-time low" following a "deeply ruralist" profanity-laden performance by Michael Richards during a stand-up act in Dublin.
The incident, captured in digital-camera video footage obtained by the rural website TheMulchieZone.com and circulated over the internet on Monday, took place during Richards' live performance on Thursday night at the Bleeding Horse pub on Camden Street.
An eyewitness interviewed by TMZ and news network RTE said Richards' act took an ugly turn when some members of the audience who were from the country were heckling him:
"He obviously didn't know that the Stunning were doing a midnight gig down the road in the Garda club, so the place was packed with boggers. Sorry, country folk. Some of them didn't even realise they were heckling him. They always say stuff like 'Arrah Jesus!' and 'Oh boy!' when they hear a joke."
In the video, the performer appears to lose his cool, shouts "Ah, shut yer hoop yeh muppah!" and makes a rurally offensive statement.
As nervous laughter gives way to groans and the odd shout of "Dublin bollocks!" from the audience, Richards lets loose a barrage of rural slurs and epithets and points to someone in the crowd.
Richards continues to rant as people in the audience are heard shouting back at him, "There was no call for that, you langer," and the comic yells: "Well, you interrupted me pal, that's what happens when you interrupt the Dublin man."
Richards eventually leaves the stage as the audience pelts him with wellingtons and hens.
The incident was initially reported on Friday morning's national news, and forced Joe Duffy to abandon his hugely popular "Funny Friday with Brush and the boys" and instead devote his "Liveline" programme to a mostly incomprehensible hollering match between rural and urban folk.
Richards has thus far refused to comment on the incident, but did confirm that Dublin radio stations 98FM and FM104 are interested in offering him a slot on the morning show.
THAT RANT IN FULL
1. Richards first use of the "B" word.
2. Richards use of the "B" word with added pointing
3. Richards, having described one man's wife as "an owl-faced triple-A-golden-maverick-muncher", mimics "her mating call"
4. Richards examines a cattle-prod which has narrowly missed him
5. Richards attempts to address what he thinks are the Dublin element in the crowd
6. Richards finally lays bare his appalling urban superiority complex
A strangely similar story
A strangely similar video
Comments (2)
glorious.
Posted by birdbath | November 21, 2006 10:08 PM
Posted on November 21, 2006 22:08
mahvellous!
Posted by Insomniac | November 22, 2006 9:21 AM
Posted on November 22, 2006 09:21