Michael Richard's best known as Kramer on Seinfeld, has, in the words of fellow comic Paul Rodriguez, "stepped over the line".

"Once the word comes out of your mouth and you don't happen to be African-American, then you have a whole lot of explaining," he said. "Freedom of speech has its limitations and I think Michael Richards found those limitations."

Rodriguez was referring to a number of racial slurs Richard's used in responding to a couple of black hecklers while doing his comedy routine.

Two things occurred to me almost immediately. Will his spokesperson claim he was drunk and that he is currently unavailable for comment because he's in rehab, and second; is it really true that there are things you can't talk about in a comedy club?

I don't go to comedy clubs frequently, but I have been to a few, and it seems a little odd to me that racial slurs are out of bounds when every other subject, no matter how offensive, is perfectly acceptable. I guess its funny what shocks people--make fun of Muslims, gays, conservatives, Christians, women, men, whatever and its just big yucks. Utter the word n_gger when you aren't black---ooooh!

I'm beginning to think that political correctness is a function of how likely it is that you'll get beaten up for saying something.