Comedian Steve Harvey was surprised at the uproar surrounding Michael Richards’ racist slur last year, because he didn't think the comment was that offensive.

Richards hit the headlines in November for repeated use of the ‘n’ word during a foul-mouthed tirade aimed at two African-American hecklers at the Laugh Factory in California.

But the Johnson Family Vacation star, 50, has dismissed Richards as "unimportant," insisting people should be more concerned about racism creeping into mainstream politics.

He says, "I don't understand the uproar. White people been calling us n**gers for years. I've been conscious of this racism bulls**t since I was four.

"Now everybody's real sick because of Michael Richards? Michael Richards ain't... important.

"It's when (politician) David Duke runs for office in New Orleans as a (Ku Klux) Klan member... and gets votes--that concerns me."

2007 WORLD ENTERTAINMENT NEWS NETWORK LTD

I don't like what Richards did. It was bizarre and offensive. However, what Harvey says at the bottom of the article is what I was thinking when the Imus uproar hit the airwaves. I abhor what Imus did, however, I think there are more things MORE IMPORTANT that need to be addressed such as the KKK and skinheads and their being able to commit crimes against Blacks, Jews and anyone else they feel is beneath them. Firing Imus is not the beginning to a solution to the fact that someone like David Duke is in office and there are many more David Dukes out there. Nor is firing Imus the solution to fighting hate crimes.

Yeah, I agree with Steve on this, I only seen it as Richards attacking a heckler.

I like Michael Richards and I believe he made a mistake; yes he was wrong to say what he did, the insult may have just been directed at the hecklers but his choice of words were offensive to a whole race. I dont believe he's a racist- i'm sure blacks and whites have on occasion said things to each other to be hurtful and offensive, doesn't mean they are against the whole race and are extremely hateful.

Yeah, I agree with Steve on this, I only seen it as Richards attacking a heckler.
:yeahthat

here we go making excuses for a celeb once again...I dont think it was the N word part that upset people as much as the veiled reference to lynching , and THAT was most deffinately wrong and horrible! Richards is a racist and should be treated as one.

What he said was racist but I still like his character on the show. It doesn't make me hate the character, I can seperate Kramer from Michael or the other way around.

I thought the lynching comment was terribly inappropriate. But I agree with the above; it doesn't change the fact that I like Kramer.