Top 10 Times Comedians LOST IT On Stage
#10: Tony Hinchcliffe
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Comedians have a tendency to poke fun at one another. But there’s a difference between playful ribbing and what Tony Hinchcliffe did. Performing in Austin in 2021, the comedian was given a friendly introduction by fellow standup Peng Dang. However, Hinchcliffe didn’t show his colleague any appreciation in return. Instead, he immediately began throwing racist insults at Dang as well as at his audience. This tirade reportedly led to his being dropped by his agent. You might think Hinchcliffe would’ve apologized for his nasty remarks. But so far, none has been made.
#9: Jerry Seinfeld
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It’s every aspiring comedian’s worst nightmare: you step out on stage and you freeze, completely forgetting your set. And it happened to one of the greatest of all time. In Judd Apatow's book, "Sick in the Head," Jerry Seinfeld discusses his first attempt at stand-up. Seinfeld reportedly had practiced his set multiple times over. But when it came time to deliver it, he was at a loss for words. Though this might have been a humbling first experience, Seinfeld thankfully kept at it. And we like to think his presence had a positive effect on the comedy world.
#8: Wanda Sykes
Political differences can lead to some tense interactions, which is what happened when Wanda Sykes performed in 2016. At a charity event in Boston, Sykes referred to newly-elected president Donald Trump as “racist,” “sexist,” and “homophobic”. She was met with boos from the audience and responded with even further hostility. Sykes cursed the audience before giving them the finger and cutting her set short. While she hasn't commented on the incident, Denis Leary, who headlined the show, offered his support. When it comes to politics, comedians can get very serious very fast.
#7: Charlie Murphy
Charlie Murphy provided countless laughs on “Chappelle's Show.” However, his performance at a college in 2010 wasn’t terribly amusing. While performing stand-up at Grambling State University’s homecoming show, the late comedian found the crowd turning on him and lambasting his skills. Though Murphy did his best to assert his funniness, the boos were just too much. So, he asked for his check. Once he received it, he showed it to the crowd and told them they could have it back. Then, he dropped the check and the microphone before telling the crowd “f— you”. Now, that’s a mic drop.
#6: Kathy Griffin
Comedians don’t have to know everything about every place they perform. But some information is common knowledge. When Kathy Griffin performed in Dublin in 2017, she referred to being in the United Kingdom. This wasn’t an attempt to fire up the crowd. Griffin seemed to have genuinely thought Ireland was part of the U.K. The booing soon commenced. It was reportedly so overwhelming that Griffin had trouble continuing her set and fainted. Even before this faux pas, Griffin had been on stage for over two hours. We hope she got some good rest after this.
#5: J.B. Smoove
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J.B. Smoove was rather hard on his audience when he performed in Atlanta in 2018. On tour with Martin Lawrence, Smoove had trouble winning the crowd over. He blamed his difficulties on having a different style than what the audience expected. He also reportedly begged them to laugh at his jokes and began mercilessly insulting the city. Unsurprisingly, this didn’t make him any more popular with the audience. Smoove might be a longtime star of “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” but he certainly wasn’t feeling much enthusiasm for Atlanta that night.
#4: Katt Williams
Katt Williams is known for being unpredictable. But this incident is particularly notorious. While performing in Phoenix in 2011, Williams began feuding with a heckler. He lambasted the heckler and Mexico in a xenophobic rant which included multiple chants of "USA!" An apology was issued by Williams’ publicist. But the comedian soon clarified that he “meant what [he] said” and that he wasn’t sorry about it. It wouldn’t be the last time Williams had conflict with a crowd member, either. Sometimes, it’s best to just ignore the hecklers and move on.
#3: Bill Burr
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Veteran comics know how to roast the city they’re performing in. But what Bill Burr said about Philadelphia was absolutely scorching. On tour with beloved comedians like Bob Saget and Patrice O'Neal, Burr tore into the audience for heckling a previous performer. For 12 minutes, he found every possible insult he could for the city and its inhabitants. Amazingly, as his rant continues, the audience goes from booing Burr to cheering him. Burr has since expressed some regret for the incident, saying he “wasn’t a professional”. Philly might be the “City of Brotherly Love”, but Burr wasn’t feeling it that night.
#2: Tracy Morgan
On “30 Rock,” Tracy Morgan’s alter ego, Tracy Jordan, had a tendency to speak without thinking, with hilarious results. But there wasn’t anything funny about Morgan’s infamous 2011 tirade. Performing in Nashville, Morgan went on a violent anti-gay rant. Morgan's remarks were condemned by many, including Tina Fey. Morgan apologized for his remarks, and the scandal was later referenced on “30 Rock.” Morgan later came under fire for making multiple ableist comments during another show. If Morgan wanted to be offensive, mission accomplished. If he wanted to be funny, not so much.
#1: Michael Richards
Michael Richards made us laugh nonstop as Kramer on “Seinfeld.” But his reputation took a serious hit in 2006, when he performed at the Laugh Factory in Hollywood. After getting into an altercation with some audience members, Richards went on a shocking racist rant, which was captured through grainy cell phone footage. TMZ got ahold of the video, which soon went viral. Backlash was imminent, and Richards went on “David Letterman” to apologize, which was rather awkward. Richards later referenced the incident on “Curb Your Enthusiasm”and addressed it on “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.” Unsurprisingly, this experience led to Richards’ retiring from stand-up.
