Fallen star Richards `a new man`

Richards is "a new man" according to David, the co-creator of `Seinfeld`.

New York, June 18: Michael Richards, the Emmy-winning actor who played Kramer on "Seinfeld" but saw his fortunes dwindle in recent years, is "a new man," according to Larry David, the co-creator of the legendary sitcom.

Richards` flagging career ground to a halt in 2006 after he was captured on a cell phone camera delivering an alcohol-fueled racist tirade at some hecklers watching his routine at a Los Angeles comedy clubs. The master of physical comedy apologized profusely, and inadvertently drew studio-audience laughter while making a mea culpa on "Late Show with David Letterman." But now Richards, and Kramer, are back. In fact all of the "Seinfeld" stars -- Richards, Julia Louis Dreyfus, Jason Alexander and Jerry Seinfeld -- appear later this summer in about half the episodes of the new season of David`s "Curb Your Enthusiasm" on HBO. Neither David nor Jeff Garlin, a show producer who plays David`s manager, would reveal too many details. But David did say that Richards "is like a new man. He really went through something (with that incident). He used to be very angry and bitter. He`s completely different now. You can see it, and he can feel it. I`m very happy for him." As for David, he opens on Friday in Woody Allen`s "Whatever Works," which co-stars Patricia Clarkson and Evan Rachel Wood, as well as Ed Begley, Jr. and "Tudors" star Henry Cavill. Bureau Report