"Seinfeld" star Michael Richards is not looking for a redemption arc -- even though he's finally coming out of hiding -- but he does want to clarify a few things related to his infamous Hollywood Laugh Factory incident.
The actor's rarely been seen since the 2006 rant when he shouted the n-word and other racial insults at an African-American man who was heckling him during his standup routine.
Michael told People Mag he was immediately sorry in the aftermath of that meltdown -- and nearly 2 decades later he insists ... "I'm not racist. I have nothing against Black people. The man who told me I wasn’t funny had just said what I’d been saying to myself for a while. I felt put down. I wanted to put him down."
Further explaining why he lost it that night, Richards says his insecurities often got the better of him throughout his career ... despite his immense success on "Seinfeld."
He adds, "I said no to the offer of a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. I didn’t feel deserving. I said no to hosting 'Saturday Night Live' twice because I didn’t feel good enough. I was never really satisfied with my 'Seinfeld' performance. Fame magnified my insecurities."
The comedian recalls struggling with his anger at the time, and says he's spent his time away from the limelight looking inward.
He's just now felt comfortable enough to step back into the public eye ... attending the premiere of Jerry Seinfeld's "Unfrosted" movie and releasing a memoir, "Entrances and Exits."
In the book, he discusses everything from his childhood to "Seinfeld," and, of course, the rant that changed the course of his career.