No Laughing Matter

There is yet another chapter to the N-word controversy at the Laugh Factory.

African-American comedian Damon Wayans is the first comedian to be banned from the popular night club for use of the N-word.

The club recently instituted an N-word free policy for all comedians. The ban came just days after the Michael Richards, aka Seinfeld's Kramer, was caught on tape using the N-word in a tirade against some hecklers in the crowd. The Laugh Factor policy includes a $20 fine per use of the N-word.

Wayans was ordered to pay $320 for his 20-minute set in which he used the N-word 16 times. He has also been banned from the club for 3 months.

Sunday night, Wayans was commenting on the Kramer incident when he used the N-word. He told the audience "I'll be damned if the white man uses that word last. …This is part of our culture now...don\'t take that from us"

The Kramer incident and the subsequent Laugh factory ban have generated debate over the use of the N-word. Several prominent black leaders have called for a ban of the N-word.