Mel Gibson Of Post-Hecklers Michael Richards: "I Like Him!"

I keep wondering if Mel Gibson's immediate, "I like him!" reaction to Michael Richards in the aftermath of the much-publicized racial N-word incident after hecklers irritated Richards at the Laugh Factory:

Did Mel decide he liked Richards for giving Mel a pass (as some conservatives have said, "Mel at least had an excuse since he was drunk when he raged at Jews, but Richards has no excuse" huh? say what? Mel's excused for his possibly more hateful tirade because he can't stop drinking?) OR because there was a report the other day that perhaps Richards is not technically Jewish by birth?

::muttering::shaking head::