Most likely because they're family moved from Israel in the diaspora to Spain where they took a Jewish Surname then to Italy where they became Catholic then moved to Brooklyn eating pizza.

If Michael Richards is going to consider himself Jewish, he should have a Jewish name that was confered by a reputable rabbi from one of the Jewish movements. Knowledge would be an important plus also.

Michael is a Jewish (Hebrew name) name.

Perhaps Richards wants to be Jewish because it's perceived by some to be cooler or hipper to be on the "outside", in some way, of the WASP "establishment", whatever that means these days. It's probably safer for him than claiming to be gay.

His mother's name is very Italian.