Comedian Rip Micheals Defends Cardi B and His 'Housewives of Civil Rights' Skit

Cardi B meant no offense to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. when she played his wife in a comedy skit ... according to comedian Rip Micheals, who wrote and produced it.

Rip tells us he's seen the backlash against Cardi for the 'Real Housewives of the Civil Rights Movement' bit -- and he feels it's unfair for a couple reasons.

First, he says he and his team of writers -- not Cardi -- came up with the material, which includes several jokes about MLK's infidelity. He also thinks it's wrong for critics to go after Cardi because she's not black. Rip points out King wanted equal rights for ALL people.

As for his MLK's family being offended, in particular his daughter, Bernice King, Rip's apologizing and says that simply wasn't his intent.