Recently, as Jeff Giles of Popdose and I were recording the first installment of our latest podcast series, “Ebony and Ivory” (premiering soon,) we fondly discussed memories of “The Cosby Show.” A watershed moment in TV history, it marked the first time (or one of the first times) that a successful black family appeared on TV. No tenement slums, no annoying catch phrases, no kids adopted by white people, no “movin’ on up.” I’ve recently gotten sucked down the “Cosby” rerun rabbit hole on TVOne as well, and have been enjoying going down memory lane with the Huxtables.
Bill Cosby is Everydad, right? Probably the most beloved black celebrity of all time (or at least significantly less polarizing than Jackson, Murphy, Tyson, Pryor, Prince, Whitney, etc…) Bill is also 75 years old, and apparently still appears on TV from time to time. On Friday, the Cos appeared on “Late Night With Jimmy Fallon,” and I can’t tell whether his appearance proved that he’s still a comedic genius, or if it proved that the old man has finally lost his got-dang marbles. See for yourself.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bn2bjyaAfGc]
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mtzm5tP4Ahw?list=UU8-Th83bH_thdKZDJCrn88g]
I must admit-I laughed like a loon through this whole thing-partially because it was legitimately funny, partially because Black Thought’s facial expressions are priceless, and partially because it was kinda uncomfortable. For some reason, I was also reminded of this, since a big part of Cosby, Fallon and The Roots’ interaction was based on Cosby’s long-standing opinion that most modern music is noise…get off my lawn, Tariq!!
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4SwafH688o]
Regardless of how much of Bill’s schtick was legit schtick, he’s faring much better than Tempestt Bledsoe, who portrayed Huxtable kid Vanessa-the most easily forgettable sibling. Somewhere in my head, I thought she was the oft-neglected middle sibling, but she wasn’t! Theo was! And even Theo got more shine than she did! One might say that Bledsoe has the last laugh, as she’s the only “Cosby” alum currently on network TV. One might also decide to watch an episode of “Guys With Kids”-the “sitcom” that Bledsoe co-stars in along with Anthony Anderson, Meadow Soprano, and a few other folks-and wonder if Tempestt wasn’t better off trying to be a C-grade Ricki Lake or appearing on a weight loss reality show. I’m pretty easily entertained, and I couldn’t get through one entire episode of this show! Seriously! Anthony Anderson–you left “Law & Order” for THIS????
I wonder what Elvin and Dabnis Brickey are doing these days…
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJBLb_ctwHE]
(Interesting to note; Jimmy Fallon co-created this show; maybe it’s why he decided to have Tempestt and The Cos on his show on the same night?)
13 comments
GG says:
Jan 7, 2013
At least Elvin could Moonwalk!
My man Dabnis was brought to the house and Cliff told Dabnis that he was brought into the house like a steak on a garbage can lid.
I didn’t even have to watch the YT video clip you added, and I know what it’s about. And I say “Eh! Man!”
Kevin says:
Jan 7, 2013
Now you have my almost 2-year-old saying “Eh! Man!” I do miss the Cosbys and glad you didn’t say that they weren’t “black” enough. Argh! Oh, and I always seemed to dig the elder sister (Sondra?). Maybe it was because she was the oldest. I don’t know.
Big Money says:
Jan 7, 2013
When I was in retail, I actually got to ring up Elvin (Geoffrey Owens) once. There’s my less-than-six degrees of separation story.
All I can remember about Dabnis is his big-ass forehead. And if I say someone had a big-ass forehead, you know they had a big-ass forehead.
Big Money says:
Jan 7, 2013
Well, if you knew me better, you’d know that I have a huge problem with people suggesting that something is “black enough” or “not black enough,” even though I may joke about it at times.
“The Cosby Show” is classic material, man. As cheesy as it is in retrospect, it was must-see-TV in my house!
GG says:
Jan 7, 2013
I loved me some Denise man. Still do.
Big Money says:
Jan 7, 2013
Lisa Bonet still fine.
Gonzo says:
Jan 7, 2013
I think the debate wasn’t necessarily that the Cosby’s weren’t “black enough,” but whether or not it was a progressive representation or one that was ignorant to the realities of black urban life.
I tend to fall into the former camp. It’s a sitcom. And within the confines of the sitcom genre, I think it was quite a progressive televisual depiction. And watching it now, there is so much about the Huxtable world that is so explicitly enmeshed in black culture. The music, the art, Cliff’s parents’ stories of their involvement in the Civil Rights movement, the litany of guest stars, that moving moment when they gather around the TV to watch MLK’s speech…the suggestion that the Huxtables somehow disavowed blackness just doesn’t add up for me.
And to concur with GG, Lisa Boney was one of my first crushes.
Lastly, “Jammin’ on the one. Ja-jammin’ on the one.”
Gonzo says:
Jan 7, 2013
Although you could point to the Jeffersons as an earlier “successful” black TV family, there was a lot of racially charged humor in that show (which Cosby avoided entirely).
Kevin says:
Jan 7, 2013
Nice … love the comments. Agree with them all! Long live the Cosbys!
Big Money says:
Jan 7, 2013
Jeff Giles and I actually discussed them (the Huxtables) on a podcast (coming soon.) It was the first time that a sitcom with black characters aired and the characters were characters first and black second.
As opposed to the antagonistic humor of a George Jefferson, the Huxtables manifested their blackness via positive and classy imagery.
Big Money says:
Jan 7, 2013
I didn’t read Zack’s previous comment first. What he said, basically.
GG says:
Jan 8, 2013
There was the episode where Clair bought some art that was by someone in her family tree. Vanessa’s friends came over and Vanessa told them how much the painting cost and then she started to take some heat with them calling her a stuck up rich girl. And she told her parents that they shouldn’t be so rich.
Cliff said something like, “Your mother and I are rich. You are poor.” Classic.
Big Money says:
Jan 8, 2013
Ha! I forgot about that!