Reply #72: Cosby did some good things... [View All]

[LowerManhattanite]

But history is an undeniable thing. Considering his alleged “power”, his creation of and pushing of “Fat Albert & The Cosby Kids” as a great thing, while nice—is hardly commensurate with his influence. And Bill most certainly spent those years AFTER he was an established TV star (When “I Spy” ended) pretty much raking in the bucks in Vegas, shilling for Polaroid™ and Jello™ and took NO STANDS anyone can remember on the issues that roiled the day. (His bankruptcy at the hands of an unscrupulous financial planner may have exacerbated his desperation to maximize his earning potential and silence him a bit on things that mattered—I'll give him that.)

You can call me a “hater” and dismiss what I say out of hand, but that doesn't make any of it any less true. I mean, who the hell brought up Sidney Poitier? You set that straw man ablaze and burned your own eyebrows off, as Sid took on roles on camera and off that challenged the status quo far more directly than what Cosby ever tried to do. Yes, Sidney was a “serious” actor, and Cos a “Comedian”. So what? Jim Brown carried a pigskin. Bill Russell Ran around in shorts, and Ali danced about in a bathrobe. History IS what history IS, and your over-selling of Cosby in the face of the historical record is obvious and laughable to anyone who can do even a little research.

The impact of “The Cosby Show” was important—not just because of what it depicted, but because of the conversations it sparked. Bill ate up the hosannas, but blanched at the “conversations”—particularly those in Black America. And as to his “criticism” of Black folks, it's notable that the only statements one can dig up from him ON Black folks are the recent ones where he's taking poor folks to task for their so-called peccadilloes. His harsh words had the bitter sting of “haterism” themselves, and rang of “How dare you people have not gone as far as I'd have liked and embarrass me with your laggardness?” And when you consider his own complicated life—the “open marriage” with Camille (again, something well known in entertainment circles, but NEVER discussed publicly), problems raising his kids and the ugly, public cuckolding debacle, he doesn't have much of a pedestal to stand on to rip his perceived “lessers”.

My issue is his HYPOCRISY. And he is catapulting off that hypocrisy to put himself back in the limelight again. THAT'S egotism, and I'm (as well as many others who know his WHOLE history, not just the buffed-up P.R. image you're pushing) not cool with that either.

Did he do some good things? Yep. Does he get a pass on raking folks over the coals after HIS OWN litany of fuck-ups has been brought to light? Nope. I'm in the entertainment business and am well acquainted with him and his issues—better than most folks. So don't deign to tell me what you think I don't know based on things YOU clearly don't know.

The pedestal you place him so high up on is cracked and leaning. Ignore that if you want. It's as unsightly as hell to many others.

With that, done with you and ALL of your retrograde bullshit this campaign season.