Bill Cosby’s public image in the last few months has not been the best. At the top of the year, Cosby was under scrutiny for aiming a controversial drinking joke at a female show-goer in Canada.
Since that arguably unsavory media moment, Cosby has avoided headlines and kept a pretty low profile. That is, until a bold fan and writer nabbed him for an impromptu pre-show interview.
While catching Cosby’s Far From Finished tour in Baltimore last month (Mar. 27) Kia Soto of Tattle Tailzz was able to ask him about the progress of America when it comes to race, being able to write his best material at 77 and what he looks to for comfort and strength.
Check out some of the best takeaways below and read the entire interview here.
On why he even still works:
Because it is in me! I know this is something that makes a lot of people very happy, like Joshua and my other fans. A wonderful story, I was in Montana checking in a hotel and the bellman said to me, “Mr. Cosby you were here 4 years ago, I saw you, I brought two tickets – I took my dad.” In an odd surprised tone, the bellman said, and “you were funny.” I asked were you not expecting me to be funny? The bellman explains, “I was 24 then, you are my father’s age. He plays your albums, watches you on TV, I took him as a gift. We sat and watched the show we beat each other up laughing. On our way home, we talked for the first time in our lives to each other, not like father and son. But to each other.”
I gave him two tickets told him to treat his father, he said his father was sick and his mother was taking care of his father, he asked could he bring his friend Larry, I told him bring whoever he wants and hoped his dad would get better.
Another time, maybe 15 years ago I was at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco, waiting for the car to come. It was prom night and six African-American couples got out of a limo. As they passed me, I heard one say to his friend, man that’s Bill Cosby — the friend said who? The youngster said again, man that’s Bill Cosby — he does real comedy. I smiled all the way to Oakland to see my friend Al Alden. I told him guess who I am, Al said who, I am Bill Cosby! Al said God Bless you, I said guess what I do, I do real comedy.
His thoughts on President Barack Obama’s appearance in Selma, AL:
First of all, it’s just not to see President Obama go across, or reach that point. But to see it in the United States of America. Selma is so special. For the President to be understanding and protecting something so special. People look and don’t fathom the depth of what the President is doing. Some people said The Cosby Show was responsible for The Obama’s becoming the First Black Family in The White House.
We have to look at all the young and old, the colors, cultures and enthusiasm of all people who joined together with Dr. King for the Selma voting rights movement and the march to Montgomery. The Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), and Dorothy Height. One thing we need to do is look into history, look into Washington D.C. the archives — see the status of Martin Luther King Jr. I think people really should read how much President Lyndon B. Johnson contributed too. LBJ, this man to many looked like he could be evil to blacks. But he wasn’t, he signed bills and he worked towards voting rights. The picture is not just a Black President. But it says a great deal about the United States of America and how far we have to grow, because there are certain things we are just not used to yet!
Advice for today’s youth:
The first black man to score a basket in the NBA. Earl shared a story with me once when his mom questioned him about his whereabouts. Earl’s mother asked where he was one day, Earl said I was outside, she replied you are on the corner with those boys– Earl said I was with them, but I wasn’t doing anything. Earl’s mom said if you are not in the picture you cannot be framed. So many of our children that you don’t see outside on the corner, are probably in the house preparing for the future.
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