Gawker: defamer, bill cosby

Are The Obamas Possible Because Of The Huxtables?

Dodai — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 12:30:00 EST

It's strange that there's an ongoing debate about who — or what — in arts and entertainment made it possible to elect Barack Obama. Was it Oprah? Tiger Woods? Will Smith? Morgan Freeman and Chris Rock playing presidents in movies? According to a story from the New York Times, both Bill Cosby and Karl Rove seem to think it all comes down to The Cosby Show. Yes, folks, apparently, if there were no Huxtables, there'd be no Barack Obama.

Writes Tim Arango in the New York Times:

Dr. Alvin F. Poussaint, a psychiatrist at the Jude Baker Children’s Center in Boston and a professor at Harvard Medical School who was a script consultant on The Cosby Show, said in an interview that "there were a lot of young people who were watching that show who are now of voting age." Dr. Poussaint added: "When The Cosby Show first came on, it was a professional, middle-class family. And they said, 'That’s not a black family.' We heard it from blacks and whites. I think that’s why Karl Rove calls it postracial, because it was universal."

Bill Cosby himself spoke with the LA Times and says, "For all those people who said they didn't know any black people like the Huxtables — all I can say is, 'Will you watch the show now?'"

But doesn't this thinking ignore the fact that there are actual successful black families living in America? They're not all make-believe. In fact, it's pretty insulting not to take them into account. On the other hand, if TV shows do tap into the zeitgeist of this country, what does it say that there are zero black families featured prominently on CBS, NBC, ABC or Fox right now? According to the LA Times, only one series — the CW's Everybody Hates Chris — revolves around a two-parent black family. Maybe having the Obamas in the White House will encourage some diversity on television?

Before Obama, There Was Bill Cosby [NY Times]
Talking Obamas, Huxtables with Bill Cosby [LA Times]
How The Huxtables Paved The Way For The Obamas [Politico]

Earlier: How Come All The Pop Culture Moms Are White These Days?

Bill Cosby's Array Of Amazing, Technicolor Ugly Sweaters Up For Auction

Seth — Fri, 30 May 2008 19:00:00 EDT

There exists perhaps no more potent symbol of 1980s ratings powerhouse The Cosby Show than its star Bill Cosby's signature sweaters. Like the enchanted product of some magical mystery loom, no two inches of any garment was alike. If a plot involving Theo Huxtable's underachieving academics failed to capture your imagination, you could easily have gotten lost instead inside their woven psychedelia: One moment, you were picturing the vomited-up remains of an Uno deck; the next, you imagined an aerial tributary map as interpreted by a colorblind kindergartener. Now, thanks to a charitable eBay auction, some of these surrealist fashion masterworks are being made available for purchase. We guide you to the website now for a hypnotic slideshow of some of the greatest Cosby Sweater hits.

Bill Cosby Charity Auction [eBay]

Keshia Knight Pulliam Lands Coveted Role of 'Imprisoned Hooker' Opposite Tyler Perry

STV — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 19:30:00 EDT

We were not among the critics who recently took offense to Tyler Perry's frocked-out "minstrelsy" antics in Meet the Browns, but we are more than a little beside ourselves with today's news that Perry has cast Keshia Knight Pulliam — best known as the youngest Huxtable child, Rudy, on The Cosby Show — as an "imprisoned prostitute" in his upcoming installment in the Madea canon, Tyler Perry's Madea Goes to Jail. We can't believe it; she grew up so fast!

Gregg Goldstein brings us the "plot" at The Hollywood Reporter:

The Lionsgate comedy centers on Madea (Perry), whose penchant for trouble-making lands her behind bars. She comes to the rescue of Candy (Pulliam), a fellow inmate preyed upon by a large woman named Big Sal. [Derek] Luke is on track to play Joshua, an attorney who has a past with Candy.

We imagine this will indeed be the Tyler Perry film that draws Bill Cosby from his post-network slumber for a painstakingly enunciated call to Pulliam, asking if she needs to borrow money and reminding his little girl that roles like these are for Lisa Bonet. Alas, the contracts are signed. We don't even want to know what kind of revenge Phylicia Rashad is plotting right now.

Keshia Knight Pulliam in 'Madea' caper [THR]