Deep into W. Kamau Bell’s new four-part documentary, “We Need to Talk About Cosby,” panelists are asked to describe who Bill Cosby is, as if to a person who had never heard of him before. Does one …
Jan. 30, Bell marshalls incisive commentary and archival video. In doing so, the comic and director who is a self-proclaimed “child of Bill Cosby” less makes a case than presents a problem. It remains for viewers to decide what to do with Cosby’s legacy.
And when a person who means more than himself alienates his audience, there’s more going on than simply losing a fan. Bell makes clear the degree to which some in Cosby’s audience felt betrayed long before his conduct made the news. Cosby’s status as a uniquely successful Black man lent him symbolic weight, which he embraced, before turning on his audience. He excoriated Black audiences and, at times, fellow comics for their perceived shortfalls. His was a bootstraps philosophy soaked in acid.
Cosby’s legacy, at this moment, is in shambles; for the time being, it is very difficult, logistically as well as emotionally, to watch “The Cosby Show,” and Cosby’s obituary will likely mention his legal troubles before his Emmy wins. But in the longer run, Cosby remains a part of history, both the history of Hollywood and of Black Americans seeing themselves represented in the culture.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
W. Kamau Bell’s ‘We Need to Talk About Cosby’: TV Review | Sundance 2022Bell's four-part Showtime docuseries explores Bill Cosby's legacy as a TV icon and a convicted predator, showing how his fame, influence and criminality were all connected.
Read more »
‘We Need To Talk About Cosby’ Targets “Power Structures,” Docuseries Director W. Kamau Bell Says Ahead Of Sundance Premiere“The idea being if I’m to really learn the lessons of Bill Cosby then this is a part of that,” exclaims W. Kamau Bell of the trenchant We Need To Talk About Cosby. “This is about being smart, being…
Read more »
Bill Cosby accuser says he\nhid 'mental illness' behind \nTV dad facadeVictoria Valentino, one of 60 women to point their fingers at the fallen funnyman, claims Bill Cosby drugged and raped her in an apartment in Hollywood Hills in 1969.
Read more »
Abortion Funds Are Meeting an Urgent Need as “Roe” Faces Dire ThreatAbortion funds support people's overall right to or not to parent and be safe and secure in their own decision-making.
Read more »
Bitcoin falls to $36K, traders say bulls need a ‘Hail Mary’ to avoid a bear marketBTC price dropped to new lows at $36,000, leading analysts to call for a “Hail Mary close above $39,600” to stave off a bearish shift in Bitcoin’s market structure.
Read more »