Why Is Bill Cosby Great? 'We Rejected Lowering the Bar' on Television

By Rob Shuter Posted Apr 13th 2011 03:25PM

The dust is just now starting to settle on the bitter and brief war of words between Bill Cosby and Donald Trump, but is the TV legend setting the stage for round two with new comments aimed at cheap TV like, oh, 'Celebrity Apprentice'?

"'The Cosby Show' reminded us we are all one family," Mr. Cosby told me at The TV Land Awards taping on Sunday. "It lifted us up and up to higher ground. The 'Cosby Show' made impact on comedy, television and culture. We rejected lowering the bar."

A few years ago, Bill made headlines when he said he doesn't hold the Osbournes, a pioneering reality TV family, in high esteem. But things have gotten much worse since then.

The 'Cosby' Kids Talk About Their TV Dad:

"Bill hates what he sees when he looks around and sees what people are given to watching these days," a friend of the actor tells me before rattling off a list of offending show's like 'Jersey Shore,' 'Teen Mom' and yes, Trump's 'Celebrity Apprentice.' "All I know is, Bill wanted TV to educate as well as entertain," the friend adds. "Now all anyone cares about is getting ratings even if they humiliate the cast in the process."

While accepting 'The Impact' award at The TV Land Awards Bill talked about how proud he was that his show had respect for mothers and father. How parents taught their children lessons and even grandparents were shown as human beings, not old folks who couldn't do anything for themselves.

"I'm afraid those days of TV are long behind us," one TV industry insider tells me. "Now we have mostly forgettable and cheaply produced reality shows. Pretty certain we won't be honoring Donald Trump and 'Apprentice' 10 or 20 years from now.'

The 'Cosby Show' not only broke ground on television for its portrayal of a black family, but families in general. Dad was not the bumbling fool, and Mom didn't go around dusting the house in heels and pearls. The kids were not wisecracking mini-adults, but regular kids, who tried to do the right thing, and they usually succeeded with a gentle nudge from Mom and Dad. Mom and Dad also showed true passion and affection for each other. The stories were cleverly written, never preachy, and got their point across with knowing and loving humor.

From watching reruns on Nick at Nite, you might not realize this, but the reaction of TV audiences at the time was overwhelming: 'The Cosby Show' was the nation's most watched program for four consecutive years. Newspaper and magazine articles about the show were everywhere, hailing it for its intelligence and realistic depiction of a functional family.

Here's hoping there are more Bill Cosbys waiting in the wings to carry the mantle of positive TV.

Tags: Bill Cosby, TV Land Awards

Comments

(31)

Wednesday 13 April

By Mike

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Based on what they show on TV these days, the only "bar" is on the corner.

By stu

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Good Times was the show of true black life. tat ain't no jive!

By Bill

Yeah....I look at the Cosby show on one hand and then think about Snooki on WWE...even Archie Bunker had some moral and social value. The bar hasn't been lowered...it's laying on the ground and covered with dirt.

By blackpridejw

Bill Cosby is a wonderful man

By damien

The mom treated the dad like a dog...The dad was a buffoon who got played by mom n the kids...Vanessa brought home a working stiff and they treated him like crap....ya real nice

By et

What show did you watch, Damien

By rodney

What show were you watching? It wasn't the Cosby show.

Wednesday 20 April

By shelle

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Actually, the episode to which you refer was just on TV last night. They did not treat Vanessa's janitor boyfriend like crap. Vanessa treated him disrespectfully by not telling her parents about him until they were already engaged. They were understandably shocked, and told him: "Imagine a gorgeous steak dinner on a trash can lid. That's how Vanessa brought you in here; on a trash can lid." They discussed his plans for the future and the fact that he owned his own home. It ended on a very high note.

By sarah

Watching a popeater blogger who helps pimp up the garbage blow smoke up Cosby for being wonderful is utterly stomach turning

By Rodney

So you must be a hair turning Donald Trump fan. Good luck in 2012......he will not will.

By Nicole

I think the idea is that these bloggers contribute to the media attention to all these "cheap" shows, and then one turns around and praises Cosby...

By Kat

That's Dr. Cosby people. The man earned that degree and is entitled to the honor of being addressed as Doctor.

By pj

deserves to be called dr? areyou kidding? its an honerary dr.

By robhllnd2

Could never stand Mr. Goody 2 Shoes! Didn't he have a child
out of wedlock which is very fashionable now?

And I guess YOU think you are perfect. Not a goody two shoe but Bill has values. You should try some on for size.

By Bubbles

Hey Cosby! America LOWERED THE BAR when they elected that NON AMERICAN BORN OBAMA! PERIOD! I JUST LOST ALL RESPECT FOR YOU DEFENDING THAT IDIOT FOR A PRESIDENT. I THOUGHT YOU WERE SMARTER THAN THAT.

I bet you live in a trailer, "Bubbles".

By Tex

Sadly,Bubbles,no one will ever accuse you of being smarter than they thought you were.

By joan

Bubbles,it was not Bill Cosby alone that put Mr. Obama in office, many did, but it has nothing to do with his The Cosby Show which was absolutely marvelous. I wish that our society was the same as it was in the time the show was airing. It is not and it is missed. I still watch reruns and love them still.
Oh for the good old days of The Cosby Show.

Thursday 14 April

By Star

Bubbles....
Have you always been a moron or are you still in the
practice stage?

Typing in all caps means you are very angry and you are yelling. You need anger management. You must be very lonely.

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