I was at home the other day, sick day from work (as if you cared:( and flipping through channels I just so happened to stumble upon the 80’s hit “The Cosby show”. As I watched this particular episode, Denise gets her first car, it got me to thinking, The Cosby Show was the first television program to depict African Americans positively. Don’t get me wrong the Jeffersons were rich at least, not like the Evans Family of “Good Times”, but the Jeffersons seemed to be comprised more characters based off of stereotypes of black people, loud and obnoxious, rather than actual people. Although, I think all the aforementioned shows did offer some insight into black culture, in different ways, I don’t believe any show on television at that time or prior portrayed the intellectual, articulate, educated well-adjusted black family until the Cosby show.
The Cosby show first aired in September of 1984 and lasted until the early 90’s. The show followed the Huxtable family as they learned to deal with life’s little lessons and grow a little wiser and closer in the process. The family was composed of the Cliff and Clair Huxtable, played by Bill Cosby and Phylicia Rashaad respectively and their four children Sandra, Denise, Theo, Vanessa, and Rudy. The show had both parents being very well educated and articulate, with Cliff being an Obstetrician and Clair being a lawyer. Most often, the show had either parent dealing with a situation with their child by talking the matter over and thinking it out. On the rare occasion on of the parents may have threatened a spanking but never did the show depict any. Although a comedy, over the years the show would touch on some pretty heavy topics such as dealing with a child with dyslexia to teenage sex and everything in between.
For me the most memorable thing about the show was how it could be serious, educational and funny all at the same time or within a few minutes of each other. I remember one particular episode where the son Theo gives his father a really well though out and articulate speech about why he wanted to drop out of high school to be a normal person with a normal job, which I currently possess :(. While the speech was being given and for a few moments immediately thereafter the audience fell silent as if reflecting on the boys powerful words. I think there may have arose from the audience a clap or two of approval that would have broken into a full applaud if it weren’t for Cliff Huxtable interrupting to say, “THAT IS THE STUPIDEST THING I HAVE EVER HEARD.” To me this wasn’t the father not respecting the boy’s wishes or looking down on “normal people” but instead he was telling his son you are going to do everything in your power to be the best at whatever you do. Right now you are in school and for you to quit would mean you being a failure not that being a normal person makes you a failure but quitting makes you a failure. But anyway I digress. To me, the show is the most positive depiction of African American’s on television and one of televisions funniest and most impactful sitcoms. For those of you who haven’t seen this show please do so at a time most convenient for you because without this show you would probably not have “The Fresh Prince of Bell Air”, “Living Single”, the direct Spin-off “A Different World” and the “Bernie Mac Show”.
Although Bill Cosby was already a well respected comedian before the Cosby Show this show rocketed him to super stardom and he is now one of America’s most famous pop icons. Him and those sweaters he always wore. Why don’t we make more television like this these days?