History Creator / BILLCOSBY

** Subverted when Bill describes a colossal losing streak of his own. After losing all the money he could sign for, he gets two hundred dollars worth of 25-cent chips and hits the roulette table. Once there, Bill bets on every possible number and combination on the table, because Bill was adamant that he was "going to win ''something'' before [he went] to sleep" that night. The dealer spins the ball, but it falls onto the floor, meaning Bill still loses.

* TheAllegedCar: The "$75 Car" routine. While in college, Cosby buys a 1942 Dodge with four bald tires. He puts one snow tire on in the back because it's all he can afford, loads the trunk full of sandbags to get traction, and paints "CAPTAIN AMERICA" along the side. It starts to protest if driven over 50 miles per hour. Then Cosby tries to drive it after a blizzard and ends up skidding sideways down the road before he finally crashes into a tree.

--> '''Cosby:''' ''(as the other driver)'' We get a hundred miles to the gallon, too! If the fan belt breaks, we use a rubber band! ''(as himself)'' That, I don't need from anybody. I don't need that from people, you know, it's just out of line. See, but a Volkswagen owner will not tell you about when they're driving down the highway, how when a truck comes from an opposite direction - '''whooof''' - how you wind up in the ditch. And you haven't even turned the steering wheel, you know. "How did we get in the ditch?" "I don't know, the car is afraid of trucks, that's all there is to it." They won't tell you about how they're barred from the Golden Gate Bridge 'cause they keep changing lanes without moving the steering wheel. They don't say nothing to you about why you gotta roll the windows down before when you get in the car, and you close the door - '''blam!''' 'Cause if you don't, if the windows are up, your brains - '''blam!''' - smash against the window and you have to go to the doctor. "My brains just fell against the window over here." "What happened?" "Well, I was closing the door on a Volkswagen." They don't tell you about if they have a head-on collision with a dog, they lose. No, all they know is, "Hundred miles to the gallon!"

--->Now I don't get along at all with a clutch. That's all there is to it. You don't even have to look for my car if you want to tell if I've been there. Just take a sniff-- ''[sniffs air]'' --and smell the clutch, that's all. I'll burn out a clutch in a minute, and first gear is not my best friend in the world. That's all. I get the hiccups-- ''[mimics stuttering transmission]'' --you know. And, uh, you know, second gear is not too bad; third is great. Once I get into third, I'm not shifting back for nobody. That's all. I'll run over a guy before I have to go back into first gear again. Forget it.

** The title routine on ''To Russell, My Brother, Whom I Slept With'' is 26:43, and takes up the entire B-side of the LP release.

** Granted, it was blackjack, but Bill recounts a time in Vegas where a fellow gambler had lost seventeen games in a row. She had twenty, and the dealer was showing a face card. She demanded another card. The dealer even protested, but she insisted.
--->"And... ''(bam!)'' '''''Ace.'''''"
** Subverted when Bill describes a colossal losing streak of his own. He gets two hundred dollars worth of 25-cent chips and hits the roulette table, with the following result:
--->"Covered that table. I mean, ''covered'' the table! Red and black! Even up! I'm going to win ''something'' before I go to sleep! And the guy spun the ball, and it fell on the floor."

* SecretWeapon: Buck Buck, a game about who can get dogpiled longer without falling down. Bill and his friends had crazy endurance, but so did the kids from [[WrongSideOfTheTracks "the rough part of town"]] (to the point of [[NoSell no-selling]] it). The thing is, those kids didn't have Fat Albert - described by Cosby as weighing 2,000 pounds and causing earthquakes when he ran up.

William Henry Cosby Jr. (born July 12, 1937) is an American comedian famous for his versatility over his long career; he broke barriers for his fellow African-American entertainers, and was almost unanimously seen by Americans of all walks of life as a role model, earning him the nickname of "America's Dad". His public perception has taken a sharp turn since 2014, when it came to public attention that Cosby has been accused of rape, sexual assault and harassment by numerous women.

William Henry Cosby (born July 12, 1937) is an American comedian famous for his versatility over his long career; he broke barriers for his fellow African-American entertainers, and was almost unanimously seen by Americans of all walks of life as a role model, earning him the nickname of "America's Dad". His public perception has taken a sharp turn since 2014, when it came to public attention that Cosby has been accused of rape, sexual assault and harassment by numerous women.

He was officially charged with several sexual assaults; the first trial in June 2017 ended with a hung jury and mistrial, while a second in April 2018 found him guilty of three counts of aggravated indecent assault. He received a sentence of three to ten years in September 2018 and was immediately taken into custody. On June 30, 2021, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania [[OffOnATechnicality overturned his conviction on a technicality]][[note]] During a civil case against one of his accusers, Cosby admitted in a deposition to drugging women. However, when he did this, he did it under an informal verbal agreement with the prosecutor that he wouldn’t be ''criminally'' charged. The subsequent prosecutor ''did'' criminally charge Cosby and used this testimony against him, so the court found that he was deprived of his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination.[[/note]] He became a free man the same day, and subsequently announced that he has plans to write a documentary about his case and then return to the stage. On June 21, 2022, he was found liable in a California civil trial for sexually assaulting Judith Huth in 1975 when she was 16, awarding her half a million dollars in damages and further damaging his already tarnished reputation.

He was officially charged with several sexual assaults; the first trial in June 2017 ended with a hung jury and mistrial, while a second in April 2018 found him guilty of three counts of aggravated indecent assault. He received a sentence of three to ten years in September 2018 and was immediately taken into custody. On June 30, 2021, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania [[OffOnATechnicality overturned his conviction on a technicality]][[note]] During a civil case against one of his accusers, who also happened to be the only woman left whose accusations were still within the statute of limitations, Cosby admitted in a deposition to drugging women. However, when he did this, he did it under a verbal agreement with the prosecutor that he wouldn’t be ''criminally'' prosecuted. A subsequent prosecutor used this testimony against him in the criminal case, so the court found that Cosby was deprived of his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination.[[/note]] He became a free man the same day, and subsequently announced that he has plans to write a documentary about his case and then return to the stage. On June 21, 2022, he was found liable in a California civil trial for sexually assaulting Judith Huth in 1975 when she was 16, awarding her half a million dollars in damages and further damaging his already tarnished reputation.

He was officially charged with several sexual assaults; the first trial in June 2017 ended with a hung jury and mistrial, while a second in April 2018 found him guilty of three counts of aggravated indecent assault. He received a sentence of three to ten years in September 2018 and was immediately taken into custody. On June 30, 2021, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania [[OffOnATechnicality overturned his conviction on a technicality]][[note]]While in a civil case with the woman whose charges were also used in the criminal case, he admitted to drugging women in a deposition. However, when he did this, he did it under a promise from the prosecutor that he wouldn’t be prosecuted for it but with no formal agreement. The testimony was used in the criminal case, so the court found that he was deprived of his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination.[[/note]] He became a free man the same day, and subsequently announced that he has plans to write a documentary about his case and then return to the stage. On June 21, 2022, he was found liable in a California civil trial for sexually assaulting Judith Huth in 1975 when she was 16, awarding her half a million dollars in damages and further damaging his already tarnished reputation.

William Henry Cosby (born July 12, 1937) is an American comedian famous for his versatility over his long career; he broke barriers for his fellow African-American entertainers, and was almost unanimously seen by Americans of all walks of life as a role model, earning him the nickname of "America's Dad".

But that's probably not why you know him.

[[RoleEndingMisdemeanor But that's probably not why you know him.]]

William "Bill" Henry Cosby (born July 12, 1937) is an American comedian famous for his versatility over his long career; he broke barriers for his fellow African-American entertainers, and was almost unanimously seen by Americans of all walks of life as a role model, earning him the nickname of "America's Dad".

Success in the clubs led to an impressive string of hit comedy and music albums, including the now-classic ''To Russell, My Brother, Whom I Slept With'' and the, er, genesis of the similarly beloved "Noah" routine ("It's ''The Lord'', Noah." [[CassandraTruth "Riiiiight!"]]). Cosby's second album, ''AudioPlay/IStartedOutAsAChild'' (1964), was the first to feature stories about his childhood, which would eventually inspire the ''Fat Albert'' cartoon series in the 1970s. These stand-up albums were followed in 1965 by a groundbreaking role alongside Creator/RobertCulp in the SpyFiction {{dramedy}} ''Series/ISpy''. It was the first time a black actor had ever starred in a television drama, and it earned Cosby the first Emmys (three total) a black actor had ever received.

Naturally, in 1969, the next step was ''Series/TheBillCosbyShow'' -- no, not '''[[Series/TheCosbyShow that one]]''', the one that featured Cosby as Chet Kincaid, high school gym teacher. No, really, it ran two whole seasons. He even sang the theme song.

Cosby's diverse range of material has netted him four UsefulNotes/{{Emmy Award}}s and nine Grammy Awards for his many albums... and a Razzie, for ''Leonard Part 6''. He holds the record for most Grammy wins in the Best Comedy Album category with seven, six of which were consecutive (1965-1970). He has written best-selling books, hosted comedy festivals, and – most recently – campaigned publicly against what he perceives as a lack of ambition and drive within the African-American community. This last role has earned him considerable controversy, mitigated somewhat by sympathy after the murder of his only son, Ennis, in 1997.

As early as 2002 information started trickling out over sexual assault charges, but things kicked into high gear in 2014 when comedian Creator/HannibalBuress brought them up in a stand-up bit that went viral. At least 55 women came forth accusing Cosby of sexual assault, permanently damaging his public image [[RoleEndingMisdemeanor and more or less ending his career]]. Out of the more than 70 awards and honorary degrees that Cosby has received from various colleges, universities, and organizations, all but a small handful have been rescinded in light of the allegations made against him. He was officially charged with several sexual assaults, the first trial in June 2017 ended with a hung jury and mistrial while a second in April 2018 found him guilty of three counts of aggravated indecent assault. He received a sentence of three to ten years in September 2018 and was immediately taken into custody. On June 30, 2021 the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania [[OffOnATechnicality overturned his conviction on a technicality]][[note]]While in a civil case with the woman whose charges were also used in the criminal case, he admitted to drugging women in a deposition. However, when he did this, he did it under a promise from the prosecutor that he wouldn’t be prosecuted for it but with no formal agreement. The testimony was used in the criminal case, so the court found he was deprived of his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination.[[/note]] He became a free man the same day, and subsequently announced that he has plans to write a documentary about his case and then return to the stage. On June 21, 2022 he was found liable in a California civil trial for sexually assaulting Judith Huth in 1975 when she was 16, awarding her half a million dollars in damages and further damaging his already tarnished reputation.

William "Bill" Henry Cosby (born July 12, 1937) is an American comedian famous for his versatility over his long career; he broke barriers for his fellow African-American entertainers, and was almost unanimously seen by Americans of all walks of life as a role model, earning him the nickname of "America's Dad" -- at least until 2014, after news of his crimes came to light.

** In another (included on the ''Himself'' DVD), he acts out the way different kinds of drinkers walk (bourbon, gin, etc.). He even does a demo of the "hollow leg" before and after its beer-drinking owner has made a trip to the bathroom.

* SillyWalk: In one of stand-up routines, Cosby talks about how every boy in his neighbourhood had to have their own "cool walk". He demonstrates his and, while the full effect is lost on the recorded version, the audience's reaction gives a good indication of exactly what this looked like.

At last notice, he is participating in the development of a modernized revival of ''Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids'' with Creator/DreamWorksAnimation. As of 2020, it is unclear what the future of the revival will be.

[[caption-width-right:318:"Hey, hey, hey!"]]

This is how the current generation (or two) knows him best: as Cliff Huxtable in the classic SitCom ''Series/TheCosbyShow'', which lasted from 1984 to 1992 on Creator/{{NBC}} and was again based around his old routines, this time those featuring his own family. At loose ends (largely due to by-now hopeless typecasting as that same curmudgeon) once it left the air, he took on the TV equivalent of odd jobs, hosting ''Series/KidsSayTheDarndestThings'' and the 1992 revival of ''Series/YouBetYourLife''. He also dabbled in detective drama (''The Cosby Mysteries'', natch) for the ''ABC Mystery Movie'' revival, and created the animated Creator/{{Nickelodeon}} series ''WesternAnimation/LittleBill'' and ''WesternAnimation/{{Fatherhood}}''.

** One routine in ''I Started Out As a Child'' has two of them. First, there's a story of why KidsShouldntWatchHorrorFilms after he ends up terrified by a wino at night and inadvertenly beats him up. After that, he tells a story of Fat Albert and playing buck-buck, then how Fat Albert made the other kids RageQuit. Finally, there's a routine about a Frankenstein's monster prank that not only ends with Bill getting run over by Fat Albert, but sent to the same hospital as the wino from the scary movie routine.

--->"And... ''(bam!)'' '''''Ace.'''''

* BrickJoke: The argument in "To Russell, My Brother, Whom I Slept With" begins when Bill tries to claim ownership of part of a small bed. At the routine's end, after their father has forced Bill and Russell to stand on one spot all night as punishment for causing so much noise, Bill tries to claim part of the floor.

--> '''Cosby:''' The bird saw what was coming and started running...and ''I'' started running!

* TheMagicPokerEquation: Granted it was blackjack, but Bill recounts a time in Vegas where a fellow gambler had lost seventeen games in a row. She had twenty, and the dealer was showing a face card. She demanded another card. The dealer even protested, but she insisted.
-->"And... *bam!* '''''Ace.'''''

-->"Covered that table. I mean, ''covered'' the table! Red and black! Even up! I'm going to win ''something'' before I go to sleep! And the guy spun the ball, and it fell on the floor."

* KidsShouldntWatchHorrorFilms: His "Chicken Heart" routine. It culminates in him smearing Jell-O on the floor to trap the giant heart and setting the couch on fire, which his father slips on, breaking his arm.
** There's also the incident with the wino after they spend all night trying ''not'' to watch a movie full of horror monsters.
** Which leads into the Frankenstein-monster statue prank described above.

In November 2013, Cosby did his first stand-up special in nearly 30 years, ''Far From Finished'', which aired on Creator/ComedyCentral. In spite of that title suggesting that he would have more stand-up shows in the future, including a planned Creator/{{Netflix}} special featuring a show he did on his 77th birthday, this would prove to be his last hurrah due to circumstances that would ultimately end his career and tarnish his image as "America's Dad" forever.

Cosby had been accused of sexual assault as early as 2002, but things kicked into high gear in 2014, when comedian Creator/HannibalBuress brought them up in a stand-up bit that went viral. At least 55 women came forth accusing Cosby of sexual assault, permanently damaging his public image [[OvershadowedByControversy and more or less ending his career]]. Out of the more than 70 awards and honorary degrees that Cosby has received from various colleges, universities, and organizations, all but a small handful have been rescinded in light of the allegations made against him. As of July 2016, he has also lost his eyesight and is considered legally blind.

Cosby was charged with several sexual assaults, and was tried for two of them in June 2017. The case was such a matter of interest in the Philadelphia area that they bused in a jury all the way from UsefulNotes/{{Pittsburgh}} to Norristown (a western suburb of Philadelphia, where the trial was held because it is the seat of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, where Cosby lives and is alleged to have committed the assaults) to ensure a fair trial. This trial ended up with a hung jury, so the judge declared a mistrial. A new trial was held in April 2018, in which Cosby was found guilty of three counts of aggravated indecent assault. He received a sentence of three to ten years in September 2018 and was immediately taken into custody.

Three years later, on June 30, 2021, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania [[OffOnATechnicality overturned his conviction on a technicality]].[[note]]While in a civil case with the woman whose charges were also used in the criminal case, he admitted to drugging women in a deposition. However, when he did this, he did it under a promise from the prosecutor that he wouldn’t be prosecuted for it but with no formal agreement. The testimony was used in the criminal case, so the court found he was deprived of his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination.[[/note]] He became a free man the same day, and subsequently announced that he has plans to write a documentary about his case and then return to the stage.

On March 7, 2022, the Supreme Court of the United States declined a request from the district attorney to review the state court's decision, leaving the conviction overturned. Still, on June 21, 2022, he was found liable in a California civil trial for sexually assaulting Judith Huth in 1975 when she was 16, awarding her half a million dollars in damages and further damaging his already tarnished reputation.

Cosby was charged with several sexual assaults, and was tried for two of them in June 2017. The case was such a matter of interest in the Philadelphia area that they bused in a jury all the way from UsefulNotes/{{Pittsburgh}} to Norristown (a western suburb of Philadelphia, where the trial was held because it is the seat of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, where Cosby lives and is alleged to have committed the assaults) to ensure a fair trial. This trial ended up with a hung jury, so the judge declared a mistrial. A new trial was held in April 2018, in which Cosby was found guilty of three counts of aggravated indecent assault. He received a sentence of three to ten years in September 2018. However, on June 30, 2021, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania [[OffOnATechnicality overturned his conviction on a technicality]].[[note]]While in a civil case with the woman whose charges were also used in the criminal case, he admitted to drugging women in a deposition. However, when he did this, he did it under a promise from the prosecutor that he wouldn’t be prosecuted for it but with no formal agreement. The testimony was used in the criminal case, so the court found he was deprived of his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination.[[/note]] He became a free man the same day, and subsequently announced that he has plans to write a documentary about his case and then return to the stage. On March 7, 2022, the Supreme Court of the United States declined a request from the district attorney to review the state court's decision, leaving the conviction overturned. Still, on June 21, 2022, he was found liable in a California civil trial for sexually assaulting Judith Huth in 1975 when she was 16, awarding her half a million dollars in damages and further damaging his already tarnished reputation.