Bill Cosby, Himself

• Director: Bill Cosby
• AMG Rating:
• Genre: Comedy
• Movie Type: Standup Comedy
• Themes: Parenthood
• Main Cast: Bill Cosby
• Release Year: 1981
• Country: US
• Run Time: 105 minutes
• MPAA Rating: PG

Plot

Some critics carped that the star of Bill Cosby, Himself delivered his nearly two-hour monologue while sitting down. "Look how lazy Cos has gotten!" went the complaint. Well, we can tell you that Cosby exudes more energy and charisma from a seated position than most younger comics do while jumping around the room. As an appreciative audience roars with laughter, Cosby holds court on any number of subjects, ranging from childbirth, to his views on substance abuse. Bill Cosby, Himself isn't really a movie, but fans of Cosby (both casual and fervent) will be thoroughly satisfied. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Review

Bill Cosby, Himself is the kind of absorbing viewing experience that reminds audiences that good comedy once grew out of great storytelling, not a constant flow of one-liners or two- to three-minute riffs. With a pace that's notably slow and deliberate by modern standards, Cosby allows himself numerous pregnant pauses in unwinding a variety of family friendly tales, whose building absurdity earns bigger payoffs in the laugh department. Drawn (ostensibly) from his own experiences with whining children and an exasperated spouse, the material seems to lay the groundwork for his hit sitcom, The Cosby Show, which would begin its eight-season run just two years hence. What's most pleasurable about this concert film -- and consistent with Cosby's career-long ideals -- is his ability to seem fresh and insightful without resorting to envelope-pushing vulgarity. There's something almost corny about a 45-year-old man who loves to do dead-on impersonations of children, whether they be his own eating chocolate cake for breakfast, or others' kicking the seat throughout an unending airplane flight. That he gets away with it, and appeals to a broader range of fans than might like to admit it, is a testament to his unique position in the standup landscape, as well as to a proud sense of integrity. ~ Derek Armstrong, All Movie Guide

Cast

• Bill Cosby

Credit

Bill Cosby - Director, Ken Johnson - Editor, Steve Livingston - Editor, Bill Cosby - Executive Producer, Joseph Wilcots - Cinematographer, Bill Cosby - Producer, Bill Cosby - Screenwriter

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