TARNISHED

There is the comedian, the actor and the man
Once, were all the same
Now, divided from each other for always and forever...

The comedian made us laugh effortlessly. TV, movies, comedy albums. We were all entertained in some way or another. The movie collaborations with Sidney Poitier and the TV animated series Fat Albert were particularly special to me.

The actor made history, so many years ago, becoming the first African American actor to win a television emmy award. He also became involved with television specials regarding race and equality. But I think more importantly,he created the character of Dr. Heathcliff Huxtable, the number one father on the number one tv show in America. No matter what the racial lines were, you wanted Dr. Huxtable to be your dad. With a smile and humorous wit, he was able to teach valuable lessons that captured the attention of all families that watched the show every week.

The man was extraordinarily charitable. He provided college scholarships. Paid hospital bills and burials.He helped establish community centers in his hometown and across the country. Thousands of people benefited from his generosity. This was a man I knew all my life and grew up to admire greatly.

I never could have imagined...

Over 50 women of different nationalities and different ages, have accused Bill Cosby of drugging and forcibly having sex with them. A few days ago, after a mistrial earlier this year, he was charged with one of these offenses. An 80 year old icon is going to spend the last few years he has remaining in prison.Fifty years of a legacy is vanquished forever. The sum of all his good deeds will never compare to the events of his downfall.

Bill Cosby changed popular culture for the better and unfortunately changed it again for the worse. All these years, was he just a man who was unable to control the monster within himself or something even more disturbing... Was he a monster all along disguised as a human being, deceiving all of those who loved him including fans like me.

Twenty five years ago, we said goodbye to The Cosby Show and it stayed in my heart because I felt that's where it belonged. In a few months or so, Bill Cosby is going to jail and in my heart I feel that's where he belongs...

Author's Note

This was a sad personal commentary to write about. Some stars who fall from grace, you hope they are able to rise up again and shine even brighter than before. Bill Cosby has fallen beyond depths so far, he will never shine again

Reviews

[Dave]

Beautifully written. Black, white no matter what race or ethnic background
I think that for so long we all "loved" Bill Cosby. To learn of this side of him was
devastating. Despite all the good he did his character flaws with regard to women
far surpassed all the good we knew or thought we knew about him.

Take care - Dave

[Donna]

To me, this is so sad and disappointing!
All of the good he did is gone! I agree, he does belong in jail for the rest of his days! You wrote this beautifully!

[R.E. Ray]

KC, thank you for writing this commentary. You've captured the thoughts of millions of Americans, I'm sure. While we must recognize the misery he caused, we can't forget that he's a human being. Humans are both the greatest super protectors... and the greatest super predators to ever walk the earth. And, we're remarkably good at deceiving others, especially when others help create such a iconic image (e.g.,Hollywood). Your words also reminded me of Joe Paterno, arguably the best coach in college football history... who is now and forever remembered as a man who allowed a staff member to sexually abuse young men. I suppose if we gain anything from Cosby's biography, it's that we're all flawed human beings and we're held accountable for our sins, as we should be. The super protector human must always prevail over the super predator human.

[sette]

actually i am not a big fan of his because of his chauvinistic remarks about women when he was already being accused of rape and other sexual charges, he is what erica jong could refer to as a limp prick because what he did to those girls shows his weakness as a man and maybe for one reason or another i felt sorry for his going to jail at the old age but i never felt sorry for him as a man coz he didn't pity those girls whom he treated as sexual objects.

[Samuel Dickens]

Several years ago when his only son was killed, I felt extremely sorry for him. Way back in high school, I recall a bunch of us laughing our butts off at his album, "Why is there air?" (I think that was the name of it) Putting a firecracker in the furnace is a direct, negative statement about one's mother, according to the funny Cosby. My 11th grade English teacher played that one in class.
In the words of John Prine, "Hey, it ain't such a long drop, don't stammer don't stutter
From the diamonds in the sidewalk to the dirt in the gutter"
Cosby's extreme character flaw makes a sad comment about humankind.