Bill Cosby: Himself

[StevePulaski]

Bill Cosby: Himself (1983)
Directed by: Bill Cosby

Rating: ★★½

Bill Cosby: Himself is arguably Cosby's most well-known and successful comedy special, as its depiction of what we assume from the title is Cosby acting naturally, voicing his opinion on life, marriage, and the actions of his colleagues for about one-hundred minutes as he sits before a packed house on stage. Himself even worked to establish The Cosby Show, one of Cosby's many pet-projects that succeeded beyond any expectations.

Cosby may be considered an invaluable comic treasure, and is certainly one of the most influential black comedians to have ever lived, but Bill Cosby: Himself was a stand-up (or sit-down, in Cosby's case) comedy special I couldn't help but feel underwhelmed by. For starters, Cosby's delivery on the aforementioned subjects is incredibly sluggish and plodding, spending roughly fifteen minutes on every subject, not really to develop or expand on ideas, but to tell a story in the slowest manner possible. When it comes to comedy, especially stand-up comedy, most comedians look to taking an approach to subjects by giving them a rapid-fire spin, spending roughly six to seven minutes on a topic and then smoothly transitioning it to another. In Cosby's case, he acts in an unhurried manner, which is find and makes a case for individualism on his part, but after spending roughly ten to fifteen minutes on the same story, with the punchline taking forever to show up, and finally, not always being that funny, it becomes a stunted exercise in humor.

Furthermore, Cosby takes a safe, family-friendly approach to the subjects, which is absolutely fine, for few comedians today are bold enough to operate on such a clean scale. Yet something about this, combined with the pacing of the special, makes the entire special feel lukewarm and forgettable. Cosby's mannerisms are interesting, and his facial expressions consistently amusing and fun to watch, but other than that, the comedic delivery is one I'm not accustomed to, and find self-defeating in the realm of comedy.

Directed by: Bill Cosby.