Bill Cosby

Cosby as a basketball player during his Navy service in 1957

Cosby was born on July 12, 1937,[5] in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.[6] He is one of four sons of Anna Pearl (née Hite), a maid, and William Henry Cosby Sr., who served as a mess steward in the U.S. Navy.[6][7]

Cosby was the class president as well as captain of both the baseball and track and field teams at Mary Channing Wister Public School in Philadelphia.[8][9] Teachers noted his propensity for joking around instead of studying, and he described himself as the class clown.[10] At FitzSimons Junior High School, Cosby acted in plays and continued to compete in sports. Cosby attended Philadelphia's Central High School, a magnet school and academically rigorous college prep school, where he ran track and played baseball, football, and basketball.[11] He transferred to Germantown High School but failed the tenth grade.[12]

In 1956,[13] Cosby enlisted in the Navy and served as a hospital corpsman at the Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia; at Naval Station Argentia in Newfoundland, Canada; and at the National Naval Medical Center in Maryland.[14] He worked in physical therapy with Navy and Marine Corps personnel who were injured during the Korean War.[14]

Cosby earned his high school equivalency diploma through correspondence courses[15] and was awarded a track and field scholarship to Temple University in 1961.[16] At Temple, he studied physical education while he ran track and played fullback on the college's football team.[17] He began bartending at a Philadelphia club, where he earned bigger tips by making the customers laugh. He then began performing on stage.[18]

External audio
From Philly Projects to America's Dad, 17:30, Newsworks, WHYY[19]
Bill Cosby: the man and the trial, 49:44, Radio Times, WHYY[20]

Cosby left Temple to pursue a career in comedy. He lined up stand-up jobs at clubs in Philadelphia and then in New York City, where he appeared at The Gaslight Cafe beginning in 1961.[21] He booked dates in cities such as Chicago, Las Vegas, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C. In the summer of 1963, he received national exposure on NBC's The Tonight Show. This led to a recording contract with Warner Bros. Records, who, in 1964, released his debut LP, Bill Cosby Is a Very Funny Fellow...Right!, the first of a series of comedy albums.[22] His album To Russell, My Brother, Whom I Slept With was number one on Spin magazine's list of "The 40 Greatest Comedy Albums of All Time", calling it "stand-up comedy's masterpiece".[23]

While many comics of the time were using the growing freedom of that decade to explore controversial and sometimes risqué material, Cosby was making his reputation with humorous recollections of his childhood. Many Americans wondered about the absence of race as a topic in Cosby's stories. As Cosby's success grew he had to defend his choice of material regularly; as he argued, "A white person listens to my act and he laughs and he thinks, 'Yeah, that's the way I see it too.' Okay. He's white. I'm Negro. And we both see things the same way. That must mean that we are alike. Right? So I figure this way I'm doing as much for good race relations as the next guy."[24]

In 1983, Cosby released the concert film Bill Cosby: Himself which is widely regarded as "the greatest comedy concert film ever".[25] Younger, well-established comics like Jerry Seinfeld have credited Cosby as an innovator both as a practitioner of stand-up comedy, as well as a person who paved the way for comics to break into sitcom television. Seinfeld said of Cosby: "He opened a door for all of us, for all of the networks to even consider that this was a way to create a character, was to take someone who can hold an audience just by being up there and telling their story. He created that. He created the whole idea of taking a quote-unquote 'comic' and developing a TV show just from a persona that you see on stage."[26] Comedian Larry Wilmore also saw a connection between Bill Cosby: Himself and the later success of The Cosby Show, saying: "It's clear that the concert is the template for The Cosby Show."[26]

Cosby performed his first TV stand-up special in 30 years, Bill Cosby: Far from Finished, on Comedy Central on November 23, 2013.[27] His last show of the "Far from Finished" tour was performed at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre in Atlanta, Georgia on May 2, 2015.[28] In 2014, Cosby was set to release his new standup special Bill Cosby 77 on Netflix.[29] The release of the film was canceled due to allegations of sexual assault against Cosby.[30]

His last known standup performance prior to his conviction was held at the LaRose Jazz Club in Philadelphia on January 23, 2018.[31]

Bill Cosby was among hundreds of artists whose material was reportedly destroyed in the 2008 Universal fire.[32]

Demonstrators protesting against Bill Cosby in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada

Cosby has been the subject of highly publicized accusations of rape, drug-facilitated sexual assault, sexual battery, child sexual abuse, and sexual misconduct, the earliest of which were said by his accusers to have taken place in the mid-1960s. In October 2014, a part of comedian Hannibal Buress's comedy routine that described sexual misbehavior by Cosby went viral, resulting in more women coming forward to state that they were assaulted by Cosby. The dates of the alleged incidents span from 1965 to 2008 across ten U.S. states and one Canadian province.[64][65][66]

Cosby has repeatedly denied the allegations and maintained his innocence. In November 2014, he responded to a question about the allegations and said: "I don't talk about it."[67] In past interviews that were made public, Cosby declined to discuss the accusations.[68] However, he told Florida Today, "People shouldn't have to go through that and shouldn't answer to innuendos."[68] In May 2015, he said, "I have been in this business 52 years and I've never seen anything like this. Reality is a situation and I can't speak."[69]

In the wake of the allegations, numerous organizations have severed ties with Cosby, and honors and titles that were previously awarded to him have been revoked. Reruns of The Cosby Show and other shows featuring Cosby have also been pulled from syndication by many organizations. 25 colleges and universities have rescinded honorary degrees.[70] In an attempt to explain the backlash against Cosby, Adweek reporter Jason Lynch noted that the "media landscape has changed considerably—and has now been joined by the far-less-forgiving social media arena."[71]

Most of the acts fall outside of the statutes of limitations for criminal prosecution, but criminal charges were filed against Cosby in one case and numerous civil lawsuits have been brought against him. As of November 2015, eight related civil suits were active against Cosby.[72][73] High-profile attorney Gloria Allred was representing 33 of the alleged victims. In July 2015, some of the court records from Andrea Constand's 2005 civil suit against Cosby were unsealed and released to the public. The full transcript of his deposition was also released to the media by a court reporting service. In his testimony, Cosby admitted to casual sex, involving the recreational use of the sedative methaqualone (quaaludes), with a series of young women, and acknowledged that his dispensing the prescription drug was illegal.[74][75][76]

Based on incidents in January 2004, Cosby was found guilty on April 26, 2018, of three counts of aggravated indecent assault against a Toronto woman, after a jury trial.[77][78] On September 25, 2018, he was sentenced to three to ten years in state prison and a $25,000 fine plus court costs of both trials.[2][3][79] After a brief period in the Montgomery County Correctional Facility, Cosby was moved to a state prison, SCI Phoenix in Skippack Township, Pennsylvania, on September 25, 2018, where he was confined to a single cell.[80][81] On January 28, 2019, Cosby was moved from administrative segregation into the general population.[82] On December 10, 2019, the verdict was upheld on appeal.[83]

On June 23, 2020, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled Cosby would be able to appeal his sexual assault conviction based upon questions on testimony from a witness being more prejudicial than probative. The court will hear his appeal on arguments of whether it were proper for five prosecution witnesses to testify in the case and include a deposition that Cosby admitted to giving quaaludes to other women in the past. The court also agreed to review whether a former prosecutor had informed Cosby that he would not be prosecuted for the assault, which resulted in Cosby's agreeing to testify in his accuser's civil lawsuit.[84]

In early April 2019, Cosby's home insurance company (AIG) settled a federal defamation lawsuit with seven women accused of lying by Cosby when they accused Cosby of sexual assault, but could no longer bring criminal charges because their allegations were too old. The suit was filed in December 2014, and the settlement terms were not disclosed. The seven women's accusations span decades, from 1969 until 1992. The seven are a subset of more than 60 women who have spoken out accusing Cosby of sexual harassment and/or assault.[85] A spokesman for Cosby, Andrew Wyatt, said Cosby did not settle the case; rather, AIG settled without the "knowledge, permission, and/or consent of Mr. Cosby. Mr. Cosby vehemently denies the allegations brought against him in these defamation suits, and he maintains his innocence".[86] As of April 2019, three other cases were active against Cosby around the country; one is another defamation case, and the other two are lawsuits directly related to their claims of sexual assault.[86]

Cosby at Frederick Douglass High School in Atlanta, Georgia, in 2006

Cosby received an award at the celebration of the 50th anniversary commemoration of Brown v. Board of Education ruling—a ruling of the U.S. Supreme Court that outlawed racial segregation in public schools. Later, in May 2004, he made public remarks critical of African-Americans who put higher priorities on sports, fashion, and "acting hard" than on education, self-respect, and self-improvement. He pleaded for African-American families to educate their children on the many different aspects of American culture.[87][88] In the Pound Cake speech, Cosby asked that African-American parents teach their children better morals at a younger age. As reported in The Washington Times, Cosby "told reporters during a special session of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's 34th annual legislative conference" that, "Parenting needs to come to the forefront. If you need help and you don't know how to parent, we want to be able to reach out and touch you."[89] Richard Leiby of The Washington Post reported, "Bill Cosby was anything but politically correct in his remarks Monday night at a Constitution Hall bash commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education decision."[90]

Cosby again came under sharp criticism, and was largely unapologetic, for his stance when he made similar remarks during a speech at a July 1 meeting of the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition that commemorated the anniversary of Brown v. Board, where he said "... you've got to stop beating up your women because you can't find a job, because you didn't want to get an education and now you're [earning] minimum wage."[91][92] During that speech, he admonished apathetic blacks for not assisting or concerning themselves with the individuals who are involved with crime or have counterproductive aspirations. He further described those who needed attention as blacks who "had forgotten the sacrifices of those in the Civil Rights Movement".[93]

In 2005, Georgetown University sociology professor Michael Dyson wrote a book, Is Bill Cosby Right? Or Has the Black Middle Class Lost Its Mind?[94] In the book, Dyson wrote that Cosby was overlooking larger social factors that reinforce poverty and associated crime; factors such as deteriorating schools, stagnating wages, dramatic shifts in the economy, offshoring and downsizing, chronic underemployment, and job and capital flight.[95] Dyson suggested that Cosby's comments "betray classist, elitist viewpoints rooted in generational warfare".[94] However, Cornel West defended Cosby and his remarks, saying, "He's speaking out of great compassion and trying to get folk to get on the right track, 'cause we've got some brothers and sisters who are not doing the right things, just like in times in our own lives, we don't do the right thing ... He is trying to speak honestly and freely and lovingly, and I think that's a very positive thing."[96]

In a 2008 interview, Cosby mentioned Philadelphia; Atlanta; Chicago; Detroit; Oakland, California; and Springfield, Massachusetts among the cities where crime was high and young African-American men were being murdered and jailed in disproportionate numbers. Cosby stood his ground against criticism and affirmed that African-American parents were continuing to fail to inculcate proper standards of moral behavior.[97]

Cosby's vocal social comments led to the unsealing of documents in a previous civil suit by a woman who had accused Cosby of sexual assault, which in turn sparked renewed interest in older allegations. The judge ruled that releasing the sealed documents was justified by the "stark contrast between Bill Cosby, the public moralist and Bill Cosby, the subject of serious allegations concerning improper (and perhaps criminal) conduct".[98]

Cosby has also been vocally critical of conservative Republican politicians in regard to their views on socioeconomic and racial issues. In a 2013, CNN interview regarding voting rights, Cosby stated "this Republican Party is not the Republican Party of 1863, of Abraham Lincoln, abolitionists and slavery, is not good. I think it's important for us to look at the underlying part of it. What is the value of it? Is it that some people are angry because my people no longer want to work for free?"[99]

Cosby married Camille Hanks on January 25, 1964. Together, they had five children, Erika (b. 1965), Erinn (b. 1966), Ennis (1969–1997), Ensa (1973–2018), and Evin (b. 1976). Their only son, Ennis, was murdered on January 16, 1997, while changing a flat tire on the side of Interstate 405 in Los Angeles.[100] Cosby's daughter Ensa died of renal disease on February 23, 2018, while awaiting a kidney transplant.[101] The Cosbys have three grandchildren.[6][102] Cosby, a Protestant,[103] maintains homes in Shelburne, Massachusetts, and Cheltenham, Pennsylvania.[104]

Cosby hosted the Los Angeles Playboy Jazz Festival from 1979 to 2012. (George Lopez has hosted the event since then.) Known as a jazz drummer, he can also be seen playing bass guitar with Jerry Lewis and Sammy Davis Jr. on Hugh Hefner's 1970s talk show. His story, "The Regular Way", was featured in Playboy's December 1968 issue.[105] Cosby has become an active member of The Jazz Foundation of America.[106] Cosby became involved with the foundation in 2004. For several years, he has been a featured host for its annual benefit, A Great Night in Harlem, at the Apollo Theater in New York City.[107][108]

Cosby and his wife have collected more than three hundred works of African-American art since 1967. The works went on display in "Conversations", an exhibit at the National Museum of African Art in 2014.[109] The show became controversial as the increasing number of sexual assault allegations against Cosby became prominent.[110]

Cosby is a supporter of his alma mater, Temple University, particularly its men's basketball team, whose games Cosby frequently attended prior to his arrest. He is also a member of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity; he was initiated in the fraternity's Beta Alpha Alpha graduate chapter in White Plains, New York, in 1988.[111]

In 2016, Cosby's attorneys reported that he is now legally blind.[112] In April 2017, Cosby agreed to be interviewed by the National Newspaper Publishers Association, because, as Andrew Wyatt, his spokesman, stated, "they grew comfortable that the NNPA Newswire would be more interested in 'facts over sensationalism'.” In the interview, both Cosby and one of his former publicists confirmed the loss of eyesight, noting that it occurred at some point in 2015.[113][114]

• 1977: Earned an M.A. (education) and an Ed.D. from UMass Amherst. His doctoral thesis used his character Fat Albert.[119]
• 2002: Received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from George W. Bush
• 2002: The scholar Molefi Kete Asante included Cosby in his book The 100 Greatest African Americans.[120]
• 2005: In a British poll broadcast on Channel 4 to find the Comedian's Comedian, he was voted among the top fifty comedy acts ever by fellow comedians and comedy insiders.[121]
• 2010: Received the Lone Sailor Award by the United States Navy Memorial.[122]
• 2010: Received the National Football Foundation's Gold Medal[123]

• List of comedians
• List of Omega Psi Phi brothers
• List of Temple University people
• List of University of Massachusetts Amherst alumni

"Excerpts from Bill Cosby's Deposition in 2005 and 2006" (in the Andrea Constand case)—The New York Times

• Official website
• Bill Cosby at IMDb
• Bill Cosby at the Internet Broadway Database
• Appearances on C-SPAN