So i've got two things on the agenda for this entry. Although i may wander off at some point(s). But my two subjects are: THE White Stripes & THE Cosby Show... Two shining examples of pure entertainment that make me smile and dance.
So on Friday, Josiah, April & I rode down in Mesh's mini-van of rock to see THE White Stripes at Stone Mountain. I won't review the show other than to say that it was peppermintastic. What i will mention, though, is the crowd. As Josiah mentioned in his post, there was quite a number and quite a variety of interesting folk in attendance. But what puzzles me the most is how the TWS got to be this popular. Don't get me wrong, they're a great band, but i couldn't help wondering why all of these random people around me thought TWS were cool? i mean, Jack White is pretty dang weird, so why is this 45 year-old drunken mullet guy rocking out with that pale-as-a-ghost pansy twitching around on stage with his "sister"? But we were in georgia, so maybe the whole sibling thing isn't that much of an issue. Could it be just because he "wails hard"? Or maybe he was there because the show was free. Actually, i think i'm over analyzing and should just stop. And besides, i haven't even mentioned Bill Cosby yet. He wails hard.
So while we were sitting in traffic on the way out of the big rock park, we started talking about our favorite TV sitcoms. And for me, there is an undisputed king... THE Cosby Show. Watching that show is like watching home videos. And for me, that's a big stretch in a few ways:
1. I'm white.
2. I've never been much of a TV-watcher, and have very rarely watched any shows religiously.
3. I'm white, and i grew up in Cleveland, Tennessee.
My family never missed an episode. It wasn't possible. And i couldn't wait until the beginning of each season, when the new opening sequence was unveiled. So much to my surpirse, what do i see when i flip on the tube Saturday night? "The Cosby Show: A Look Back" !!! Two whole hours of clips, flashbacks, interviews, bloopers and more for my hungry eyes. And although I'd always admired the show for it's perfect play on cultural issues, i was now reminded of how numerous Cosby's virtues really were, and how funny it still is.
I've always hated when people over emphasize the validity & relevance of TV shows that almost no one will remember a couple weeks after they've left the air. But in the case of Cosby, i just can't champion it enough. Yes, the Huxtables were black. Yes, they had money. Yes Cliff & Claire were a doctor and a lawyer. But the fact is, it rarely ever even crossed my mind that they were black at all! They were just a normal family. And a funny one at that. As Bill Cosby himself said at the end of the special, when it comes to parents & kids... we're all the same.
Bill Cosby, you are beautiful.
Posted by horner at June 23, 2003 09:35 AMCosby is beautiful...the idea of the whole big massive family living in one house always appealed to me. I was always amazed though that everyone could squeeze into that home...all the girls with their husbands and kids etc. It was crazy.
It's like, it had all the makings for serious, serious dysfunction, but they just never, ever let it happen. One could almost resent them for that lack of realism, but hell, I love the ideal every now and then!
But I also have a softspot for Married With Children, since growing up in the hole of northeastern pennyslvania most of the neighborhood families were just like the Bundy's.
Posted by: JosiahQ at June 24, 2003 12:10 PMBILL COSBY ROCKS!
Posted by: ron at July 21, 2003 01:59 PM