One of the most popular comedians of all time, Bill Cosby, will be performing two shows at the Christopher Cohan Performing Arts Center (PAC) on Sept. 26.
During the two shows, “I will break out some wonderful material that I have pertaining to who you think you are and what you’re doing in college, what you’re not doing and what you should be doing and it is hilarious,” Cosby said in a phone interview.
The inspiration for the material he will perform came from his five children he sent to college and their 200 friends, Cosby said.
Cosby was the first African-American to star in a television series, “I Spy” and win three consecutive Emmys for “Outstanding Lead Actor” for his role in the series.
Cosby also starred in the situational comedies “The Bill Cosby Show” and “The Cosby Show,” hosted the comedy show “Kids Say the Darndest Things” and wrote, produced and hosted the cartoon “Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids.”
The critically acclaimed “Cosby Show,” which aired from 1984 to 1992 and focused on a successful African-American family, demonstrated “an encouraging sign of maturity in matters of race,” according to “TIME” magazine.
Cosby is most famously known for employing a comedic style that strays away from stereotyping and profanity. When he first started doing comedy 48 years ago, he wasn’t allowed to use profanity, and he has yet to start.
“That is the challenge,” Cosby said. “Do you believe, do you actually believe that a man 73 years old can walk on stage and not use profanity and (still) have people laughing too hard?”
Not only does Cosby abstain from profanity use, but he also refrains from the use of racial stereotypes.
“I just have always felt, what is the stupidity of racism? It is a want to be powerful, it is a want to control, it is a want to feel good about hate,” Cosby said. “I just think that racism is a waste of time — it is a waste of everybody’s time because I think the barrier will come down (eventually).”
Unlike many other popular comedians today, Cosby doesn’t like to point out what separates one person from another.
“When I come out, I don’t tend to pull out where the difference is,” Cosby said. “I work with the similarities of who we are, the fun that we have together and the fact that we’ve all been there in our experiences. And if we haven’t, then one day we’re going to be here — where I am — if you live long enough.”
Cosby’s success has allowed him to channel his talents in various media forms. He has released comedy, musical and compilation albums and more than 10 books are published in Cosby’s name. He is also well-known as a spokesperson for Coca-Cola, Kodak and Jell-O pudding — he is featured in the 2010 Jell-O ad campaign.
Cosby has used his popularity in the comedic world to engage in philanthropic efforts as well. He is involved with the non-profit organization Jazz Foundation of America, which helps jazz and blues musicians gather emergency funds and find performance opportunities in their respective communities.
Currently, Cosby has a free iPhone application out that features rarely seen videos.
He has also established himself as an avid Twitter user. He uses his account to help connect with fans. He replies to tweets by video recording one or two sentence responses.
Cosby was booked for the 2010-2011 season at the PAC late last year. Cal Poly Arts is responsible for booking professional tours, said Lisa Woske, public affairs official for Cal Poly Arts.
Cosby adds both a well-known name and comedic relief to the upcoming season, said Steve Lerian, director of Cal Poly Arts.
“In looking at the balance in our season, we determined that we were short in two key areas: big name headliners and stand-up comedy,” Lerian said. “Since Bill Cosby had not performed at the PAC in a number of years, his iconic status as one of the favorite comedians of all time made him the perfect choice to generate excitement as we kick off our season.”
“Bill Cosby appeals to audiences of all ages. We expect seniors and families, as well as students to attend,” Lerian said.
Cosby, 73, will perform one show at 3 p.m. and another at 7 p.m. Both shows are open to students and members of the public.
Tickets for the show are $30, $62, $68 and $74.