Bill Cosby---'Himself' Reviews

Bill Cosby, Himself is the kind of absorbing viewing experience that reminds audiences that good comedy once grew out of great storytelling, not a constant flow of one-liners or two- to three-minute riffs. With a pace that's notably slow and deliberate by modern standards, Cosby allows himself numerous pregnant pauses in unwinding a variety of family friendly tales, whose building absurdity earns bigger payoffs in the laugh department. Drawn (ostensibly) from his own experiences with whining children and an exasperated spouse, the material seems to lay the groundwork for his hit sitcom, The Cosby Show, which would begin its eight-season run just two years hence. What's most pleasurable about this concert film -- and consistent with Cosby's career-long ideals -- is his ability to seem fresh and insightful without resorting to envelope-pushing vulgarity. There's something almost corny about a 45-year-old man who loves to do dead-on impersonations of children, whether they be his own eating chocolate cake for breakfast, or others' kicking the seat throughout an unending airplane flight. That he gets away with it, and appeals to a broader range of fans than might like to admit it, is a testament to his unique position in the standup landscape, as well as to a proud sense of integrity.