Bill Cosby to receive the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor

There is no doubt that Bill Cosby is a standout among his peers. For nearly 5 decades he has made people laugh across the globe. He created the beloved cartoon Fat Albert, he broke racial barriers in television, and he created and starred in one of the most beloved shows on television since the 1980's (The Cosby Show). He is so well loved that he is often referred to as "America's Dad".

So there really should be no surprise that he will be receiving the 2009 Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. In 2002 he received the highest civillian award possible, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. And then there are the three consecutive Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series he received for I Spy in the 1960's (a breakthru for the racial attitudes of the nation at the time), 2003 Bob Hope Humanitarian Award.

How well loved is Bill Cosby? Here is the announced list of enertainers that will appear at the awards ceremony:

Dick Gregory, Sinbad, Carl Reiner, George Lopez, Wynton Marsalis, Jimmy Heath, Willie Nelson, Len Chandler, symphonic orchestra conductor James DePreist, Phylicia Rashad, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Rita Moreno, Danny Glover, Jerry Seinfeld, and Chris Rock.

Talk about a line-up of the who's who in entertainment.

Of course Dr. Cosby (it is often forgotten that he did drop out of school, but returned and earned a doctotrate) is not without his own controversies. Most notable is his outspoken stance on "problems prevalent in underprivileged urban communities such as taking part in illegal drugs, teenage pregnancy, Black Entertainment Television, high school dropouts, anti-intellectualism, gangsta rap, vulgarity, thievery, offensive clothing, vanity, parental alienation, single parenting and failing to live up to the ideals of Frederick Douglass, Martin Luther King, Jr. and the African American ancestors that preceded Generation X".

I personally find most of his views dead-on.

So I suggest that everyone keep an eye on PBS in November. The award will be televized Nov 4th 2009, though the ceremony will happen on October 26th.

The power for young minds is back on

Here is something that probably escaped all mention or notice as the inauguration has approached. An old friend is about to return to the nation.

Yes a favorite of tens of millions will be returning to television. A show seen across the land, and has led to some of the greatest stars in recent decades. Well at least 2 anyway. I’m sure some of my younger readers are thinking, ‘But American Idol already started its season’. Such a thought is nowhere near the answer.

The show in fact is far more intelligent, and universal in appeal. It’s the Electric Company.



Now fans of the early Sesame Street, a program now considered too adult for children, will know this show in a second. The 2 programs were the hallmark of PBS in my youth. Educational, fun, and captivating. Long into our teens, many watch these programs.

And it was quite the surprise the day that Morgan Freeman, known to us best as Easy Reader on Electric Company, became a movie star. But at the same time having him portray characters larger than life, or with enormous gravitas, seemed welcome with his familiar presence.

And Rita Moreno is no minor B-actress. She is a star of stage and films. She was one of a few Latina/Hispanic women to rise to fame during the 70’s and 80’s. Today she is still a star and has no less a commanding presence. And unlike the multitude of actresses today, she is without the scandal and tarnished image that so many young girls are fed by the media as attributes of success and fame.



But Electric Company was taken of the air. And Sesame Street was left alone, helping children learn and grow. PBS became a lonelier place.

Now that will change. As will the Electric Company. A new generation of young adults will takeover. Their goal is the same though. To help kids (and occasionally adults too) learn to read english.

But the means of these lessons, and new words, is quite different. This will be a narrative story. Based almost like a series. With bad guys, and a plot driven story as opposed to situational skits. And I almost forgot about the song-and-dance routines in the New York City streets.

I am sure this is part of the new kid safe programming that condemns the old Sesame Street to adult only ratings. As such I am filled with foreboding about the presentation, and its ability to educate the masses. The goal of this program is not ratings, or future superstardom of its talent pool, but the children expanding their minds. Still the Electric Company has not turned on its lights yet. That comes on January 23rd.

Will this be the joyous program of the past? No. Will it be a boon to children across the nation? Possibly. Will Easy Reader ever make a special appearance on the program? They can only hope and pray he would.

Yet, for all the misgivings I have about the new paradigm in education, and children’s television and programming, I truly hope this will instill a desire to learn and read. Children need whatever motivation we can give them to expand their minds beyond the brain-numbing life-limiting fare of American Idol, gangsta rap videos, reality television, and children-know-best programs that proliferate the various networks these days.

So I hope when the call goes out, “Hey you guys!”, the response will be minds turning on and not just television sets.