# Bill Cosby isn't funny **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 1, 2010, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-cosby-isnt-funny/552265 "2010-09-01T15:20:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![thirdwarning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecccb3/32.png) [@thirdwarning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdwarning)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2010, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-cosby-isnt-funny/552265/61 "2010-09-02T22:20:19Z")
Come around, idiot, come around. Look, Martha, we caught another one. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2010, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-cosby-isnt-funny/552265/62 "2010-09-03T00:39:53Z")
> [@Uncle\_Brother\_Walker](#): > > My all time favorite was side two of 200 MPH. (Sorry for no link, but I’m sure it’s out there) Dumb guy! Dumb guy! Dumb guy! ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2010, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-cosby-isnt-funny/552265/63 "2010-09-03T01:01:19Z")
Lord: Noah. Noah: What? Lord: You need to get one of those hippos out of there and bring in another one. Noah: What for? Lord: Because you’ve got two males in there and you need to bring in a female. Noah: I’m not bringing anything in. You change one of them. Lord: Come on. You know I don’t work like that. ---
**Author:** ![descamisado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@descamisado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/descamisado)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2010, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-cosby-isnt-funny/552265/64 "2010-09-03T01:07:53Z")
“Get that mozen-grazen, get that grazen-maggin . . . get that stuff out your hair.” Did he really say this. My deceased cousin used to say this all the time and attribute it to Bill, but I can’t find anything about it. Anybody know if it’s true and what the joke is it’s attached to. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2010, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-cosby-isnt-funny/552265/65 "2010-09-03T01:21:51Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > > [@gonzomax](#): > > > > When he started he was a very successful standup and his records were big sellers. He was amusing. But on his TV show when he told his son “I brought you into this world, I can take you out” , he lost me. I hate family and friend insults in sitcoms. You don’t talk to your kids and family that way. It is not funny. > > I actually liked that line. Some of his parenting shtick I never really related to (not being a parent I guess) but the way he said it just made me laugh. Plus, didn’t Theo say something particularly idiotic to bring it on? Brought that on? How? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2010, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-cosby-isnt-funny/552265/66 "2010-09-03T01:24:43Z")
> [@descamisado](#): > > “Get that mozen-grazen, get that grazen-maggin . . . get that stuff out your hair.” > > Did he really say this. My deceased cousin used to say this all the time and attribute it to Bill, but I can’t find anything about it. > > Anybody know if it’s true and what the joke is it’s attached to. [Greasy Kid Stuff](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvNyDEOZa9o) ETA: about 2:00 in. ---
**Author:** ![Patch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@Patch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patch)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2010, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-cosby-isnt-funny/552265/67 "2010-09-03T01:27:32Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > Lord: Noah. > Noah: What? > Lord: You need to get one of those hippos out of there and bring in another one. > Noah: What for? > Lord: Because you’ve got two males in there and you need to bring in a female. > Noah: I’m not bringing anything in. You change one of them. > Lord: Come on. You know I don’t work like that. Noah: What’s a cubit? Lord: Cubit, cubit… I used to know what a cubit was… ---
**Author:** ![Patch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@Patch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patch)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2010, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-cosby-isnt-funny/552265/68 "2010-09-03T01:29:29Z")
I had ordered bar-b-que’d sparrow. The head and the feet were still on the bird, with the head handing off the edge of the plate, with one eye closed and one eye open. Everyone else at the table instantly became very focused on their own meals. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2010, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-cosby-isnt-funny/552265/69 "2010-09-03T01:37:16Z")
Cosby takes karate classes. Eager to try out his newfound skills, he walks down a dark alley in a suit with money hanging out of the pockets. He feels a gun in his back and hears the words “_Gimme your dough_!” Cosby lets out a “_Heeyah_” and whirls instantly, delivering a terrible roundhouse kick to what should have been the robbers head. Only… the robber is a midget. _“What are you, some kind of song and dance man or something? Gimmie your dough or I’ll blow your kneecap off!”_ ~From the Tonight show, circa 1964 ---
**Author:** ![descamisado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@descamisado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/descamisado)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2010, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-cosby-isnt-funny/552265/70 "2010-09-03T01:39:11Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > > [@descamisado](#): > > > > “Get that mozen-grazen, get that grazen-maggin . . . get that stuff out your hair.” > > > > Did he really say this. My deceased cousin used to say this all the time and attribute it to Bill, but I can’t find anything about it. > > > > Anybody know if it’s true and what the joke is it’s attached to. > > [Greasy Kid Stuff](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvNyDEOZa9o) > > ETA: about 2:00 in. Thanks, guy, now I’ll see what my cousin thought was so funny. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2010, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-cosby-isnt-funny/552265/71 "2010-09-03T02:48:47Z")
> [@Enright3](#): > > I’ve always liked Bill Cosby; and even more now that I know he did a lot of material without having to to resort to swear words for humor. Yeah, no filth flarn filth flarn filth from him. ---
**Author:** ![Jimson\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/838e76/32.png) [@Jimson\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimson_Jim)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2010, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-cosby-isnt-funny/552265/72 "2010-09-03T13:02:52Z")
“Come here, Roy, er, Rupert, er, Rutabaga… what is your name, boy? And don’t lie to me, because you live here, and I’ll find out who you are.” I’m the oldest of five and my parents would on occasion call us by the wrong name. After this record came out in the 80’s my parents would call us rutabaga when we were in trouble and they were flustered. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2010, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-cosby-isnt-funny/552265/73 "2010-09-03T23:24:24Z")
I was eleven when Cosby’s first album came out. My friends and I thought he was incredibly funny at the time, and to this day I still think his records were brilliantly hilarious. UNTIL the late 60’s, maybe very early 70’s, when an angry, mean streak began to show itself. Since then, IMO that nastiness has only worsened. By the late 70’s I found him unbearably unpleasant to listen to, and nothing’s changed for the better since then. Mileages vary, of course. But that’s my impression. . ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2010, 10:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-cosby-isnt-funny/552265/74 "2010-09-04T10:21:28Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > I was eleven when Cosby’s first album came out. My friends and I thought he was incredibly funny at the time, and to this day I still think his records were brilliantly hilarious. UNTIL the late 60’s, maybe very early 70’s, when an angry, mean streak began to show itself. Since then, IMO that nastiness has only worsened. By the late 70’s I found him unbearably unpleasant to listen to, and nothing’s changed for the better since then. > Mileages vary, of course. But that’s my impression. > > . Then don’t go see Gallagher live. My OG, what he has degenerated into! ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2010, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-cosby-isnt-funny/552265/75 "2010-09-04T14:17:18Z")
> [@Carl\_Corey](#): > > Why did you do that? Fella I once knew in El Paso, one day he took all his clothes off and jumped in a mess of cactus. I asked him the same question, why? He said it seemed to be a good idea at the time. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2010, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-cosby-isnt-funny/552265/76 "2010-09-05T17:38:09Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > It seems the majority opinion in this thread is that Bill Cosby is funny. Or that he _was_ funny. It seems to me that most of the “Cosby Quotes” in this thread are from the 60’s. Am I reading too much into this, since I think he was funny for only a fraction of his long career? (This is a genuine question.) And I might as well throw in one of my own faves: “Ma, look! Blood!! **WAHHHHHHHHHH !!** ” It amazes me how often I find myself quoting those early albums of his, nearly 50 years later. . ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2010, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-cosby-isnt-funny/552265/77 "2010-09-05T17:40:35Z")
> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > > [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > > > I was eleven when Cosby’s first album came out. My friends and I thought he was incredibly funny at the time, and to this day I still think his records were brilliantly hilarious. UNTIL the late 60’s, maybe very early 70’s, when an angry, mean streak began to show itself. Since then, IMO that nastiness has only worsened. By the late 70’s I found him unbearably unpleasant to listen to, and nothing’s changed for the better since then. > > Mileages vary, of course. But that’s my impression. > > > > . > > Then don’t go see Gallagher live. 😕😕 ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2010, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-cosby-isnt-funny/552265/78 "2010-09-05T18:00:49Z")
Gallagher has a pretty good sthtick. It was more than just smashing things. My kid loved him and we saw him live. LOUNE got hit by jello and loved it. He was funny and had little social commentary back then. Ricky Nelson is responsible for all the nastiness on TV. If Ozzie or Harriet would have stopped him from smart mouthing ,we would not have raised generations of lippy kids . They called him the irrepressible Ricky ,and he got away with it. Since then smart ass kids have been the mainstay of sitcoms. The TV shows were successful and nobody in Tv will change what makes money. The rest of the country emulated Ricky and we have been in a downward spiral ever since. You just did not smart off to your parents back then. Now you expect it. That is why his plane was shot down. retribution. ---
**Author:** ![descamisado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@descamisado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/descamisado)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2010, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-cosby-isnt-funny/552265/79 "2010-09-05T18:07:37Z")
Billagher, is that you? ---
**Author:** ![seanchai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b782af/32.png) [@seanchai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seanchai)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2010, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-cosby-isnt-funny/552265/80 "2010-09-05T18:19:03Z")
Cosby was a hoot back when he started out. (I think I still have most of his albums). Then he went the Sit-Com route, which didn’t lend itself to stand-up. He’s mellowed enough, now, that he’s not doing the cutting-edge comedy we first knew him for. I remember seeing him do “Noah” on a late-night talk show and he was comic gold (especially comparing him to others of that time - Shelly Berman, the early Bob Newhart, Jonathan Winters - he was new and refreshing and NIFTY!). an seanchai [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-cosby-isnt-funny/552265.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-cosby-isnt-funny/552265.md?page=5)