Georgia PBS Presents Broadcast of Bill Cosby: The Mark Twain Prize

 Comic legend Bill Cosby at Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize ceremony.
(AP/Photo by Jacquelyn Martin)

Georgia/Public Broadcasting presented its debut broadcast of Bill Cosby: The Mark Twain Prize on November 4, 2009, and featured an encore of the ceremony in the early morning hours of November 9. Cosby, the groundbreaking television actor, comic, recording artist, and educator became the twelfth recipient of the annual Mark Twain Prize for American Humor October 26 at the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.

Some of the world’s most celebrated comics and musicians participated in the event to pay tribute to Cosby, among them: Dick Gregory, Wynton Marsalis, Rita Moreno, Willie Nelson, Phylicia Rashad, Chris Rock, Jerry Seinfeld, and Malcolm Jamal-Warner. In attendance were Cosby’s wife of 35 years, Camille, and First Lady Michelle Obama.

The ceremony featured clips from some of Cosby’s now classic routines and television shows, including the skits “Noah [Talks with God],” and “Chocolate Cake”; plus scenes from The Cosby Show. Particularly notable was a clip of a hyper-animated Cosby, on the Dick Cavett Show, describing his attempt to play jazz while the late comic icon Jack Benny looks on and laughs so hard that he practically falls out his chair.

Impact on Colleagues

Veteran comedian and social activist Dick Gregory noted the impact of Cosby’s success on racism in the United States during the 1960s and on his own career in the entertainment industry. “Hugh Hefner brought me in [to professional nightclub comedy] and before that no Negro comic could work a white nightclub. You could sing and you could dance. Then he brought me in. And if you go back and check the records, they always said ‘Dick Gregory Negro comic.’ Then when Bill broke through with [the TV show] ‘I Spy’… from that day on they dropped the word ‘negro’ off my name.”

Acclaimed actress Phylicia Rashad. (AP/Photo by Jacquelyn Martin)

Younger comics pointed out how they studied Cosby’s recorded works to perfect their craftsmanship. Seinfeld stated with disarming sincerity, “He has been the guiding light of my entire career.” His friend Chris Rock also acknowledged the performer’s influence but clarified that, “None of my dirty a— jokes were influenced by Mr. Cosby.”

Previous Kennedy Center Honors

Cosby previously joined those recognized by the annual Kennedy Center Honors in 1998. The Mark Twain Prize was established that same year and presented to the late Richard Pryor. It is presented in recognition of those whose influence on American culture may be considered comparable to that of Samuel Clemens, the great nineteenth century novelist, satirist and essayist that most people know as Mark Twain.

Bill and Camille Cosby. (AP/Photo by Jacquelyn Martin)

As he presented Cosby with the award, Kennedy Center Chairman Stephen A. Schwarzman summarized his comedic legacy: “On a per laugh basis, Bill Cosby has given America more humor, more often, for more years, than anyone. On the night club stage, on the television screen, on records, and in between the covers of a book we all see ourselves in Cosby.”

In addition to the aforementioned Pryor, other previous winners of the award include the following:

• George Carlin (2008)
• Billy Crystal (2007)
• Neil Simon (2006)
• Steve Martin (2005)
• Lorne Michaels (2004)
• Lily Tomlin (2003)
• Bob Newhart (2002)
• Whoopi Goldberg (2001)
• Carl Reiner (2000)
• Jonathan Winters (1999)

By Aberjhani the National African American Art Examiner and author/co-author of eight books including Encyclopedia of the Harlem Renaissance and ELEMENTAL, The Power of Illuminated Love.