TheWrap.com

3:29 p.m. CST, January 22, 2014
In the 1960s, Bill Cosby proved an African-American could lead a hit show with his Emmy-winning role on “I, Spy.” In the 1980s, he presented one of television’s first prosperous African-American families, changing a generation of TV stereotypes.
Now he will break another barrier: The 76-year-old, who will star in a just-announced NBC sitcom, is more than a decade older than any of “The Golden Girls” were when their show premiered in 1985. Cosby is dramatically increasing the visibility of older Americans at a time when they are often portrayed as doddering, racist fools — if they are portrayed at all.

The insulting portrayals of older people is one of the most obvious ways television panders to the 18-49-year-old demographic most desirable to advertisers.

Fox’s “Dads” is based around two retirement-aged fathers who can’t seem to speak without saying something offensive. The recent “New Normal” featured 59-year-old Ellen Barkin as a grandmother who routinely fired off racist, homophobic remarks. Often when older people are portrayed on television, they represent the backward views that the cool, younger stars are supposed to wince over and attempt to correct.

Cosby’s new show may be a sign that that is changing. Another NBC show in the works, Amy Poehler’s “Old Soul,” will feature Natasha Lyonne as a woman working with seniors as she tries to find herself.

Cable arguably has a better record of presenting older people. TV Land has become a haven for actors who qualify for the AARP: TV Land’s “Hot in Cleveland” features “Golden Girls” star Betty White, one of the few older actors who is as celebrated now as she has been at any point in her career.

The 92-year-old’s schtick is that she is often sharper, more outrageous, and even more sexually voracious than people two generations younger, and NBC has built a prank show around it. On “Betty White’s Off Their Rockers,” older people shock younger ones with their wild, unpredictable behavior.

Cosby’s new show is built around family, not the novelty of old folks still having a blast. It’s especially significant because NBC is currently television’s top network — at least in that beloved 18-49 demo.

The most-watched network overall, however, is CBS — which also happens to be the network with the oldest audience.

It seems like TV may finally be taking note.



Copyright © 2014, Reuters

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favrefan said:"Chris Coghlan isn't gonna pay your rent, Jimmy."

How are they going to make this show if he's dead?

Special Guest:Heath Ledger?

you know, even tho you don't see the cosby show in syndication nearly as much as seinfeld, friends, of even the king of queens for that matter.... you figure bill's set for life on cosby show/syndication $$$ for life, let alone all of the royalties from ghost dad or my personal favorite, leonard part 6.

[insert kdidit's avatar here. or i think it's kdidit, right?]

but yeah the thing with cosby nowadays is that he's so heavy-handed about singlehandedly being mr-uplift-"the-community" that you know whatever show he has will be some pedantic "THIS IS HOW YOU OUGHT TO LIVE, BLACK PEOPLE" show that can't help but get preachy, cuz if the dude has his $$$/status forever cemented, why is he doing this? it has to be the message, you know, like why FOTStein does radio.

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Good people drink good beer - Hunter S. Thompson

<º)))><

Waiting for the time when I can finally say
That this has all been wonderful, but now I'm on my way

Ten Foot Midget should send him a Governor's State sweatshirt to wear on the show

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

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