Bill Cosby Punch Smothers Tommy Smothers (Family TV Icon Decks Folk Singer over Civil Rights Slur)

New York Post ^ | April 20, 2003 | Richard Johnson

[ewing]

Bill Cosby wasn't always the affable family man that he plays on television.

Angered by taunts that he didn't do enough in the civil rights struggle, Cosby once sucker punched Tommy Smothers according to Gerald Nachmans new book.

Smothers recalls Cosby told him, 'Maybe I will give you a knock upside the head one of these days. I said, 'Yeah, go ahead and give it a try.'

A few weeks later Cosby made good on his threat when the two ran into each other at one of Hugh Hefners Playboy Mansion parties.

'I should have never turned my back on him,' Smothers said. 'He didn't have the b*lls to do it when I was looking.'

'He slipped behind Hugh Hefner and sucker punched me. He hit me right in the head with his fist.'

Smothers went down, the book reports, at which point Cosby began shouting 'Come onm I will kick your *ss!.'

[zook]

Well, I guess that settles it. Now that cabbieguy has decided what's funny and what's not we all just better line up and shut up. Geez, must be tons of fun around his house with him passing out his weekly equivalent of the "Red Channels" media guide to family members.

[corsair]

Do a search on an op-ed she wrote not too long after their son Ennis Cosby was murdered by some creep in Calif. Ennis Cosby was shot dead by an immigrant, Russian I believe.

[stand watie]

LOL!

[rockrr]

Hmmm. I must not have gotten cabbieguy's newsletter.
I grew up on Cosby's party albums - used to recite skits from them at school until I was threatened with suspension (my fifth grade teacher didn't share my sense of humor I guess ;'}. I had the "privilege" of meeting Cosby a couple of years ago. I was part of the technical support staff that was hosting a meeting that Cosby attended. I got a taste of reverse racism that left an indelible impression.
Why is it that all our heroes have to die as we get older?

[Katya]

Yessssss....way to go Bill.

[Katya]

I participated in a UN Children of the World holiday special, when I was in grade school back in the 70's. Cosby was one of the hosts....he was really terrific, and used the hours of waiting time to entertain us kiddies. His co-host was Florence Henderson, and she was definitely not child friendly, and rather whiney and bitchy.

[american spirit]

She probably hates all those slurpy, surupy white people that fawn and grovel all over her and her husband like they're actually worth it. I don't like those kind of twits either.

[zook]

Understood. I have no doubt that Cosby is an egoistic ass. But I guess there are still a lot of asses in this world that I appreciate on some level or another.

BTW, there's a good description of the "flawed" process Cosby went through in getting his PhD in a book called "Education's Smoking Gun." I can't remember the author, but he served on Cosby's doctoral committee.

[savedbygrace]

Art Linkletter's "Kids Say the Darnest Things" segment on House Party was about the kids, not Linkletter.

Cosby's version is about Cosby, with the kids as props.

He has become detestable. But I think equally little of the Smothers.

IMO.

[Big Guy and Rusty 99]

My dentist’s office manager was a bunny back in the 60’s. I have seen pictures.

[dennisw]

ping