W. Kamau Bell, director and executive producer. We Need to Talk
About Cosby. Showtime, 2022.
The docu-series We Need to Talk About Cosby, released in
January 2022, documents the rise and startling fall of comedian,
actor, educator, and author Bill Cosby. After years on the comedy
circuit, Cosby gained national adoration, becoming "America's
Dad" alongside other beloved actors like Bob Saget or James
Avery from Full House and Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. However, in
2014 allegations of sexual assault and misconduct were brought
forward against Cosby from over 60 different women spanning
over four decades. Thus, comedian, writer, actor, activist, and
director W. Kamau Bell decided to discuss the once-beloved
actor. Through this series, Bell points out how Cosby boosted the
Black community in the U.S. while also being honest about the
allegations brought forward. Most notably, Bell received an
Emmy Award for his CNN docu-series, United Shades of America
with W. Kamau Bell. Throughout the docu-series the question
prevails of whether one can separate the artist from the
allegations?
Whether it was I Spy (1965 - 1968), Fat Albert and the
Cosby Kids (1972 - 1985), or The Cosby Show (1984 - 1992), most
people grew up watching Bill Cosby. Revolutionary within the
business, he also gave representation to thousands. By revealing
his accomplishment, Bell also includes the testimonies of Cosby’s
victims, exposing that when he was creating a path for future
black comedians and actors, he was simultaneously assaulting
dozens of women. Inviting over 30 scholars, entertainers, editors,
and professionals to join in chronicling this history, the scholars
also describe the red flags during his career. The docu-series is an
indepth look not only at Cosby’s career but how he was able to
conceal his true nature from society. The tone within these four
parts is severe and heartbreaking but becomes digestible for the
audience with direction and guidance. Part One focuses primarily
on Cosby’s rise to fame, detailing his actions during the Civil
Rights Movement and critical support of black entertainers.
Nonetheless, it also divulges his first moments abusing power and
notoriety. Part Two delves into how Cosby created his persona as
Film/TV Reviews
an educator, anti-drug advocate, and trusted man paired with
traumatic and painful stories of the women who experienced his
abuse firsthand.
As the series continues, the focus shifts to introducing the
charming and relatable Cliff Huxtable. The Cosby Show
revolutionized the Black American family. Bell parallels this
episode to the #MeToo Movement, alluding numerous times that
the continued abuse was feasible because Cosby used his
reputation, unlike other abusers, who used intimidation and fear
tactics. As a result, he was able to hide his egregious actions
through a combination of trust, power, authority, and adoration. It
would only be after comedian Hannibal Buress made several
comments at a show that women began to come forward with
allegations of assault and misconduct against Bill Cosby, who was
77 years old at the time. After he was found guilty, everyone,
including Bell, believed it was finally over. However, in 2021, a
legal technicality freed him.
This docu-series aims to show the true nature of a man
once considered a hero and entertainer. Erstwhile depicted as
"America's Dad," he is lined up with sexual predators such as R.
Kelly, Matt Lauer, Harvey Weinstein, Louis C.K, and other
CEOs, entertainers, and politicians in powerful positions. With
the testimonies of survivors and a platform for discussion, this
docuseries invites a diverse group of speakers such as Gloria
Allred, an American Women's rights attorney, Jelani Cobb, a
professor at Columbia University, and Ebony magazine editor
Kierna Mayo. W. Kamau Bell explains the impact this docu-series
has on the #MeToo movement, on rape culture, and the power of
perceptions involving seemingly untouchable figures. For
audiences grappling with complicated feelings surrounding a once
loved and famed man, this series publicizes the narrative for in
direct, unpreachy ways, allowing them to form their own opinions
from the substantial facts.
Monay D. Brown
