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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
HOMECOMING
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2004
Cosby brings back celebrity trend
BY LAUREN DEBARK
correspondent@kansan.com
KANSAN CORRESPONDENT
The University of Kansas celebrated this year's Homecoming in style. Bill Cosby paid the student body a visit.
The 67-year-old comedian best known for his work on the 1980s sitcom, The Cosby Show, that aired for eight years, appeared at Allen Fieldhouse on Tuesday at 8 p.m. Tickets were $15 for students and $25 for general admission.
The University has had its share of famous faces during Homecoming. The Homecoming of '72 welcomed Ray Charles and Della Reese. The concert was originally scheduled for Allen Fieldhouse, but moved to the Hoch Auditorium because not enough tickets were sold. Reese impressed the crowd with songs like Proud Mary and It's the Real Thing. Ray Charles danced on stage and performed songs such as Yesterday.
songs such as You Are Homecoming of '73 made history with the arrival of Sonny and Cher. Before the duo's appearance, Allen Fieldhouse had never seen such an astounding turn-out. Sonny and Cher dazzled the audience with their flashy costumes, while singing hits such as I Got You Babe.
In 1974, Homecoming was celebrated with celebrities, such as Dionne Warwick and the Righteous Brothers. In the following years, however, celebrity appearances seemed to dwindle. Perhaps that is why Bill Cosby, a well-known public figure in many aspects, was invited for this year's Homecoming activities.
Many students may be curious
why such a big-name celebrity was chosen to entertain at this year's celebration. Chris Kaufman, homecoming codirector, said the committee members wanted to bring someone who would unite the University and the Lawrence community, rather than just having a football game.
"Most people thought Cosby would be speaking about education, but it's actually an hour and a half comedy act," Kaufman said.
Joan Grosdidier, administrative assistant for University Relations, said that inviting wellknown guests to Homecoming used to be a tradition at the University, but ended in recent years.
"Famous speakers like Bob Hope and the Beach Boys came to KU. That's when homecoming was a huge deal," Grosdidier said
Richard Johnson, dean of students, said he hoped bringing Bill Cosby to the University would help to revive an old tradition. Johnson said that Cosby travels to many universities. Johnson can remember as a student at Oregon State, Cosby appeared and entertained the students there, he said.
Bill Cosby has been in the entertainment industry for more than 30 years. Although he is most often recognized for his humor, Cosby also has a passion for education and community involvement. He received his master's and doctorate in education from the University of Massachusetts.
Bill Cosby and his wife, Camille Cosby, have 5 children together. Their son, Ennis, was murdered at age 27, on Jan.16,
1997, while fixing a tire off the freeway in Los Angeles.
Cosby is a civic activist who donates his time and money to philanthropies, including $20 million to Spelman College.
Cosby is seen as one of the most influential entertainers in America. He has won a number of awards during his career, including 8 Grammy Awards. He was also the first AfricanAmerican performer to win an Emmy Award for his role in I Spy.
He recorded eight certified Gold Record Albums, received the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award, wrote numerous books on The New York Times Best Seller List, and proved to be the most effective spokesman for the Iell-O campaign.
jell-O campaign.
At times, his outspoken approach to such topics as the African-American culture receives less than favorable reviews; however, Cosby continues to voice his opinions. At the 50th Anniversary of the 1954 Supreme Court Case Brown v. Board of Education, Cosby spoke about the consequences of not preparing African-American children for today's society. He criticized parents for buying their children expensive sneakers, rather than investing in Hooked on Phonics. His overall message was to work toward improvement through education.
When asked about pleasing others, Bill Cosby has said, "I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is to try to please everyone."
Edited by Johanna M. Maska
Bill Cosby brought back a tradition of celebrity guests for homecoming earlier this week. Sonny and Cher and Ray Charles are some former famous guests. Alex Plassmeyer/KANSAN
At least 3,000 filled students filled Allen Fieldhouse to hear Cosby speak on Tuesday, Oct. 5.
Alex Plassmeyer/KANSAN