From 1984-1992, The Cosby Show was a hit with television and it made history by being the first Black television show to hit # 1 in the ratings. Many loved seeing positive images of Blacks on television as opposed to seeing the sterotypes of Blacks living in the projects, ghetto and commiting crimes. While many loved to see a family where both parents were professionals, there were many however who felt and still feel that the show didn't deal with other issues surrounding Blacks including intercultural racism and classism, and while the show did show Claire Huxtable reprimending her children when they misbehaved and lied, many felt the show wasn't Black enough.
Me and my best friend Donald Peebles were talking about the show's impact, history, and how Cosby had the family portrayed, and we were talking about the experiences of most middle and upper class Black families go through and began to speak on how the Huxtables would be living in real life in this day of age.
HEATHCLIFF HUXTABLE-A Retired doctor who spents most of his time volunteering and at home watching television, hanging out with his buddies and trying to enjoy his retirement, but is unable to due to certain things that happens within the family. In addition to coping with the loss of his mother, he is still having issues trying to get over Denise dropping out of Hillman and becoming an wife and stepmother to Martin's daughter Olivia as well as returning to a Cuny school and earning her degree in Education-History and Literture. He's also coping that Sondra his favorite daughther is giving the family a bad reputation.
CLAIR HUXTABLE-An attorney and partner at the firm that she works for still practices law, and living an active professional and social life. She also still makes time for her children and grandchildren, who she loves, nurtures and comforts. She's also tired of Cliff's childish beef he has with Denise, who is doing well for herself (better than Sondra),tired of his views concerning one of his grandsons. She also has to help Sondra with her crisis. Especially when she reveals to Cliff that Sondra may not be his child. It's revealed that when and Cliff broke up temporary, she briefly (and secretly dated) two guys. A Black student who has his own business and a White Soul Singer from Welsh, who would later ask Claire to become his US attorney.
SONDRA HUXTABLE-An attorney and divorced mother of twins. Sondra was Cliff's golden and favorite child who could do no wrong in his eyes. She had went to Princeton College, became an attorney, married an doctor and was raising her twins who would turn out different in more ways than you would expect. Sondra still thinks she's hot shit and the best until Denise steals the spotlight from her, which causes their feud to become hotter. Sondra can't accept the fact that Denise turns out better than her. Sondra becomes so bitter and jealous, that her work suffers, but things get worse when she loses a high profile case to an young Black Ebony Complexion Female Prosecutor, who's a combination of Christine Blair from the Young & Restless and Author/Prosecutor Starr Jones. Sondra begins to drink heavily, to the point of losing her drivers license, her marriage, and winds up being arrested for running down Denise who gives tells her about herself.
DENISE HUXTABLE-KENDALL-An teacher/Guidance Counselor at Hillman High Academy, successful award-winning author, wife and mother of two. After giving birth to her son and returning to the states in 1994, Denise decides to re-enroll at Medgar Evers College, and not only does she thrive and does well academically, she's asked to be the Valenvictorian for the graduating class of 1999, and gets recruited by several grad schools (Howard, Penn State, Temple, University of Miami, UCLA, Pace, Fordham University, Brooklyn, Hillman). Denise decides to go to Brooklyn College and thrives there as well. With the execption of Cliff and Sondra, the whole family is proud of her success including Grandpa Huxtable and Claire, who throws Denise several graduation parties including inviting several of her friends from Hillman including Whitley, Dwayne, Jalessa, Maggie, Ron, Lettie and even Millie. Upon receiving her Masters, Denise decides to teach at Hillman's newly formed high school where she becomes a favorite. She also becomes close with her niece and newphew who confide in her especially when their parents throw their old-fashioned and narrowed minded views at them.
THEO HUXTABLE-An special education junior high IS 109. Theo has been teaching at the famous school since 1997, and he has helped many special education students thrive and achieve higher learning. In fact most of his students have beat the odds and enrolled in several of the city's tops schools including Brooklyn Tech, Bishop Lougling, Murrary Berturm, Bronx High School of Science, School of Aviation, The High School of the Performing Arts in Brooklyn and Manhattan as well as several boarding schools out of state. Most of Theo's students have done well, and they still keep in contact with him. Theo's personal life isn't as great. His girlfriend Justine, had died from cancer shortly after Denise's graduation, and his former student Stanley, who despite being dyslexic graduated from Murray Bertum, BMCC and the University of Miami, was murdered while coming from a concert with his Dark-skinned girlfriend. Theo has spend most of his time and energy teaching and tutoring as a way to cope with her passing. Many urged him to date, and it's hard especially since they were together for a long period of time. He begins to re-enter the dating scene when he reconnects with his childhood friend Cockroach, who is doing well in life.
VANESSA HUXTABLE-The Director of marketing at an advertising agency. After graduating from Lincoln University, Vanessa had managed to secure a job at an Advertising agency where she worked to becoming the director of marketing. Unlike her older sisters, Vanessa isn't interested in marriage, and enjoys living the single life, with her best friend Cara who also works at the same agency as the director of international publicity due in part of her fluency in English, Spanish and German. In addition to having a great career, Vanessa is still outspoken and is constantly at odd with Sondra, Elvin and her father over how they raised their kids, their old-fashioned views (especially Elvin's) her not wanting to be married to Robert her first love, who is an successful television and stage actor and producer.
RUDY HUXATABLE-A graduate of Spellman who is a case manager in Manhattan. Rudy is an case manager at AIDS organization where she is loved by all the clients for her fun outgoing love spirit and her passion for making sure her clients gets the support and respect they need. Like Vanessa she has issues with Elvin's narrow-minded thinking, and isn't ready to marry, which causes problems with her relationship with Kenny who despite many efforts to change still has his narrow-minded views. Rudy finally leaves him one night after catching her former friend perform oral sex on Kenny in a club. Hurt and felling betrayed, she runs into the arms of Peter, who has lost his baby and begin dating, causing Kenny to become stalking to the point where she has to get a restraining order against him. Rudy and Peter work hard on their interracial relationship.
GRANDPA RUSSELL HUXTABLE-Is still coping with the loss of his wife of several years. While he misses her, he still keeps himself busy by traveling and spending time with his family including Denise who he is proud of as well as Nelson and Winnie. He's also tired of Cliff's beef with Denise and lets him know that he needs to grow up and get over it, reminding him that Denise not only is doing well for herself, that she was the one who helped Sondra and Elvin come to their senses about moving out of that tacky apartment, and how Denise helped him and Anna have a greater appreciation of African History.
ELVIN TIBIDEAU-A surgeon, husband and father of three-Elvin had become an surgeon, and while he's a great doctor, he is in need of an long-overdue heart and brain transplant. Despite trying to change, he still has his sexist views, and wants his kids to be proper-Ivy League especially his daughter Winnie, who gives him fever during her college years. He also had hoped for his son to have a career as a doctor and marry a successful yet submissive woman. Those plans are thrown out the window when he learns that his son wants to pursue a career in media and he has no plan to settle down with a woman. When Elvin learns that his son is dating an Dark-skinned African American/African Panamanian from Flatbush, his Caribbean roots and views come out and it causes tension between the two. Elvin is also trying to deal with Sondra's beef with Denise and her constantly crying about losing the high profile case to the point where he's temporarily suspended after a patient he was performing surgery on goes into a coma. Hurt and defeated he has an affair with a woman and gets her pregnant causing his problems to go from bad to worse.
WALTER COCKROACK OR C.R.BRADLEY-A successful party international party promoter-Cock Roach or C.R. as he's now called reconnects with Theo in early 2000's one night at Miami beach where Theo is vacationing with Denise and her family. Cockroach explains that while his family was in Florida for the Christmas holiday, his mother began to have headaches. Shortly before they were scheduled to leave, the headaches had gotten worse, and after getting her to a doctor, it was discovered that she had a brain tumor, so have surgery, and a few days later, his dad learned that his job was letting people go, but because his dad was a disabled veteran who had worked at his job for over twenty years, they couldn't let him go, and he was able to get transferred to the Florida branch. So he had to stay with his mom while his dad sold the house. Cock Roach had finished high school and graduated from Florida A&M, and became one of the industry's most sought after promoters. He informs Theo that he had lost his girlfriend in 911 and it's hard being that he has moved and is focusing on raising their son. He helps Theo see that he can live again.
WINNIE TIBIDEAU-Sondra's and Elvin's twin daughter a former student at Princeton and an Hillman Transfer student. Winnie is Sondra and Elvin's twin daughter, who is an earthy, outspoken, female who is proud of her Blackness and stands up for herself and people she loves. Especially Denise, and her brother Nelson. Though Winnie grew comes from a working middle class Black family, she doesn't act like she's better than others and one of her pet peeves are seeing uppity snobby Blacks put down others because they're from the projects or are welfare and social security. The biggest thorns in her side are her parents thinking that they're better than everybody and her mom's jealousy of Denise who is more than a mother to her. Winnie also enjoys life and parties, hang out while maintaining a 3.90 GPA.
NELSON-TIBIDEAU-Sondra's and Elvin's twin son a student at Hillman College. Nelson is Sondra and Elvin's twin son, who's into art, music and urban culture and is majoring in communications and urban studies, while working part-time in the school's counseling office and when he's not working and studying, he spends most of his time with his boyfriend Selwyn An Dark-Skinned African American/African Panamanian guy who rocks street fashion (baggy jeans, timberlands, polo boots, nikeys and adidas)was Nelson's close friend which dates back to elementary school with. They had lost touch when Selwyn was accepted to a private school on an academic and athletic scholarship. They friendship rekindled after bumping into each other in the village where they both learned they were going to Hillman. They later attended concert that featured openly Gay Rappers and after the show they learned they they had crushes on each other and they begin to date. Nelson having a Caribbean father has fears about coming out, so he confides in Denise who tells him that there was nothing wrong with being Gay and that Selwyn who is proud to be a Black Latino and is book and street smart is a great guy to be with. Nelson tells his parents who freak out and bitch about how he's making the family look bad, and that they won't accept it. Nelson tells them that he's not gonna be forced to live a false life and things get worse when he informs that Denise accepts him and that he will spend his vacations at her house with his boyfriend who stands up to Elvin. Nelson is hurt at his parents reaction, but he lives his life and spends time with his boyfriend who like him are attending Hillman on scholarships chilling attending rallies and prides and making hot passionate love.
MARTIN KENDALL-A retired Navy Man who is working as Olivia's manager. Since retiring from the Navy, Martin had tried to work as a civilian, but like many military veterans who are used to traveling, he found it hard to adjust being home, so when his daughter Olivia was began to pursue a singing career, he decided to go on the road with her as her tour manager to prevent her from getting involved with drugs and alcohol. Despite the time on the road, he still manages to have a successful marriage to Denise and a good father to their son.
PAM TUCKER-A Doctor at Thomas Jefferson University. Pam had decided to follow in Cliff's footsteps and become a doctor. After graduating from Temple University's undergrad and medical school, she began to work at Thomas Jefferson University, and was interviewed by several medical publications. She still keeps in touch with Charmaine.
STANLEY-Theo's former student at the after school program, who was discovered to have dyslexia, had got the proper help and managed to get accepted into Murray Bertuam High School and graduated with a B- GPA. He went to the borough of Manhattan Community College, where he earned an Associates Degree Liberal Arts, then he enrolled in the University of Miami where he earned his Bachelors Degree in Communications and a job doing Public Relations for a record company, making Theo who he kept in touch with proud. He did try to pursue a relationship with Rudy, but they decided to remain friends due to Kenny's jealously and to avoid conflict with Theo and his parents (though Clair would have rather Rudy and him date), so he later fell in love with a Dark-Skinned female from Coney Island who had graduated from Stuyvesant High School and Tuskegee University. They had a great relationship and they would volunteer at the center twice a month. In fact they were in the process of building a summer home in the south and expecting their first child when tragedy struck. Shortly after Halloween, Stanley and his girlfriend were returning from a friend's house warming, when a female who was drug addict asked them for money. They offered her a plate of food, she declined, so they attempted to leave, but the addict continue to harass them, to the point where she attempted to attack his pregnant girlfriend. Stanley pushed her away and as they tried to leave the addict pulled out a shot him, and ran. Stanley was rushed to the hospital and was on life support but managed to see his son who was named Stan Theodore before he died, and many came out to his wake, funeral and burial including The Huxtables who was hurt, especially Theo who took his death hard and along with Stanley's mother pushed for the NYPD to investigate. The female was later captured, arrested and sentenced for murder to the first degree.
KENNY A/K/A BUD: Bud still had tried to change his ways but couldn't. He did graduate from More House and got a job doing office work. He dated Rudy, but they were having conflicts due to his ignorant ways and his homophobia and things go from bad to worse when Rudy catches him receiving a blow job Carolyn, who also revealed that she and Kenny were seeing each other on the side.
2 comments:
Bill Cosby would really blush.
Yep he would
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