PROFILE
FROM Mark Whitaker
Cosby: His Life and Times Long before he played Dr. Cliff Huxtable on The Cosby Show, Bill Cosby was a stand-up comedian in Greenwich Village, telling the shrewdly observed stories that would become his trademark. In his new biography of Bill Cosby, author Mark Whitaker explores the life of the comedy legend and pitch man, including those early years. He tells Kim Masters about Cosby’s groundbreaking role in the 1965 adventure series I Spy. In the book, Whitaker looks at Cosby’s career high points and low points, from almost losing everything when a production partnership went bad, to landing one of the most lucrative syndication deals in television history with The Cosby Show--a sitcom that almost fell apart before even shooting the pilot. Whitaker also discusses one dark aspect of Cosby’s personal life he opted to leave out of the book: multiple allegations of sexual assault. Author Mark Whitaker
Recommended
In 'Speechless,' Scott Silveri combines comedy, family & disability Scott Silveri has written and produced sitcoms for more than 20 years. In all that time, he never encountered a TV family that looked anything like the one he grew up in -- with a mom, a dad...and a brother with cerebral palsy. He changed that with his show Speechless on ABC. Silveri tells us about looking to his own past for stories, and why he was determined to make a family comedy and not just a "disability show."
'Dandelion and Quince,' food and crime, 'All About Eggs' Sarah Lohman talks about the murder and historic recipes that form the backbone of her new book, “Ohio 1910,” and Rachel Khong shares highlights from Lucky Peach’s last cookbook, “All About Eggs.” Michelle Mckenzie tells us how to cook oft-forgotten fruits, veggies and herbs, and Jonathan Gold reviews AR Cucina in Culver City. Plus: raspberries at the market and a special guest DJ set from Alton Brown.
Revisiting showrunner Steven Bochco on his memoir Steven Bochco, the writer-producer behind record-breaking Emmy winners Hill Street Blues, LA Law and NYPD Blue, fought battles with everyone from out-of-control actors to network censors in his long career. He isn’t afraid to tell those tales in his memoir, Truth Is a Total Defense. This week we revisit the conversation where he shared some of his favorite stories with us.
How do Trump supporters feel about the Paris Accord? Globally and around the U.S., there are strong opinions whether or not the Paris Climate Accord is a good idea. The American exit is either a horrifying abdication of American leadership or a forceful and long overdue statement about U.S. sovereignty.