The past several years have found Bill Cosby making headlines for his outspoken reprimands of the black underclass, his comedy taking a back seat to his need to express his feelings on anything from rap music to the culture of parenting in the African-American community. The good-natured, fun-loving Cosby was replaced by a grumpy old man, and the funny was nowhere to be found. But never fear — I recently caught him on The Tonight Show, and he's back at it with the vigor of any 70-year-old comic, his trademark brand of anecdotal stand-up performed from the comfort of a chair and punctuated by his usual variety of exaggerated facial expressions. The highlight of his short talk show set? His confession that he purchased an electric toothbrush because he was sick and tired of watching his naked self jiggle in the mirror when he brushed by hand. Sat., Feb. 10, 5 and 8 p.m., Ruth Eckerd Hall, 1111 N. McMullen-Booth Road, Clearwater, $39-$60, 727-791-7400, rutheckerdhall.com.
This article appears in Feb 7-13, 2007.