"Cosby: His Life And Times"

By Steve Kraske,

Published October 13, 2014 at 5:24 PM CDT

He was a pitchman for Jell-O and got us moving with Fat Albert. He was the first black man to star in a television drama and gave fatherly advice in the TV show that bore his name and changed the way many people in America viewed African-Americans.

Bill Cosby, of course, is a stand-up comedian and humanitarian. He’s also a complicated human being who works harder to make his comedy work than it looks like on the outside. Former Newsweek editor Mark Whitaker has written a new biography of the entertainer titled simply, Cosby: His Life and Times. In this edition of Up to Date, Whitaker talks with Steve Kraske about the many faces of Bill Cosby.

Hear More: Mark Whitaker discusses his biography of Bill Cosby on Thursday, October 16, at 6:30 p.m. at the Central Library.

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Steve Kraske

When I host Up To Date each morning at 9, my aim is to engage the community in conversations about the Kansas City area’s challenges, hopes and opportunities. I try to ask the questions that listeners want answered about the day’s most pressing issues and provide a place for residents to engage directly with newsmakers. Reach me at steve@kcur.org or on Twitter @stevekraske.

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Danie Alexander

As senior producer of Up To Date, I want our listeners to hear familiar and new voices that shine light on the issues and challenges facing the myriad communities KCUR serves, and to expose our audiences to the wonderful and the creative in the Kansas City area. Just as important to me is an obligation to mentor the next generation of producers to ensure that the important conversations continue. Reach me at alexanderdk@kcur.org.

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