humor

The doctor tells Cosby he has to lower his cholesterol. No more fatty meals, no more salty snacks, and while we're at it, no more cigars. Cosby has a few things to say about this disturbing turn of events.

This reads like a Cosby monologue, almost stream-of-consciousness, whatever's on his mind. It's funny, but mostly in a low-key way, not like a stand-up routine with lots of laughs. He reminisces about the old days, when he ate whatever he wanted, such as four buttery croissants for breakfast, with jam and extra butter on each one. He talk about his new regimen of sensible portions. Sure, the doctor tells him, you can still have pepperoni pizza, but just one slice. And only every three months.

The funniest bits include the story of his mother, who was quite resourceful at hiding her favorite forbidden food, porkchops, from her grown children, who were trying to keep her on her diet.

Another funny book from the Coz.

In an amusing account of life and food, Bill Cosby examines the state of his
health and mourns his favorite foods in I AM WHAT I ATE ... AND I'M FRIGHTENED.
Cosby talks about turning 65 and becoming aware of his body in ways that he
never examined before. He lightly deals with the ills of aging and how what
you can eat changes dramatically as you age. In a number of anecdotes and
stories, he talks about visits to the doctor, aches and pains, cholesterol,
and eating in moderation. Presented in classic Cosby style, he exaggerates his
life experiences in ways that will have you hollering in laughter. For
example in one chapter he illustrates how young people think they are
invincible by telling a story from his youth where he went out to see his
girlfriend in 20 degree weather wearing only a thin cotton school jacket.
Cosby takes you with him as he waits for the bus and his fingers start to go
numb onto the very end when he discovers that he has lost his bus fare. My

favorite chapter in the book was on entitled "Moderation" and Cosby lets you
know in a humorous way just how little he knows about it.

Cosby keeps his tone light and avoids becoming preachy on a topic that has been
dear to him for a long time. We all remember The Cosby Show and Bill hiding
hoagies and other tasty treats. In this book, he shares a few regrets about
the food choices of his past while trying to strike a balance in his current
eating habits. I AM WHAT I ATE... AND I'M FRIGHTENED is filled with funny
stories and his personal insights on food.

Reviewed by Diane Marbury
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

Since childhood, Cosby has made me laugh. He's proven that humor can be funny and clean simultaneously. His facial gestures, his voices, his rolled eyes, all add to the comedic experience.

In "I Am What I Ate..." Cosby tackles the issues of health and dying in the grand tradition of irreverence. Speaking from a platform of retirement age, he can get away with this--particularly when he's throwing barbs at himself. The sections on food and smoking had me laughing out loud. Interspersed, Cosby adds some wry insight to the indulgent American mindset. The writing is conversational and breezy. I could almost imagine that Bill Cosby was reading it aloud.

And that's my only complaint. He wasn't reading it. He wasn't even in the room. Much of his humor works wonderfully in a live setting, but here it brought mostly smiles, few actual laughs.

For a lightweight look at a heavyweight subject, this book is fun. I'd still rather see the man live. Please, Cosby, hold off on any funerals...we love having you around!