Historic Films Stock Footage Archive: DS-196

00:00:23 1.72	The David Susskind Show - opener
00:00:40 17.79	David Susskind Good evening, I'm David Susskind. My guest tonight are two men who have wide ranging interests. The television star of Bill Cosby and Johnny Garavelli, owner one of New York's top restaurants. Bravo Johnny. Join us as we discuss friendship, fatherhood, fame, and yes, food will begin after this pause.
00:01:01 39.43	David Susskind My next guest can talk about anything, and they're very good at it. Because you see, they're interested in just about everything under the sun. Please meet them now. First Bill Cosby. Is there anyone in America who doesn't know Bill Cosby know? His show business career has been long and illustrious. And his current television program is the most popular show on the air and perhaps the most popular show of all time. He is also married and the father of five and he has written a book called Fatherhood. Johnny Garavelli is the owner of Bravo Johnny, one of the top Italian restaurants in New York City. Bill Cosby and I are both regulars there, and so are Peter Ueberroth. Swifty Lizzar. And oh, yes, Anthony Quinn. Johnny is married and the father of one child. I should confess to the audience that this strange grouping is all Johnny's work. Gianni ? David Susskind 01:35 Now he said to me one night how would you like to have me and Bill Cosby as a guest? Cosby That's what he said? Gianni That's what I told you. Would you like to go on the show with me and Susskind? Speaker 1 Cosby I didn't know you put it like that. Gianni I push. Cosby I thought you just said you were going on the show. And would I like to come with you Speaker 2 01:51 Gianni Billy you know I wouldn't do nothing without you. But i mean after all i earned the respect. 01:59 Bill Cosby But I thought this was your program.
00:02:22 120.49	Speaker 2 02:00 Gianni No this is the program. You know, Mr. Suskind told me one night we got to do something more. Yes. Since we became a classic. Yes. I mean, we've been every years lately. (Cosby:That's right). Talking about food about restaurants, about beautiful people. I say you know, David, I think I going to ask for Mr. Cosby. I think Mr. Cosby love to do it because he's a terrific gourmet. He discussed food like a professional. His hobby is cooking. I don't know what he's cookng. But, I say let's try. (Cosby:Yeah). And went the way it's supposed to be. There we are, on TV on TV, believe it or not.(Cosby: in person) Only in America. (Cosby: because our friend). Because our friend, Mr. Suskind. (Susskind: Thank you) I am delighted to be here. But thank you very much. Cosby And now I'm happy cause I didn't know how i got here at first Speaker 2 03:07 Gianni Did you? I did I didn't see it? I do. David Susskind 03:11 Yes. Cosby So why don't we get stuck about No, we're just happy to be here.
00:03:40 198.12	David Susskind 03:17 I know that is impossible get you on in ordinary terms to come on a tqlk show on the grounds that you talk to yourself dry. Speaker 1 03:25 Cosby Well, I'm not dry. I'm not dry. It's just that the subject matter is worn. And the same thing comes out over and over. And after awhile, I get bored. So I change the answers. And I begin to contradict myself, which is quite easy to do. Susskind Would you give me an illustration of that? Cosby Yeah, ask me a question that everyone has asked, surely. David Susskind 03:51 Okay, How closely does your TV family resemble your real family? Speaker 1 03:57 Cosby It doesn't, at all, because we really have eight children, all boys, and I know nothing about women. David Susskind 04:09 In fact, you have three daughters. You have four daughters and a son. Speaker 1 04:14 See there you go. Changing the thing already, so you get tired of answering the same thing. David Susskind 04:20 Another question you must be bored with it. Is it more difficult to raise daughters than sons?
00:04:47 264.95	Speaker 1 04:24 Cosby I'm not really bored with them? It's just that when I'm on television, I get this feeling that people I'm DeJavu'ing everyone. David Susskind 04:36 We all have a sense of you. I hear you say that before. Speaker 1 04:39 Cosby Yes, please. Yeah, but now this show is going to be different because we're going to talk about one of our favorite restaurants. We're going to talk about one of our favorite foods and how easy it is to to just walk in and begin to to eat and get too many calories in your body, but not care. Susskind That's a thrilling subject you want to stick around Speaker 2 05:09 Gianni I did tell you before and I repeat again, that everyone, including this gentleman, has the feeling of coming in my place, thinking, we're gonna diet here tonight. Give me a big nice roast fish. You realize that before that Roast fish there is a big dish of rigatoni, a la' Cosby that we have invented one afternoon as a matter of fact, together, me and Mr. Cosby. And uh people more and more they think I am having Sweet and Low with my coffee. But the big fish and a good dish of pasta. We believe that Mr. Cosby is one of those people that he still gave orders to eat. It happened to come three days, three times in one day. Yes. For lunch, for dinner and supper with famous guests. Celebraties.
00:06:47 384.92	Speaker 1 06:24 Cosby One day, one one day um I had to have a lunch meeting with Esther Ferguson whose a wonderful, wonderful woman. And I brought along two other female friends, Gloria Foster, Yes. And Susan Fail's mother. And then we ate the lunch. Uh at six o'clock that evening I had Mrs. Cosby and Bill Cosby (Johnny: Do you know him?). Yes, And we ate. And then at 11:30 Johnny stayed open so that my ex next door neighbor, Jack Lemmon and his wife could eat, so i ate three times in one day. Speaker 2 07:24 Gianni I should say better, you're less than me. 07:28 Cosby But I still I sat there and I started to pick up and and it's terrible. Gianni And that was a very fantastic evening if I remember David Susskind 07:38 what is it about the food and the ambience and the rest of it that has made it a runaway success.
00:08:07 465.7	Speaker 1 07:45 Cosby First of all, I think that Italian people, Italian people, whether they be Italian American or Italian Italian are a very warm, the word simpatico, they make you feel good even if you've never met them before, even even ones that that like to feel a little macho, make you feel wonderful when you walk in of course you say Bill Cosby but I've seen them do it for people who were not quote unquote celebrities and they make you feel wonderful. Even if the table is being used at the time they they give away they know how to play the game of giveaway love while you're waiting we give you a drink we give you a they bring a snack. They bring 08:33 Gianni bankruptcy. Speaker 1 08:36 Cosby Yeah but but one of the great times I saw him upset I came in and he had a ball of sweat running just coming down like this 08:47 Gianni That was the Russian sable night Speaker 1 08:49 Cosby Yes and somehow in this cloak room, they couldn't find this woman's sable coat and the longer it took John to find the coat, the higher the price went on the coat. It started at 3500 And by the time John really couldn't find it, it was $35,000 09:12 gianni I was decided to buy the coat for the lady Speaker 1 09:15 Cosby No and no Gianni by the by Gianni said Gianni didn't want trouble but the people were getting a little off and Gianni said sir please it's I guess he had already by the time we got there, given the check up you know and throwing the check up so that the people wouldnt be excited waiting so the check was gone. Now they can't find a coat and then finally Gianni said it's all right. I'm sending, you have it, you have 35,000
00:10:09 586.81	Speaker 2 Gianni I say make a check for $35,000 and let's just stop this. I don't like it. Speaker 1 09:49 Cosby But he didn't look good at all. I mean the ball of sweat was running. Speaker 2 09:53 I remember I met you in my kitchen that very moment. I run away from that David Susskind 10:02 What happened to the $35,000? Speaker 2 10:06 Gianni We found it. Actually the coat was a gift to the lady that she said this is not my coat. Speaker 1 10:12 Cosby supposedly Giann and the lady working the coatroom said, here's your coat and the woman said, no, this is not my coat. And so they put it back and they looked some more. And then they brought the same coat out again. And they like it. I started second time she likes it but that right away but what stopped me from ever wanting to own a restaurant, that little thing owned by a sable coat. No, that's all right. No owning a restaurant because I think every every person male or female uh from age, I guess let's say 30 on would love to own a restaurant. People don't know they want to stand they want to be able to sit down at a table and say, well how was it or going back and fiddle around and fool with the food and bring it out and they want to have a menu and they want to be able to say this is my place and and and there's a there's this mystique. 11:08 Gianni but tell me what happened to the sleeve of your wife.
00:11:33 671.08	Speaker 1 11:11 Cosby Well she came in without sleeves. My wife has a coat without sleeves. Nom she does. So she checked it and it was the night after the sable coat affair. And and so we ate and we came out and she put the coat on said Giann there's no sleeves on this coat Gianni go away again. 11:31 Cosby Gianni good. Gianni. I said and each sleeve was $35,00. It's all right t just write me a check. I don't care anymore. I don't care. David Susskind 11:41 Incidentally, the food is wonderful in the place. Aside from the fur coat fun you have there. Speaker 1 11:49 Cosby You know the thing that goes along with with with great food of course. Is is what you guys call ambience. You go well you you know I don't call it ambience I call it personality. Speaker 2 12:03 Gianni I think you call. I think I've been I have been capable. Me and my staff. The people that work with me two three. Celebrity like celebrity wants to be treated. Regular people that they come finally they find a place where they sit down and they have no the bothers having everybody alone. Let me do this. I hate to publicize that Bill Cosby's coming to it every night in my place. I hate to publicize that David Suskind is always there. I hate to say things some papers like many others colleague of mine do. It's a little place is a place that they make good food. I remember that American is a beautiful Italian name. And I cook for the Americans.
00:13:20 778.17	Speaker 1 12:57 Cosby By the way, I I also ate with him one evening after the restaurant shut down. And I think most of us would love to have that opportunity to eat with the owner, and the cook, and the waiters. And and get into, we always think they're the holding something special back. You know it's like in the Chinese restaurant. You go to Chinatown and you see a table with what you suspect to be Chinese people and you look at what they're ordering and you say that's something special. They get their eating something special over there and they should put some more whatever and until I had that opportunity and I want you to know that the food was too salty. What was that we had that was too salty that you ate that time? Speaker 2 13:49 Gianni We had Pasta Fagioli. Cosby Fagioli was so, and they messed it up. They messed up their own cooking. I was happy to see that they cooked for us better than they cook for themselves. And they had shells in things they're terrible cooks for themselves. Speaker 2 14:12 Gianni It was only your fault that night. you come and someone get up from a table and come to talk to you and never stop talking meanwhile the pasta fagioli you're getting cold, the Romano cheese on the pasta fagioli was getting salty and I trust the next day when you had it was very salty Cosby It was salty again But he charged me.
00:15:06 883.8	Blank
00:15:08 886.27	David Susskind 14:46 in respective ways, King of the Walk the king of the hill. How does that feel? To us you probably have one of the most outstanding ratings ever achieved for a weekly series. how does that wear on you? Speaker 1 15:07. Cosby No stress, no stress. That's about the best way to put it. We're talking about television, we're talking about staying alive on television. We're talking about being able to do whatever I want to do with that show. And, and believing in what I want to do. And, and having nobody really have the power opr the want to make a change in that. David Susskind 15:46 did you have that before. Speaker 1 15:49. Cosby Only on stage performing, never, never television. But I've I've never had the number of Americans watching. So that I could I could sit in that position. David Susskind What Bill isn't saying is that the ordinary television show
00:16:34 972.22	Cosby Am I not explaining this well? David Susskind 16:13 No, no, but i, they don't understand the opposite of that. The average show goes on the air and has indifferent ratings somewhere in the middle range, somewhere It's got 20 brains telling me what's wrong. Speaker 1 16:28 Cosby Yeah. Obviously, there are some people still who if I come up with an idea, and my writers say something, it probably would be done without my knowledge. And the writers may not, may not write it. But I think I'm batting about 99% in terms of ideas pitched. The writers understanding what I want to do. I think one of the most enjoyable things is to be able to take the idea hand it to John Marcus, and and then have John and the writers work, and it becomes if not exactly what I want, better. And that's the fun of it. To have a director who can put together a whole show, we start at 730. And we're finished around 1030 for 24 minutes. So J. Sanders has an awful lot of editing to do ad off of four cameras. So there's an awful lot of stuff that's out in order to make that show look wonderful. David Susskind 17:43 The quality of it is mostly writing, and acting, directing Speaker 1 17:48. Cosby It's different because we do attitudes. I think that's very, very important. I am not the kind of person who enjoys line line line. Laugh, laugh, laugh. I think that people get on a roll from a thought, a picture an idea or something preconceived and they go with it. It isn't much different from Jack Benny, or any of the old radio programs here pretty soon you knew the characters, you knew exactly what they were going to say. And it was wonderful to see them in certain situations. I've caught the live audience laughing before Cliff even said something because what they knew the other person had said Cliff was going to just take that and do something with it. So they begin to laugh automatically.
00:19:11 1129.21	David Susskind 18:48 Character comedy. (Cosby: Yes, sir.). The toughest kind. Speaker 1 18:53 Yes, and I'm happy to see people like Lucille Ball coming back. I wish I wish Jackie Gleason could find something that he would love to do. Because these people need to see the masters at work. I'm only what I am because of what I saw Lucille Ball and Jackie Gleason, Phil Silvers and people like that do David Susskind 19:24 Boy you carry that to another extension Speaker 1 19:28 Cosby Well, we're supposed to those of us who who've learned who've been taught by the Masters, you're supposed to take it on and get another step out of it. It's called the Picasso'ing David Susskind 19:41 I did a little research and I discovered that when this idea for a series came to you and NBC and Warmer. What was the role you picked out for yourself. What did you say I want to be? Speaker 1 19:57 Cosby Well, I was looking David I was really Looking for a situation so that the male could be home. this is this is really set up so that both parents can take part. I wanted to develop what they call the new male or something, whatever it is, was supposed to be. The guy who was not, where's my 12 babies and my dinner, the fellow who shared in, in raising the children. And I also wanted both people to be quite successful and happy at what they're doing. And then when the children are fooling around, you see the these professional people come apart. So my wife, I wanted her to be a plumber. I also wanted her to be Hispanic. But with this, this coloring, so that we could get a bilingual situation going her parents and exchange in the cultures. friendly, not that typical hostility thing that you would see if someone else had a series like this. And and I wanted my character to be a chauffeur. And for some reason, Marcy Carsey just started to throw celery across the table, hit me in the forehead, and say, things like, the public will not believe you as a chauffeur. And I said, Well, I, I'm not even concerned with that. And then my wife got into it. And, and that was, of course, the piece of lumber that broke the mosquitoes back.
00:22:13 1311.18	David Susskind How did she get into things? How does Camille get into things? Speaker 1 21:56 Cosby unfairly and unfairly. Because I know that I have to sleep. And she knows that I love sleep. And she knows that as a prisoner of war, I never would have made it. They didn't have to put matches under my fingernails. Just say, you're gonna have to stay awake all night, three days, you know,you didn't have to do the water torture. David Susskind 22:22 But her argument was, nobody will believe you as a chauffeur Speaker 1 22:26 No, she didn't want to see me as a chauffeur. And I kept saying, this is television. This is a character, none of these people would take me outside of this and put me in a TV set. They kept talking about me. And so I changed it. And they didn't even talk about who would believe a woman as a plumber. So I made I made the change, that the wife would be a lawyer. And he, of course would be a doctor. And, and then I wanted her to, before the lawyer, I wanted her to be a pediatrician. And Cliff would be OBGYN. So we'd keep it all in the family. So I'd pull them out and then she'd fix them. David Susskind That was changed by her Speaker 1 23:15 that was changed not by my wife. But then I decided we'll make her a lawyer. Not yet. Now he's got a study is no I told him he's a lawyer. Because he can argue any side he wants me so well.
00:23:56 1414.25	David Susskind 23:35 Do you have a point on the show? Gianni Yes. The show. The point of adding ? the direction of the restaurant as I did to make a great to make a successful. The pressure. The pressure is no more today. It used to be the beginning when certain people the very beginning. (Susskind - you don't cook, you work). Yes, yes, I do work, but not as I did. I have a marvelous crew now. I have a chef that is doing what I teach him to do. The beginning was very hard. Now that everything is success. Everything is beautiful. I find my real life so yes, time to sit at a table with you, Cosby and many other people. I have responsibilities, oh, I call them children of mine. I am the oldest in the restaurant. I have 22 people working with me. I say with me, not for me because they are all part of their success. They all deserve a little bit of what we have today. They come to work and I feel that In a certain way, I am a father of them. A father because they are young and they need advice. Father, because we are all Latin in that restaurant. And sometime we feel a little more pressure than other time and they confess . They come to me. And we see, like we say, was Mr. Cosby a few minutes ago? Talk? What happened tonight? What do we do tonight. And now the restaurant feels comfortable. Celebrities, very important people or people from nowhere. They are equal. They come, they enjoy, they be treated with not pressure. I have succeeded to make a place that they always dreamed when I worked for others that I was always put in heavy pressure is an important person. And everyone is important. And all the people that work with me, they are very important. So I make them feel that my place is their place. Susskind: That's how we feel, right? Gianni So we are debt free.
00:26:40 1577.84	Speaker 2 Gianni Wait, wait a minute. Wait. You've got to talk with the lady sitting somewhere over there. No, no, no. Never got involved. No, 26:28 but you can't. Speaker 2 26:31 Gianni No, we don't do that. It's against the religion. As I say it's the wife. She don't have to be a plumber. But we don't want to have a lawyer in the house. She has to be nice. Yes. She has to tbe there has to be has to be in any rush to get off the house. Usually he's and say, bonjour. Yes. Happy 67 more. David Susskind 26:59 We'll be back for more of this. He said. 67
00:27:26 1623.8	Fade out and in
00:27:28 1626.53	Susskind I read two interviews with you in Playboy magazine one in 1965. And the other one, I forgive me 1969 And the other 1985 16 year interval. You said you were enjoying the greatest happiness you've ever known. the 85 because you have given yourself up to your wife. That's your phrase, I have given myself up Speaker 1 27:28 Cosby Yes. what that what that means is in a marriage, I had saved a little bit just in case something happened. And I wouldn't have to lean on her all the way. Emotionally, if we broke up, I would have a little something 11% to survive on. Because if I gave 100% and we broke up then that that would probably mean going to a mental health farm or something. Walking around the streets talking to buildings. So I always kept that 11 for myself, just in case and uh seven years ago or whatever, I decided to give up the 11 and that's when I began to to have a better a better life all the way around you see better feel better smell better touch better. David Susskind 28:37 You said you had a bad dream in your subconscious that you'd come home from a road trip and she'd say I met a very decent man Speaker 2 28:50 Gianni that's what I always thought about myself. I worked so many hours at some time I say one of these day I go home and there is no more nobody there this just is that's a shake 'n bake. You know I believe conservative Of course, that Mr. Cosby's, right, we have to wipe always empty container where we leave a little bit of our self inside and think.
00:29:47 1764.8	David Susskind 29:24 Well, I'm not being anything but ingenuous when I say what does it mean to give up the total self to feel what I mean? 29:32 Cosby Well it means that you're no longer selfish. Speaker 2 29:34 Gianni I don't believe that there is a man that is totally completely give up himself. David Susskind 29:43 I've given myself up totally to my wife Speaker 2 29:46 Gianni I believe that a man has to live truthfully honestly, completely with the companion, his spouse. Great respect for his family. But I believe that a man has a little dream a little something. The five famous second before we fall asleep, we think we think and we say, what will be tomorrow. Did I leave this day, the way I suppose to or if I neglect something. Maybe tomorrow will be too late to repay what I have neglected? David Susskind 30:39 I think you're so you're talking about the phrase in your day or the week, (Gianni, the life itself is daily). But someone's talking about reserving a piece of your total self
00:31:12 1850.13	Gianni So if every night we reserve a little for ourselves. That's my philosophy. I don't know if I miss expressing myself. But I think that every night I was where are there bound to say, I have made a mistake. You and those mistake was not at stake. But no, we do. Thanks, God, we do, we revealed once again, regardless the great success that we are human. And sometime I see my family a little bit upset. They do something wrong to me or I've done something wrong to them. Do I respect enough the situation? Or I am letting them down? David Susskind 31:43 Well, every father, husband at some point, tried to Speaker 1 31:48 Cosby well, it's not necessarily a feeling that you put on yourself, sometimes your family can make you feel like that. For instance. If if your job vanished, and bills were due, and food was rather skimpy, and you continue to sit down at the dinner table. Heads would turn to look at your face. Why are you here? Why aren't you out there doing something? Speaker 2 32:29 Gianni I have a marvelous experience. Every Sunday, Sunday is a day that I dedicate religion to my house. is beautiful. We go out is not to stay on. Is not a large family. Unfortunately, if not a large family like I want to get one. I have one son is wonderful. I have a fantastic wife. She's wonderful. Sunday is the day I open myself, for my point of view open myself to my house. Now I am here now we can play card or now we can watch television. Now we go fishing is a marvelous experience for me. When I could manage to go in the outdoors. Yesterday, fishing a beautiful sunny day. And no telephone, no people, no one around you to say, I need I need because that's what you need. Everyone tell you I need something. Your son he asked you something. And there you have to go your hand in the pocket because you know when he asked you something he was Google and a cheddar? If
00:34:17 2035.55	Speaker 1 33:57 Cosby yes, yes. How old is your daughter? Your oldest one David Susskind 34:01 my oldest daughter? She wouldn't want me to give her age is deep into three. Deep, deep into deep. 34:11 Gianni I am deep into 20. Speaker 1 34:13 But I think that that the beauty of fatherhood, family hood is to watch their maturity and watch them leave those points that you thought they never would leave that mature growth that happens, to watch them begin to make full paragraphs, statements that are connected and make sense and have some philosophy to them. And you feel wonderful you say this is my my child (Giuanni: this is my boy) yeah yeah, she put together a great sentence and and you begin to feel as a parent, wow you know, things can be really nice, yeah David Susskind 35:03 that happened the full sentence and the paragraph that has correct syntaxes? Speaker 1 35:09 Cosby Well Erica is is it started with Erica and I think I noticed it. And surely she had to be doing things like that for other people. But her first performance for me, she she was about 20 years old. And, and I absolutely loved it. I, I don't remember the sentence because I asked her to say it again. And she asked me for some money, she had to go someplace. And it was it was, it was like a flash flood. It just came through and wiped everything out. But it's beautiful now because she is she is a college graduate. And she she has things that she wants to do. She has definite decisions about her mother and her father, she loves us both. She's proud of us, not because of what I've done, and show business or because of what my my wife has done in her performances. But she loves our relationship. And she feels that she's very, very proud of us. And, and of course, her relationship with her, her brother and her sisters. She has definite solid thoughts about who they are and how they relate to her and who she almost sides with us as to who is brain damaged.
00:36:56 2194.16	Speaker 2 36:33 Gianni if I ever find out this exact fact that we are discussing now. One Sunday morning and I say to my son, I say well, I think we should go fishing today's a beautiful day. He said you know something? I think they are better thing to do in life than to go fishing, I say, wait a minute, what is this? He say, look, I am now going to motor school. It was about 1920 when he graduated from college months, more months less I do not exactly recall the day that age. But he say to me, you know, you may be fine, the great thing to sit five hours on the boat. Basking under the sun, and wait for them fish come in. But they're beautiful fish. And so the place where I go in tonight or this morning or this afternoon whenever I'd be ready to go. And please you have fun. And when I come home, I see if we can manage to go out for dinner together and I bring a guest. I say wait a minute. Where is my little boy? What is the kid that he used to say now I go to play ball in the park. Yes. What is the little kid that he was proud to come home and say, Hey, I had another ace today. Fantastic. I say yeah, I look at it, he is very useful. he is totally changed. That happened one Sunday morning. David Susskind 38:09 i She came in with a complete sentence. Speaker 1 38:11 Cosby Yes, it was. That was a regular parent morning. Speaker 2 38:16 you just realized yourself that you have done something. And now there is one more person on the place.
00:38:47 2305.46	David Susskind 38:26 We have to pause for some men and women. We'll be right back. Fade in and out David Susskind I think the whole world knows that Bill Cosby's written a new book called Fatherhood. There it is. There's the cover. And it's very funny and all of its admonitions hit home. And also for the sake of Bill Cosby in this relationship with Mrs. Cosby. This is his new album, Bill Cosby produced by Camille Cosby and this is for those of you with or without children, you'll understand more - oh and his restaurant is this picture of all you have done everything in show business there is to be done. You've been recording star, youve been television, motion pictures, record seller, albums, college dates, concerts. Is this clearly the greatest adventure youve had? Speaker 1 39:27 Yes, this is this is the most fun. It's I can't go on. It's just wonderful. And I don't need awards. You know I don't need people voting to give me things you know thank you for this I know that I don't need David Susskind 39:50 well you've you've got four Emmys. You've got eight Grammys Why was accepting those Okay? And now you don't want them
00:40:19 2397.34	Speaker 1 39:56 Cosby because in the beginning those those things I was I was competing, I was trying to make a name, trying to show or be accepted by, quote unquote, peers. This is not negative when I say that. But now, it just seems silly for me to compete with somebody, because I didn't, I didn't. What I'm doing now is a gift to the public. I'm not competing, I'm not trying to be the number one comedian in the world. And it's all past all that now, David, and people still want me to play that game. And I just refuse to play. For instance this, the People's Choice Awards. Now they put the people and the people vote and you and, I come out number one. Thank you. Thank you very much. But that isn't, that isn't what our show is about. That isn't what I'm doing. Thank you. I don't want to play that anymore. So next year, if I come in first, and anything with the People's Choice, I'm not going to accept it. Because I know that people love me, I can see it every Thursday night when they tune in. That's wonderful. And I have things to give and I have things that I want to do with that show to give them more. That's my satisfaction, much the same as this gentleman, serving you a roast fish, or Primavera Speaker 2 41:33 Gianni if pay attention to one very marvelous team I don't know how to be complimentary now., I just say that if the attention that you are one of the most famous people come in, in my restaurant, that is never bothered by people that they come to ask you for an autograph. That's very nice. That's beautiful. I tell you the reason why, many famous people in all level I say famous to say preeminence writer or actors or columnist, they fare and these I don't know if he's a form of snobery, or a form of egocentric. Don't allow nobody next to my table. I have met a countless number of great people. And I mean great not only because they are great actors or great writers. But this gentleman, he has been bother also once or twice insistently asked for talk with or out of that. I never saw you being upset. And one night I remember very clearly that I was upset for you. I was upset for you, because there was few people that wouldn't let you even have your dinner. They want to talk to Bill Cosby. I felt that an invasion. I felt this gentleman he has been forbidden of his privacy in my restaurant that they want it to be pride. I never saw you react. I never saw you get annoyed. I never saw you being disturbed. How do you manage? Speaker 1 43:30 Cosby you burn more energy telling somebody off. Then if you just give them what they want, if you've got no out, I mean in other words, if you can't just if you can't get up and leave, you have to sit there, the best thing to do is is give em what they want, or be very, very nice and say no. I learned that from Jack Lemmon.
00:44:18 2635.94	Gianni Very fantastic. Speaker 1 43:56 Cosby I learned that from Dick Van Dyke. When very early in my career I sat with him and people were coming and the guy could meet and they just kept they were just they were wonderful and they were genuine. Speaker 2 44:07. Gianni Gentlemen, I felt that yeah, you are dedicated to the people your life is in a certain way a gift that come to the people that they are able to touch a star in person that they have made history in America, Speaker 1 44:25 Cosby only time I really get upset is if they reach across, Camille. I sit on the end so that they don't have to do that. But once if it becomes so busy that they forget about my wife, then I cut it off? But there's a there's a problem that I have is that if you set up security in a restaurant, if I set up security for you, you're David Susskind and and we said well, we don't want anybody to bother Mr. Susskind and somebody comes and they're there and they say they got through, they broke through. Now, we did it. I did. You see, I can't allow that person to be sent away because that looks and it makes me feel bad. Poor. What do you have to do is go back to the two Marx Brothers who let the person shoot through you understand he said don't let that happen again. But if somebody broke through, and he said, Can I, and they made it, then I have to sign that. So then they get after me. Well, why are you still signing? Well because they're still coming. I can't say, once they get there I can't say no. Speaker 2 45:39 Gianni I have saw this man, his pastor called several times . I mean I drive myself crazy, we want to make some money
00:44:19 2636.97	Susskind you've met great personalities over the years... Lucille Ball, Phil Silvers, Dick Van Dyke and Mary Tyler Moore. You would have a very singular warmth. They feel very connected to you. Because you're not alone, a father of a wonderful group of children, but you're happily married that you all have all of the 46:16 Cosby I'm happily married. The children are not that wonderful. David Susskind 46:19 No but they're tolerated. They're not be Speaker 2 46:26 Gianni tolerating you. what I don't excuse me what I say if you ever asked yourself how your children can ever tolerate, Speaker 1 46:34 Cosby How dare they ask that question to me. they're not paying the rent. Not one child has come to pay the rent to buy me a car, to give me a vacation anywhere.
00:47:09 2807.12	Speaker 2 46:49 Gianni They give you love don't they. I 'm sure for Christmas, they brought a nice box of cigars. They say this is for daddy. Speaker 1 46:58 Cosby They buy things and then they keep the change. And they get the lowest price Gianni for what I know you make sure that I prize David Susskind 47:06 One that I love that I enjoyed in the book, particularly as your son's arrival. And telling you his decision he was right that he have a car. (Cosby, that is correct). 16. One thing makes this book An absolute must for anyone who enjoys a laugh Speaker 1 47:26 Cosby any parent in the United States of America sooner or later, regardless of how poor you are. 47:33 Gianni They ask to buy a car.
00:47:57 2855.58	Speaker 1 47:35 Cosby Well, you don't have to, but the kid will come to you knowing that you you could be so poor that you can't even afford food stamps. Still and this fool will come to you No Is it? I was thinking about a car. He was thinking he was thinking about a car and it's just wonderful. My son coming in and saying you know he wanted a Porsche and and you know being a parent the first thing that hit you is not necessarily in my with my income, the price of the Porsche but the insurance and the safety or the safety of the kid and the fact that here you have an underachiever with a minus d average Speaker 2 48:30. Giani are you're sure that he's no listening to the program tonight Speaker 1 48:33 Cosby No, no this is I talk about him from from was because now he is a beautiful beautiful young gentleman 17 years old. Everything he is better than I was at age 17. 48:50. Gianni You know, we all dream that Speaker 1 48:51 Cosby no, he is now. He's a better student than I was at 17, he's better mannered at 17 than I was much better looking 49:03 Gianni Were you that bad at 17?
00:49:28 2946.66	Susskind You ran off Speaker 1 49:05 I didn't, not at 17, I couldn't get in the service then. I was still having fun in high school. (Gianni: Very nice) Speaker 2 49:14. Gianni But I never had that fun in high school. (Cosby:Really) I never made it. (Susskind: You didn't go to high school). I did never made the high school. I come back to school after I was trying to study I was studying to become a doctor. It was impossible. I had to give up my love of piano I had to give up. Finally my father he told me one thing. A doctor can be under many ways. A musician can be under many ways. Food is music. Food is hell. And he said become a doctor in Food. Speaker 1 50:00. Cosby So he got you to fix dinner. Speaker 2 50:04. Gianni He got me to work. And believe it or not, he was the first guy to fire me. The last the first and the last person that ever fire me was my father. He took me to work in a beautiful nightclub inGenoa where I used to live. And I used to call him PA, hey PA. What I have to do, he say, no such a thing in this place. Get out. So I went out and work and I became a full doctor. I guess I'm doing a good job. David Susskind 50:35 Yes, Education Doctor. Doctor of Education, University of Massachusetts. Fantastic. And you run away and join. Cosby: I didn't I didn't run away. Run away means alot. I didn't run away Susskind you didn't finish high school. But Speaker 1 50:44 I signed up for the Navy. And I came home and told my mother what I done. She went upstairs, got into bed, and refused to get out of the bed until I made some sense. And she called she she called my father, who was also in the Navy. And he said good. And without any warning, I was on the bus. And there I was Bainbridge, Maryland for four years. But I spent three years 11 months and two weeks in the Navy, wanting to get out. Because that the it was really at the end of the first day of boot camp that I realized that I wanted to graduate from high school and go to college. And I wanted to reach somebody, the base commander, someone and they wouldn't let me see him. And what I all I wanted to tell them man was thank you so much. I now am motivated. I understand about priorities being in the proper place. And if you would let me out now, I promise you, oh, I promise you I will send you more people. The base commanders say, Get out of here. You have to fulfill the obligation. And I said, Well, I don't want to be in this Navy. He said, good. This is the first test for you. For the next three years. Think about what you do from now on.
00:52:44 3142.02	David Susskind 52:24 I did three days in correspondence courses in the Navy equivalent to his high school diploma, yes. Then he went back and went to Temple University and was Speaker 1 52:33. Cosby I was never so happy to get into college. I kissed the subway train that took me to the college, I kissed the doors that opened to let me go, I kissed every step that led to the street. I kissed poles, I kissed people. I kissed the buildings. And I was so happy to go to college. I didn't know what to do with myself, man. I sat there and the man, the man said, Look to the left and look to the right of you. Because you won't be there graduation. And I said to the two people sitting next to me too bad you're not gonna be here. Because I made the I was so intense. I made the Dean's list and didn't know it. Now I'm tellin you. You know, the guy came and told me at the end of the freshman year, you made the Dean's List. Why would I be in trouble? And he said no, no, you had a 3.6. And I said, oh it should have been higher than that 53:36 Gianni that's happened to the rest. Speaker 1 53:39. Cosby No, but I tell you, John, I was so fired up man. And I played, I played four sports in my freshman year and tended bar, took care of every subject. I was fired up. Speaker 2 53:54 Gianni I still remember the day you make that jump that never went through and they give you the record of the jump. Yeah, that was a nice story. No. It was It wasn't that he missed a step. He went out. And somebody that was supposed to watch say fantastic. God made a rookie mistake.
00:54:42 3260.16	Speaker 1 54:19 He missed it. I was I was running. Are we supposed to take a break now? David Susskind 54:23 No. Okay. Speaker 1 54:26 I was high jumping in Baltimore. And they had Dave Sime. Dentist now I think from Duke and Ira Merchisen. I think Ira went to North Carolina AMT, I'm not sure. I hope I don't mess up his school. And Ira was was about five four. Siam was six, three. And they ran indoor against each other in the 16 - 50 yard dash. There was a whole racial thing because this is America, so all the white people hoping the Dave Siam would win the 60 yard dash in Baltimore, Boston, New York, whatever, whatever city these two went to the people, whatever you were you would root for. I don't know what the Chinese people were rooting for they didn't have a sprinter. So probably split the difference or something. Well, we came in different? Yeah, Siam would win. And that meant for that evening that white people were the fastest people on Earth, until the two got to Boston, and Merchisen would win and black people would be the fastest on earth until they got to New York and maybe siam would win there and it was intense and I was high jumping. And my best was 7 67 and three quarters. And the bar was at six, nine. And I knew now I've reached whatever its between God and whatever I do now at six nine. I just I just throw myself at the bar. And and they fired the gun starting the race with Syme and Murchison, this racial thing, and the whole place was packed in Baltimore. And, and I made my approach the seven step approach. And I planted my foot on the boards planted this foot hard, and it didn't hold. And I went into the pit like that into the pit in that and the guy checking was watching the race. And he looked and he saw me in the pit and the bar was still up. Speaker 2 56:45 this was not like joke, the story he told us while we add that famous, salty, pasta fagiole David Susskind 56:52 salty pasta fagiole. we'll be, we'll be right back. fade in and out. Susskind: I want to remind you that Bill Cosby has written quite a wonderful book called fatherhood. And he has a new long playing record, Bill Cosby on children and parents and everything else. And here is Bravo, Johnny's restaurant. In in spatial terms. I want to thank you, gentlemen, for being with us. Thanks. Please join us again next week at the same time.
00:57:45 3443.12	End show,. Credits run.
00:58:30 3488.3	end reel

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