Hi everyone,

First of all I would like to thank Kimberly and Steve for publishing my first Broadway article this issue. I sincerely hope that you all enjoy it-look for the next installment in August. I have been spending quite a bit of time lately conducting interviews, both in-person and via telephone, with various celebrities on behalf of Autograph. So far, the definite highlight has been my interview with comedy legend Bill Cosby.

I had contacted Mr. Cosby's publicists with a request, and they scheduled some time one evening, when I was to call Mr. Cosby at a hotel he was staying at. I was totally shocked when he spent over 30 minutes with me, talking about his feelings about his autograph collecting fans. The questions I used were based on the magazine's "10 Questions" format-with a bit of a twist.

I first asked Mr. Cosby about the specific moments that he considers to be the highlights of his career. Mr. Cosby believes that the answer to that question is up to his many fans. He reminded me that he has been in show business for an impressive 48 years, and "if you had 48 children, would you be able to pick your 5 favorites?" Mr. Cosby suggested that the moments that each fan would consider to be a highlight would depend on their age-for example, older fans would probably mention I Spy and his early stand-up albums, while younger fans would mention Fat Albert and The Cosby Show.

When it comes to autographs, Mr. Cosby feels that there are too many people collecting autographs these days because, with the technology of the Internet, it's very easy for fans to find out where and when their favorite stars will be in their area. He also mentioned the fact that our attitudes toward celebrities greatly influence their attitudes toward us. Also, Mr. Cosby notices many unsigned photo dealers, who sell these pictures to fans so they can get them autographed by the subjects. However, Mr. Cosby did tell me that most of the fan mail he receives is very polite and complimentary-but some items are difficult to sign-such as quilts sent to him and walls of backstage areas of theatre where he performs.

Regarding items that Mr. Cosby does not like to autograph, he refuses to sign baseballs and golf balls. The reason for this is that he feels that these items should be signed by sports personalities-not people in the entertainment business. Also, he told me that he dislikes using the Sharpie, which is commonly used by autograph collectors. The chemicals in the Sharpie have given him headaches and raspy lungs, and they also release a bad odor. Therefore, Mr. Cosby prefers to use the Bravo Pilot pen, which is comparable to the Sharpie except for the fact that it's made from different materials. He estimated that 2% of autograph collectors are the "hustlers" who "don't care about proper manners". These people make it very inconvenient for a celebrity to sign autographs.

Mr. Cosby is a well-known fan of jazz, and he has quite a few autographs in his personal collection from legendary musicians, including drummers Max Roach and Louie Bellson on drumheads. He has also purchased autographs of 19th century American icons Mark Twain and Frederick Douglass. The one time Mr. Cosby actually requested an autograph, instead of being offered one, was when he met silent film comic Buster Keaton, who signed a photo "To Bill, for no reason". Mr. Cosby has also received personal items from the families of departed stars, including a watch owned by Dizzy Gillespie, John Coltrane's mouthpiece, and a used film outfit worn by the previously mentioned Buster Keaton. When it comes to signing through the mail, Mr. Cosby receives a package from his office every other week, and he signs as many items as he possibly can.

In person, Mr. Cosby has a very unique way of dealing with collectors. When fans congregate at the stage door at one of his appearances, Mr. Cosby informs them of his feelings about the Sharpie, and that he will sign their items for them in his dressing room. A security guard then proceeds to collect these items, and returns them to the fans once Mr. Cosby autographs them. He mentioned two recent incidents to me. When he was performing in Lynn, MA, Mr. Cosby noticed ten people waiting at the stage door. However, when the guard entered the dressing room with the items for signing, there were over 30 pictures and almost 80 album covers. Mr. Cosby still signed them all, but still wonders if the security noticed. Also, in Hartford, CT, there were only three collectors waiting for Mr. Cosby's arrival-but he still estimates that he was given over 50 items to sign that day. Sometimes, people congregate after the performance-however, Mr. Cosby never signs in that situation-he has just performed! Other instances he mentioned include fans following him to the private plane gate at the airport, hotel lobbies, and some even call him on the phone.

One irony occured during the interview: A lady from Housekeeping knocked on Mr. Cosby's hotel room door. What did she want? An autograph! (Do NOT try this at home!) Mr. Cosby informed the hotel employee that he was on the phone with Autograph, and that she should talk to me. When handed the phone, she told me that she was a huge fan of The Cosby Show, and that having him in the hotel was a thrill! After she had left, Mr. Cosby told me that she had bowed to him and was out of breath.

Three weeks after our interview, Mr. Cosby was performing in the New York area, and his publicist had arranged for me to come to the show. He stayed on the stage for over two hours, talking about fame, his grandkids, and classic stories from his childhood. It was a side-splitting evening! It proves that family comedy can often be more entertaining than inappropriate screaming and vulgarity. I would highly recommend going to see Mr. Cosby's act when he is in your area-you will not regret it! Stay tuned to my blog for my interviews with Mike Ditka, Nolan Ryan, and Mario Andretti!

Bye for now,

David