Bill Cosby called on University of Cincinnati graduates Friday to put their troubled city in order and to confront “demon warriors” tearing at the community.

        It doesn't matter whether they are people in the streets, police or politicians, the show-business legend told more than 13,000 graduates, relatives and friends in the packed Shoemaker Center.

Bill Cosby gives his UC commencement address (Glenn Hartong photo) | ZOOM |

        “I want you all to do something about this city of Cincinnati,” he said. Cincinnati is out of order, he said, when people take to the streets “to burn, to kill, to shoot.”

        Mr. Cosby's challenge brought the audience to its feet, cheering, stomping and applauding.

        Friday's all-university commencement awarded 5,275 degrees earned since last June. Only the honorary degree awarded to the Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth, civil-rights leader and pastor of Avondale's Greater New Light Baptist Church, drew similar applause Friday.

        Mr. Cosby, 63, appeared without a fee. That is his practice although he commands at least $100,000 for a commercial appearance. It was his second commencement speech of the day. Earlier, he spoke to Ohio State University grads.

        At Shoemaker, it took about 30 minutes for all of the grads to march in, led by marshals and college banners.

Mathematics graduate Siyun Huang, 32, of Clifton, and her daughter Judy Sun, 4, look for family members during Friday's commencement. (Glenn Hartong photo) | ZOOM |

        Mr. Cosby followed, wearing a black academic gown and UC Bearcat baseball cap with a tassel.

        He received an honorary degree and academic hood, stepped to the lectern and stripped to red running pants and a red-on-gray Bearcat football practice shirt.

        More cheers.

        Before launching into Cincinnati problems, he gave a classic Cosby monologue, making his point with poignant examples, gentle humor, strategic silences and stares.

        He spoke of his educational missteps and anxieties, the general condition of callow youth and the wisdom of the elderly, and how parents keep loving despite disappointments — and college expenses — inflicted by children.

        Mr. Cosby also recalled turning down a UC invitation and honorary degree. “I wanted to get my earned one first.”

ACCORDING TO COSBY

“Thank God, you have something to fall back on” - his mother's comment when Cosby earned his doctorate in education while making millions.    • “I have to get a job?,” on the shock of graduating high school.    • “I didn't want to go any more places where I'd have to open a book,” on joining the Navy rather than starting college.    • “I dropped them off four years ago and they can't even come home by themselves,” on what parents think when they come to graduation and pick up their graduates.    • “I need an education, I need credentials,” on what people say when they realize they are going to work for people dumber than they are.    • “Being a student with a rich mother and father is a great life,” on his children who keep switching majors and never graduate.

        Today, he has a master's (1972) and doctorate (1977) in education from the University of Massachusetts and a reputation as a generous and fierce advocate of education.

        Mr. Cosby was making millions while he earned his doctorate, but his mother still told him, “Thank God, you have something to fall back on.”

        He didn't mention being a poor, gifted youngster in North Philadelphia who spent more time on sports and work than studies and joined the Navy after dropping out after 10th grade.

        “It is my honor to have graduated with this class,” he said, in the apparent conclusion of his monologue.

        But there was more.

        Mr. Cosby addressed Cincinnati's April riots, damning violence on all sides and focusing on education among the underlying problems.

        “It is time for all you teachers to strike and strike again until they clean up these public schools.”

        He said public schools have been “deliberately left to decay” and attacked efforts to divert public funds to nonpublic schools, asking, “We pay taxes. What the hell are vouchers for?”

        Answering his own question, Mr. Cosby said vouchers and other corrosive educational policies and practices are a deliberate move to keep the lower-income people down and even lower.
       

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