World Congress Center exactly what they probably expected, which, in the comedian's words, was a "whuppin'.""It has come to this," Cosby said, reprimanding his hosts and the audience as he took the podium, following civil rights leader Andrew Young at the 20th Annual 100 Black Men of America convention."Who would think that Andy Young would be sitting and I would be standing last to be the keynote speaker? Either they [the sponsors of the event] don't know. Or they tend to forget. Andy Young, every day, always has to be remembered by us."
Anything less from Cosby would have been a disappointment. The audience of about 500 who half-filled the Sidney Marcus auditorium, and also heard brief comments from Georgia Secretary of State Cathy Cox in a session titled "Celebrating Our Legacy," came expecting a chastising.
Why not? Cosby, 68, has transformed himself in recent years from the comedian and fatherly figure from 1980s TV series, "The Cosby Show," into the firebrand and self-styled conscience of the black community.
He travels the country giving speeches criticizing black parents for being irresponsible, criticizing black youth for being unaccountable, and generally creating firestorms of outrage, and support, from blacks and whites.
He hit upon the theme of black social decay again and again in a speech that was rambling and funny, tinged with anger, even sadness, and in which no subject seemed taboo.
Part of Saturday's program recognized the hardships of Hurricane Katrina survivors who had to flee New Orleans. But Cosby waded in there, too, noting that the largely black city was crime-ridden before the storm.
"Before Katrina, New Orleans was either No. 1, or two or three, at murdering each other," said Cosby, adding that, when he pointed that out, he was criticized by blacks for perpetuating a stereotype of blacks and crime.
He said if black parents aren't ever-present, then crime and drugs will move in: "We've got to put bodies on these children," he said, "and watch them grow."
At times during his speech, Cosby had Young doubled-over in laughter as he recounted Young's bravery during the civil rights movement which Cosby said he avoided: "What really was happening was I wasn't about to get hit by a brick upside the head."
Young, on the other hand, he said got up each morning expecting to march and expecting to get hit "square in the face" by "white men with clubs and the devil and anger in their bodies" until he fell down.
"Then he would get up expecting to get hit again," said Cosby, turning and smiling at Young.
Cosby, who donated $3 million to Morehouse School of Medicine on Friday, was the most casually attired of the 13 people on the dais, dressed in a gray Morehouse T-shirt, sweat pants and sandals. At time he put on shades and imitated the cant of rap musicians, which he said is poisoning the minds of kids.
"Parents, when you've got that music playing in your car and your children are listening to it," he said, after mimicking a rapper. "That [words and obscene language] become like 'pass the salt' to your child."
Saturday, the theme of the convention, in its fourth day, was "Focus On Legacy." At the last second, rap artist Ludacris canceled his appearance at a Teen Summit, where he was supposed to be on a panel talking about "The Perks and the Down Falls of the Bling-Bling."
Instead, Bishop Eddie Long, pastor of the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, told youth to pursue their inner passions instead of Bling Bling, slang for material goods and a lavish lifestyle.
Another minister at Long's church, Jeff Johnson, told youth that it's ridiculous to expect celebrities to be role models. "What makes us think that going platinum gives me the intellectual ability to mentor anybody?" he said.
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