Bill Cosby is a magician. Not the kind that will do card tricks or pull a rabbit out of a hat. No, he has the magic ability to go back in time.  Taking his audience back to a different era in comedy, when every other word didn’t have to be a swear and sexual humor was an option – not necessity. The comedy wizard put his sorcery on full display when he performed twice, donning not a suit and tie, but a UMass sweatshirt at Symphony Hall the night of February 19.

Cosby seemed weak when he was assisted onto the stage amidst continuous, thunderous applause that boomed through the immense hall. Cosby then seated himself in a chair on stage, placed a headset mic on, and began to tell stories.

Cosby’s brand of comedy is such that it makes you feel as though you’re not at a performance, but sitting with an old friend in your home. Cosby has a knack of making eye contact while on stage, making each attendee feel as though he is directing his words to them.

Cosby kept his comedy light, with a bit about the book of Genesis in The Bible. He got the crowd roaring early. “Adam could have said to the serpent ‘she can eat the fruit I’ve got another rib'” Cosby remarked about the story of Adam and Eve being expelled from the Garden Of Eden, this remark was one of the highlights of the monster 20-minute story.

Cosby’s “bits” really aren’t bits, they are merely stories and memories that have been adapted for a performance, another example of Cosby’s magic. His ability to take everyday things and events and convert them is gut-busting comedic gold.

The performance was unusually long. Cosby was on stage from 5:05-6:50 but the time seemed to fly by. Everyone in the crowd was engaged. There was no checking cell phones or whispering between couples. The whole crowd was fully committed and enveloped in the performance.  The reverence the crowd had for the comedy great was palpable. Cosby is a legend in showbiz, whose career has spanned five decades.

Although Cosby is aging, he still tours on a limited basis. Cosby’s

modern touring has given parents and grandparents an opportunity to

show younger generations his genius, and the age range was

unexpectedly diverse at the 5 PM performance. When Cosby mentioned his

time at Amherst, a perky co-ed in the back screamed “Go UMass!”and

Cosby replied by saying “I’m sorry for making you wait so long” and

then raised his trademark one fist into the air. There was a kid who

looked to be about ten sitting behind us and he was in stitches for

the duration of the performance, which was great to see because it

once again reinforced the fact that Bill Cosby is an era-transcending

comedian. The last hour of the show was almost completely humor

relating to Cosby’s family, and the everyday trials of tribulations in

dealing with his wife and kids. The show was very consistent and above

all hilarious. It was a downright privilege to attend the show of a legend looking back at more than forty years of a fantastic career.