In November 2018, comedian and television host W. Kamau Bell walked into the Santa Monica offices of Boardwalk Pictures, the production company known for “Chef’s Table” and “Last Chance U,” with an idea for a documentary about stand-up comedians.
Boardwalk President Andrew Fried had been pitched every “‘Chef’s Table’ of Fill in the Blank” imaginable since the show’s premiere in 2015. Auto mechanics. Surfers. You name it. But for Fried, a self-described failed comic, the idea of profiling funny people was appealing. Eventually, the meeting among Bell, Fried and producer Jordan Wynn turned to the topic of famous comedy specials. Fried mentioned his favorite was 1983’s “Bill Cosby: Himself.” “What do I do with that now?” Fried asked.
Cosby, a Black cultural pioneer once lauded as “America’s dad,” had recently been convicted of sexual assault and sentenced to prison. (Cosby’s conviction was later thrown out by Pennsylvania’s highest court.) Reckoning with Cosby’s legacy could make for a powerful story, if done right.
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