House of Cosbys
Encyclopedia
House of Cosbys was an animated cartoon about a Bill Cosby
fan who creates a cloning machine to clone a series of Cosbys, each with a different personality.
There were four episodes made by Justin Roiland
, each about five minutes. An unofficial fifth episode was also made.
It was first aired on the internet television channel Channel 101
, and was the first of Channel 101's programs to spend three consecutive months at number 1.
to entertain him. He then begins cloning several more Cosbys to help him around the house, much like in the plot of the 1996 film Multiplicity
. However, the quality of the clones seems to deteriorate as the process is repeated, and he decides to stop using the machine, but when one of the clones subversively activates it, he discovers that every tenth Cosby he clones has super power
s. At the suggestion of Data Analysis Cosby (the first super-powered Cosby) they decide to continue cloning Cosbys so that their super powers can be used to help the world.
At the end of every episode scenes from the next episode are shown. However, these scenes are never actually shown in the next episode.
received a cease and desist
letter from Bill Cosby
's attorney in June 2005:
One of the issues under contention is whether House of Cosbys is covered under the fair use
, as parody
. Supporters point out that many TV shows like Family Guy
and The Simpsons
have used Cosby's likeness, and have not been sued. However, there also is the factor that House of Cosbys used risque subject matter not in accordance with Cosby's character and comedy.
As a result of the cease and desist letter, the fifth episode was created by a different contributor and functioned primarily as an attack on Bill Cosby
and his attorney.
Bill Cosby
William Henry "Bill" Cosby, Jr. is an American comedian, actor, author, television producer, educator, musician and activist. A veteran stand-up performer, he got his start at various clubs, then landed a starring role in the 1960s action show, I Spy. He later starred in his own series, the...
fan who creates a cloning machine to clone a series of Cosbys, each with a different personality.
There were four episodes made by Justin Roiland
Justin Roiland
Mark Justin Roiland is an American actor, writer, director and producer. He is best known as the voice of "Oscar" on the Disney Channel's animated television show Fish Hooks.-Biography:...
, each about five minutes. An unofficial fifth episode was also made.
It was first aired on the internet television channel Channel 101
Channel 101
Channel 101 is a non-profit short film festival in Los Angeles, which also has a sister festival in NYC, Channel 101: NY. Channel 101 is a creation of Dan Harmon and Rob Schrab in which participants submit a short film in the format of a pilot under five minutes in length...
, and was the first of Channel 101's programs to spend three consecutive months at number 1.
Title music
The theme song is performed in a mostly shouting tone, the words are "He was a Cosby fan at heart it's clear. He searched and found a Cosby hair. He spent 10 long years and built a cloning machine! And now he's accomplished his wonderful dream -- to make a house of Cosbys. It's a House of Cosbys...."Plot
The cartoon features main character Mitchell Reynolds (voiced by Jeff Davis) who invents a cloning machine in order to create his own personal Bill CosbyBill Cosby
William Henry "Bill" Cosby, Jr. is an American comedian, actor, author, television producer, educator, musician and activist. A veteran stand-up performer, he got his start at various clubs, then landed a starring role in the 1960s action show, I Spy. He later starred in his own series, the...
to entertain him. He then begins cloning several more Cosbys to help him around the house, much like in the plot of the 1996 film Multiplicity
Multiplicity (film)
Multiplicity is a 1996 comedy film, starring Michael Keaton and Andie MacDowell. The film was co-produced and directed by Harold Ramis. The original music score was composed by George Fenton....
. However, the quality of the clones seems to deteriorate as the process is repeated, and he decides to stop using the machine, but when one of the clones subversively activates it, he discovers that every tenth Cosby he clones has super power
Superpower (ability)
Superpower is a popular culture term for a fictional superhuman ability. When a character possesses multiple such abilities, the terms super powers or simply powers are used...
s. At the suggestion of Data Analysis Cosby (the first super-powered Cosby) they decide to continue cloning Cosbys so that their super powers can be used to help the world.
At the end of every episode scenes from the next episode are shown. However, these scenes are never actually shown in the next episode.
Clones
The following is a list of the Cosby clones. It is uncertain whether more than 100 clones were created.| Number | Name | Voiced by | Powers/Notable Traits |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Entertainment Cosby | Rob Schrab Rob Schrab Rob Schrab is a comic book creator, actor, comedian, writer, and film and television producer. Schrab grew up in Mayville, Wisconsin. He is known as the creator of the comic book, Scud: The Disposable Assassin, co-writer of the feature film Monster House, the unaired pilot Heat Vision and Jack,... |
Was the first Cosby clone. Closest to the real Bill Cosby in personality and physical attributes. |
| 2 | House Keeping Cosby | Steve Agee Steve Agee Steve Agee is an American actor and comedian, best known for his supporting role as Steve Myron on the Comedy Central series The Sarah Silverman Program.... |
An excellent duster. |
| 3 | Moral Support Cosby | Rob Schrab | Treats Mitchell as his son. |
| 4 | Tattle Tale Cosby | Scott Chernoff | Tattles on others. |
| 5 | Dancing Cosby | Bennet Webber | Dances all the time. |
| 6 | Bath Tub Cosby | Scott Chernoff | This Cosby never leaves the bath tub. |
| 7 | Useless Cosby | Chester Tam | Does nothing but stand around, though he eventually speaks to Bath Tub Cosby. |
| 8 | Curiosity Cosby | Justin Roiland Justin Roiland Mark Justin Roiland is an American actor, writer, director and producer. He is best known as the voice of "Oscar" on the Disney Channel's animated television show Fish Hooks.-Biography:... |
This extremely curious clone likes to explore and find things, which causes trouble on multiple occasions. |
| 9 | Butt Naked Cosby | Abed Gheith | He plays with fire. |
| 10 | Data Analysis Cosby | Justin Roiland | Super-intelligence and data analysis. |
| 20 | Carpentry Cosby | none | The ability to create amazing feats of carpentry, as he built the additional barracks and probably most of the buildings in the training facility. |
| 30 | Weapons Cosby | none | His super power would appear to be the production and use of weapons, particularly guns. |
| 40 | Country Music Cosby | none | His super power is being a good country music Country music Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music... player. |
| 47 | Mood Swing Cosby | Tim Heidecker Tim Heidecker Tim Heidecker is an American actor, comedian, musician, writer and director. He is one half of the comedy team of Tim and Eric... |
This Cosby has extreme emotional highs and lows Bipolar disorder Bipolar disorder or bipolar affective disorder, historically known as manic–depressive disorder, is a psychiatric diagnosis that describes a category of mood disorders defined by the presence of one or more episodes of abnormally elevated energy levels, cognition, and mood with or without one or... . Presumed dead, as he accidentally hangs himself after being convinced not to commit suicide. |
| 50 | BC-D2 | Abed Gheith | A parody of R2-D2 R2-D2 R2-D2 , is a character in the Star Wars universe. An astromech droid, R2-D2 is a major character throughout all six Star Wars films. Along with his droid companion C-3PO, he joins or supports Anakin Skywalker, Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, and Obi-Wan Kenobi in various points in the saga... , he is a small, apparently cyborg Cosby who follows Data Analysis Cosby around and communicates by a series of "blips" and "bloo"s. |
| 60 | Cosbyette | Stephanie Bilberry | Her most obvious super power is the fact that she is female (with a well proportioned body) but she has also exhibited psychic powers (sensing trouble in the compound). |
| 61 | Preacher Cosby | Justin Roiland | Provides spiritual comfort, for example talking one out of suicide. |
| 70 | Toothpaste Cosby | Andy Samberg Andy Samberg David Andrew "Andy" Samberg is an American actor, comedian, rapper and writer best known as a member of the comedy group The Lonely Island and as a cast member on Saturday Night Live... |
One of the members of Cosby Team Triosby, he has the power to turn into Toothpaste and seep through small gaps, or make things trip. |
| 80 | Frequency Cosby | Jorma Taccone Jorma Taccone Jorma Christopher Taccone is an American comedy writer-actor-director. Taccone is one third of the sketch comedy troupe The Lonely Island along with childhood friends Andy Samberg and Akiva Schaffer... |
One of the members of Cosby Team Triosby, he can absorb TV and Radio waves and turn them into harmful electric blasts. |
| 85 | April Fool's Cosby | Bennett Webber | The desire to play April Fools jokes. |
| 90 | Humming Bird Cosby | Akiva Schaffer Akiva Schaffer Akiva Schaffer is an American writer for Saturday Night Live, a film director, songwriter, and a member of The Lonely Island, a sketch-comedy troupe that first found success on the Internet, which includes SNL cast member Andy Samberg and SNL writer Jorma Taccone... |
One of the members of Cosby Team Triosby, he can fly and hover like a humming bird, and also create small explosives in his stomach which he can then defecate on land-based targets. |
| 100 | Evil Cosby | Abed Gheith | His super powers are unknown, although being "evil" would appear to be one of them. |
| Number | Name | Voiced by | Super Powers |
Cease and desist
House of Cosbys was cancelled when series creator Justin Roiland and Channel 101's site administrator Dan HarmonDan Harmon
Dan Harmon is a writer and performer. He is the creator and an executive producer for the NBC television comedy series Community, and, along with Rob Schrab, a founder of the alternative television network/website Channel 101....
received a cease and desist
Cease and desist
A cease and desist is an order or request to halt an activity and not to take it up again later or else face legal action. The recipient of the cease-and-desist may be an individual or an organization....
letter from Bill Cosby
Bill Cosby
William Henry "Bill" Cosby, Jr. is an American comedian, actor, author, television producer, educator, musician and activist. A veteran stand-up performer, he got his start at various clubs, then landed a starring role in the 1960s action show, I Spy. He later starred in his own series, the...
's attorney in June 2005:
One of the issues under contention is whether House of Cosbys is covered under the fair use
Fair use
Fair use is a limitation and exception to the exclusive right granted by copyright law to the author of a creative work. In United States copyright law, fair use is a doctrine that permits limited use of copyrighted material without acquiring permission from the rights holders...
, as parody
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
. Supporters point out that many TV shows like Family Guy
Family Guy
Family Guy is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian...
and The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
have used Cosby's likeness, and have not been sued. However, there also is the factor that House of Cosbys used risque subject matter not in accordance with Cosby's character and comedy.
As a result of the cease and desist letter, the fifth episode was created by a different contributor and functioned primarily as an attack on Bill Cosby
Bill Cosby
William Henry "Bill" Cosby, Jr. is an American comedian, actor, author, television producer, educator, musician and activist. A veteran stand-up performer, he got his start at various clubs, then landed a starring role in the 1960s action show, I Spy. He later starred in his own series, the...
and his attorney.
External links
- The Episodes and Statement on Cease and Desist order at Channel 101Channel 101Channel 101 is a non-profit short film festival in Los Angeles, which also has a sister festival in NYC, Channel 101: NY. Channel 101 is a creation of Dan Harmon and Rob Schrab in which participants submit a short film in the format of a pilot under five minutes in length...
. - Waxy.org's refusal to take down House of Cosbys, claiming fair use, despite a cease and Desist Letter.
- New York Times article about the cease and desist letter (note: requires login)
- The kings of dot-comedy, The GuardianThe GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
- House of Cosbys at Channel 101 Wiki