By Kenney Kost/editor-in-chief

In his sixth decade as a stand-up comedian, Bill Cosby strode to the center of the Bass Hall stage Sept. 24 wearing a red Tarrant County College sweatshirt putting on his microphone as the audience applauded.

He played with the crowd as the applause stopped before he got the microphone on, taunting them to continue the applause.

“It’s great to be here,” Cosby said. “Getting paid.”

All proceeds from Cosby’s performance went to the TCC Foundation scholarship fund. Cosby helped raise more than $210,000 for the foundation.

Among the audience members were several TCC administrators, faculty, staff and students including Chancellor Erma Johnson Hadley, who thanked the foundation for its contributions and welcomed Cosby to the stage.

Audience members were treated to about two hours of classic Cosby. He had the audience rolling with jokes about his family, in particular his children.

“But Dad, the kids at school make fun of us,” Cosby said. “They say we think we are rich. Well, tell them the truth. You aren’t rich. Your mother and I are rich. You are poor.”

Cosby appeared as sharp as ever, commanding the stage at age 76. Not a minute went by without laughter the entire evening as Cosby led the audience through stories and jokes that people from all age groups could relate to. Classic Cosby.

“I get parents talking all the time about I can’t believe my kid did this or that,” Cosby said. “I ask them whose kids are they again? They look at each other like I’m crazy and say they are our kids. I ask who raised them? They look at me like I’m crazy again and say we raised them. I said, and what’s the problem again? You raised them.”