Wonderfulness by Bill Cosby (CD, Apr-1998, Warner Archives)

Bill Cosby's comedy album Wonderfulness (1966) is a real blast from the past! He brings his stories to life with terrific imagery, numerous voice characterizations, and strong sound effects. Anyone who came of age in the sixties will listen to this CD and think, "I remember when I did that."

You'll meet many of the characters that became part of the FAT ALBERT cartoon in the hilarious "Go Carts" routine. "Chicken Heart," a humorous remembrance of listening to scary radio dramas, demonstrates the quintessential Cosby combination of narrative, character voices, and sound effects that picks up its hysterical pace until, at the story's climax, tears were streaming down my wife's cheeks. Every married couple will be able to relate to the hijinks in "Niagara Falls," about a couple who love each other...most of the time.

In an age when comedians stack up four-letter words up like bricks in a wall, this album stands out as the PERFECT purchase for both aspiring stand-ups who want to learn how to be funny without being crass and families who are looking for a way to spend an entertaining evening together without being hypnotized by the television.