I generally limit daytime TV watching, because frankly my pea-sized brain can’t afford too much more atrophy.

Today was the exception (maybe because I skipped a big pot of tea when I got up to see if lowering caffeine will become a more conventional bedtime).

Dr. Phil is featuring loveable educator Dr. Bill Cosby exhorting parents to not fuck up and kids to do something.

I know if I was a chubby white girl (and don’t get me wrong, I am) with no friends and a serious TV jones, the Cos’ kissing away my tears and telling me to change would be the juice for my new and improved life. Dr. Phil had some good advice for the parents, um, turn off the fucking TV. He is sporting for a personal trainer and, I think, is going to help her make friends or something, which is fun.

Now they are profiling a Black kid with a hard-working mom and jailed dad, who has stayed in school and not joined a gang. News at 11.

Seriously, and I know I might be veering from the liberal left party line I generally choose, what the fuck are Phil and Bill selling by suggesting there are almost no good kids growing up in Black families. (But, lowermybills.com is ponying up some cake for his college tuition, ’cause he’s “a Cosby kid.”)

I like Bill Cosby, I think he’s funny and I respect that he is educated and speaks out in the community from whence he came.

But, maybe the cynic in me is feeling cranky today. They’re alternating the inspiring change your life rhetoric aimed at the kids, the children, our kids, with plugs for the Fat Albert movie, now out on DVD. Hmmm, perhaps the Cos’ is multitasking. Afterall, he’s quite educated.

Oh, fuck. The show’s over, and underneath the chair of everyone in the audience is a copy of the Fat Albert DVD and Dr. Phil’s book.