The Cosby Show changed the face of international television distribution as profoundly as it altered American television culture. However, while many scholars have addressed the show's domestic popularity, its international acceptance remains a virtual mystery. This article investigates the various economic, textual and audience practices that led to The Cosby Show's international success, and that continue to make middle-class African American sitcoms lucrative international fare. The Cosby Show set the representational and marketing standards that continue to determine what types of African American shows are sold internationally, and where those shows are sold. While the international syndication industry learned many lessons from The Cosby Show, including the global appeal of domestic sitcoms, this article suggests that deeper revelations regarding the importance of televisual representations of race in global programming remain unrecognized.
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