Cosby tells Compton to honor its heros

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 20 (UPI) -- Actor, comedian and activist Bill Cosby scolded Compton, Calif., for failing to recognize its hometown heroes -- tennis champs Venus and Serena Williams.

Hundreds of residents gathered at Compton High School Wednesday night to hear Cosby speak and brainstorm ways to reverse escalating violence in the Los Angeles suburb, the Los Angeles Times reported Thursday.

"How difficult is it for Compton to have a parade so that parents can bring the children and hold them up and say: 'They're from here'?" Cosby asked in the style of an old-time revival leader.

"And then one of the sisters was shot and murdered," he said, referring to the 2003 killing of the Williams's' half-sister Yetunde Price. Cosby paused as the audience completed his sentence -- "in Compton."

Cosby continued: "And the verdict was mistrial -- in Compton. Still no parade."

One way to change the city's negative image is to publicly celebrate its successes, he said.

"You're known for a lot of things, Compton -- not many of them good ones," Cosby noted. "Why don't you bring them out?"