NEWARK, N.J. -- Comedian Bill Cosby told several hundred people at a conference of community associations Thursday to stand up and confront the ills facing black Americans and ignore those he called "intellectual panhandlers."

Characterizing his own words as "blunt, but not harsh," Cosby criticized a culture in which "babies are wearing $40 sneakers while their mothers are feeding them Oodles of Noodles" and in which pimps and murderers are seen as heroes.

During a speech that lasted nearly an hour, he began by comparing current attitudes to a patient who ignores a toothache until it requires major surgery.

Several times he exhorted the audience to "stand up and stop looking for somebody to blame," a mantra that has angered some black leaders who have accused him of downplaying the effects of long-term discrimination.

Cosby termed some of those critics "intellectual panhandlers" who enable destructive behaviors by staying silent or blaming them on racism.

"You've got these idiots who've got these degrees and some of them are ordained ministers and they say, 'Bill, you're picking on the poor,"' he said. He then drew laughs by adding, "Well, so did Jesus then. Jesus was always telling someone, 'Go ye.' Jesus was always telling people to go somewhere. And 'don't do this again or don't do that again."'

Wearing a sweater with a Yale University logo in honor of Newark Mayor Cory A. Booker, a Yale Law School graduate, Cosby saved some of most pointed words for radio stations that play music that he called "pro-murder and anti-women" and said adults are equally complicit if they fail to speak up.

"I haven't seen the demonstrations saying, 'I'm not allowing my children to listen to this," he said. "It's killing us. We're not talking about it, and we're not beating it down."

Thursday's conference was hosted by South Orange-based Family Intervention Services and Newark Now, an organization formed by Booker.

Cosby was introduced by Booker, who touted the Family Success program he developed that has expanded to 11 support facilities in Newark, as well as his efforts to develop a re-entry program for ex-convicts once they are released from prison.

Booker called Cosby "a critical voice right now in the American context" and praised his willingness to speak out on issues without bowing to political correctness.

"This is a time for candor -- we can't beat around the bush," Booker said. "We've got large percentages of our population that are underachieving. He's speaking to the heart of the matter, and he speaks to the realities of what a lot of folks are experiencing."

[link to www.wnbc.com]