The Theory
Timeline
September 24th, 1984
The premiere of The Cosby Show. Bill wears a suit throughout most of the episode, but during a brief scene where he plays catch with his "son" Theo, The Cosby Sweater sees its premiere. The very same hour, the stock market crashes.
April 5th, 1985
The Cosby Sweater's popularity begins to climb with The Cosby Show's ratings.
July 12th, 1985
In the midst of summer reruns, the Cosby Sweater...catches on. According to my calculations (I am a professional in the field of relations with public and sweaters and such and am therefore a supreme authority), eight billion sweaters are sold in one day alone. Maybe it's eight thousand. Either way, The Cosby Sweater begins its meteoric rise to celebrity.
