All it took for Bill Cosby to draw a standing ovation Tuesday night was stepping onstage wearing a dark blue sweatshirt with the word “Kansas” emblazoned across it.

And all it took for him to get the Allen Fieldhouse crowd of at least 6,000 people laughing was launching into his signature stories about growing up in the 1940s with friends such as Peter Whitehead (who blew up his room with a chemistry set), Boogie and Rook.

Comedian Bill Cosby takes a seat during his appearance at Allen Fieldhouse.

“From zero to puberty — that’s when I had my best time,” Cosby said.

Cosby, 67, stayed away from the discussion of social issues that have become an occasional part of his routine this year.

The only serious moment in the show came before Cosby began his comedy routine, when he said he wanted to pay tribute to those who have been killed and wounded in Iraq and to the families of those serving in the military who were “waiting, hoping and praying for this to be over.”

John Wigner said he grew up watching Cosby on television. He was not disappointed with Tuesday’s live performance.

“He’s hilarious,” the Kansas University freshman from Prairie Village said. “He is a great performer.”

Whether they got to know Cosby through his standup comedy in the early 1960s, as a guest host on the Tonight Show, his later television programs or in commercials, it seemed audience members could connect with the popular actor.

About 6,000 people await the arrival of comedian Bill Cosby at Allen Fieldhouse. Cosby began his routine Tuesday at Kansas University by honoring the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan with a moment of silence.

“He reached all of the audience; I think he addressed every age group,” said Trina Ramirez, 31, Lawrence. “He gives a very powerful performance.”

As he took the stage in his Jayhawk ball cap and sweatshirt, Cosby moved to a chair already on the stage that was draped with another, lighter blue sweatshirt with the words “Hello Friend” emblazoned on its front.

From his youth, it was on into stories about manhood, which Cosby described as “way overrated.”

“You’ll find out what I found out: You are not the boss,” he said. He described what it was like being a dad, and having your children treat you “like a museum piece.”

Brad Shafer described Cosby as “phenomenal.”

“He has an incredible grasp of language,” the 33-year-old Lawrence resident said. “He has a great use of words and inflection. He uses dramatic pauses to great effect.”

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KU juniors Amber Weaver, Overland Park, and Faith Butler, Topeka, also were seeing Cosby in person for the first time. They said his humor and story-telling was not too old-fashioned to be enjoyed by today’s college students.

“We used to watch ‘The Cosby Show’ all the time,” Butler said.

Cosby’s appearance was one of many events this week in conjunction with KU’s Homecoming. About 5,600 tickets were sold in advance for the show. Before the fieldhouse doors were opened, a line of people formed along the sidewalks outside the entrance, then split off to the north and south along Naismith Drive.

Members of the KU Homecoming Steering Committee said they didn’t know Tuesday night how many tickets were sold or exactly how large the crowd was.