SHORT TAKES : Cosby Sees Tamer Clay, Murphy

Andrew Dice Clay and Eddie Murphy will likely tone down their comedy routines to keep their acts popular, predicts veteran funny man Bill Cosby.

“A comedian has to be liked. If people don’t like you, they definitely don’t see anything funny about you,” Cosby said in an interview this week on the syndicated television show “Personalities.”

“The only business that I know of is in the field of sports, where you can be disliked and make a living,” Cosby said.

Cosby singled out Murphy and Clay as examples of comics whose humor will probably change as they get older.

“I know that when they hit 30, whatever it is, man, they’re not going to want to be known as the guys who said and grabbed and did all of that (scatological humor). Especially, if they have kids growing up,” Cosby said.