Rape allegations mount against Bill Cosby #1

[Blondie in Spokane]

More Venues Cancel Bill Cosby Shows Amid Rape Accusations

Venues in Washington state and South Carolina are the latest to drop Bill Cosby from their schedules in the wake of more claims that he sexually assaulted women in past decades.

The Broadway Center in Tacoma cancelled Cosby’s April 15 stop as part of his Cosby 77 tour, while the Florence Civic Center "indefinitely postponed" his show — entitled "Far from Finished" — for Feb. 20. At least seven shows across six states — including one scheduled in Las Vegas next week — have been scrapped.

http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/bi...ill-cosby-shows-amid-rape-accusations-n254096

 

[SStarr33]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifes...074938-718e-11e4-8808-afaa1e3a33ef_story.html

This is long but well worth the read

Tarshis goes into detail and she didn't just come up with her story for the Constand case.

Also, Linda Traitz told people at the time.

Victoria Valentino is on video recounting her experience and names the friend who was with her and who passed out, Meg Foster.

Tamara Green:

The article describes the home life a bit. The wife and children lived largely separately from him and he was estranged from one of his daughters.

The talent agency who referred Barbara Bowman and Beth Ferrier to Cosby for mentoring was run by Jo Farrell who suffers from dementia now.

Regarding Andrea Constand:

Hillary Clinton was never accused of drugging and raping lots of people though, so I'm not sure the analogy holds water. Anyway, I'm not sure people should forget this kind of thing.

People telling others about what happened at the time is good evidence to me. I guess officially it is hearsay but it becomes much more credible when this happens more than once.

 

[SStarr33]

"EXCLUSIVE: Ex-NBC employee Frank Scotti claims Bill Cosby paid off women, invited young models to dressing room as he stood guard"

"Veteran NBC employee Frank Scotti says he helped Bill Cosby deliver thousands of dollars to eight different women in 1989-90 - including Shawn Thompson, whose daughter Autumn Jackson claimed the actor was her dad. The ex-aide also tells the Daily News he stood guard whenever Cosby invited young models to his dressing room, which eventually led him to quitting after years on the job."

http://www.nydailynews.com/entertai...-paid-women-ex-nbc-employee-article-1.2020464

This is good evidence too. It is similar to what they have on the other BC, not necessarily about paying women off, but more the part about being the fixer.

 

[Donjeta]

This article is not fresh out of the press but makes some interesting points
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...-finally-starting-to-turn-against-bill-cosby/

What was strange was the mushroom cloud of controversy Buress set off repeating something he had said before — not about new allegations, but about the same 13 women who signed on as witnesses in Constand’s 2004 lawsuit.

Without intending to, Buress became a perfect example of the conundrum of male allyship: It wasn’t enough 13 different women accused Cosby of drugging, raping and violently assaulting them. It was only after a famous man, Buress, called him out that the possibility of Cosby becoming a television pariah became real.

Last month, Cosby was a guest on the “The Colbert Report.” Colbert remained in character, but was unambiguously deferential. In August, Cosby appeared on “The Tonight Show” and got similar treatment from Jimmy Fallon.

Author Mark Whitaker omitted rape allegations from his new biography of Cosby, and the book was still widely praised for giving a comprehensive look at Cosby’s life. When HuffPost Live host Marc Lamont Hill asked Whitaker why he failed to mention the rape allegations in the book, for which he had Cosby’s cooperation, Whitaker answered: “In these cases, there were no definitive court findings, there were no independent witnesses, and I just felt, at the end of the day, all I would be doing would be, ‘These people say this, Cosby denies this.’ And as not only a reporter but his biographer, if people asked me, ‘What is the truth? What do you think?’ I would be in the position of saying, ‘I don’t know,’ and I just felt uncomfortable.”

The article then goes on a bit about Jian Ghomeshi and a male friend who publicly condemned him.

But somehow, Pallett’s willingness to speak bolsters the women’s claims. The problem, argued Salon’s Katie McDonough, is that people were shocked Pallett chose to believe women:

Is there anything that scandalous about Pallett’s decision? After all, what Pallett is doing is what a lot of people have already done — taken sides. Pallett just happens to have taken the side that says that women are not vindictive. Women are not liars. Women are not out to destroy men for sport.

On one hand, having male allies such as Buress and Pallett, who are unafraid to speak up, has been instrumental in amplifying women’s voices when they make accusations against men more powerful and famous than themselves. On the other, there’s a question why this is necessary at all — and why there’s such a reflexive reaction to dismiss them.

The sexual assault allegations by Bowman, Constand and Green were all over the Internet when Queen Latifah’s show decided to book Cosby. Quite possibly, it took Buress’s words to make Cosby so unpalatable the best decision for both parties was to cancel.

 

[SStarr33]

'Late Show With David Letterman' staffers relieved they don't have to deal with upcoming Bill Cosby appearance


Female staffers at “The Late Show With David Letterman” are breathing a collective sigh of relief they don’t have to deal with an upcoming Bill Cosby appearance. A source close to the show tells Confidenti@l that the disgraced comic had some truly bizarre backstage requests.

“He’d include as a request, before he arrived, that the young girls, interns and assistants, all had to gather around in the green room backstage and sit down and watch him eat curry,” our stunned source explains. “No one would say anything, and he would sit silently eating and make us watch and want us to watch.”

In the wake of multiple women accusing Cosby of raping them, his latest visit to the CBS show has been canceled. But when the 77- year-old comic appeared multiple times over the years, he’d act alarmingly gross to the women employees.

http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/confidential/cbs-women-curry-favor-article-1.2020179

This is so bizarre. Beyond Cosby requesting it, why in the world would Letterman allow that to happen?

 

[Donjeta]

Not speaking for Scarlett, but for me it is not believing the worst of the women it is not believing either side without evidence.

JMO but in these kinds of cases the end the result of not believing either side without evidence does not largely differ from dismissing the alleged victims' claims as lies. It seems to me that a lot of the time when people are using this argument they're not really focusing on finding evidence pro and contra, they're focusing on dismissing the alleged victims to prove that he did not do it.

There were no physical examsconducted at the time, no blood tests to detect the presence of a drug, and most of the time I'm assuming there were no cameras and no impartial witnesses there to say whether whatever happened in the room with Bill Cosby and the woman in question was consensual or not.

The incidents that were described are the type that most evidence we're going to get are the victims talking about it.

The victims talking about what happened is considered evidence in the court of law.

 

[Donjeta]

After reporter Brett Zongker asked the comedian about allegations that he had raped or sexually abused women, Cosby suggested that such questions were irresponsible. He and his wife had chosen to sit down with the AP, he said, because they thought the AP was a reputable news organization and would not dig into those unpleasant accusations.

Cosby tried a classic power play, hoping to intimidate the reporter into suppressing the video: “I think if you want to consider yourself to be serious, that it will not appear anywhere,” he said to Zongker*. After making this equation — between reportorial seriousness and deference to himself — Cosby asked David Brokaw, his longtime media representative, who was standing off-camera, to get on the horn to the AP and do everything possible to ensure that the videotaped encounter was “scuttled.”

The quote is from an article titled, An art loan from Bill Cosby draws the Smithsonian into a national debate
http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifes...e2794a-70e5-11e4-ad12-3734c461eab6_story.html

Many commentators expressed strong objections to mixing art with “non-art” matters, such as Cosby’s reputation and museum ethics. One person wrote that the “review is filled with so much social commentary and opinion on non art matters that it loses all credibility as an art exhibit review. How relevant are Bill Cosby’s personal problems or past comments on society to evaluating the exhibit?” Another said that my brief mention of the rape allegations had “no place in the lexicon of art criticism.”

My reason for including mention of the allegations followed exactly the same reasoning elegantly expressed by Ta-Nehisi Coates in a Nov. 19 piece for the Atlantic: “Lacking physical evidence, adjudicating rape accusations is a murky business for journalists. But believing Bill Cosby does not require you to take one person’s word over another — it requires you take one person’s word over 15 others.”

he question now is whether the Smithsonian has been put in the same place as journalists writing about the Cosby art exhibition. If the Museum of African Art ignores the allegations, it seems to tacitly accept the proposition that all 15 women are liars. But if it tries to issue a statement or contextualize the exhibition with some kind of acknowledgment of the controversy, it appears to say the following: “It’s unfortunate that many people believe he is a serial rapist, but we’re happy to have his art anyway.”

When asked for a statement on the allegations, the museum chose option A, saying, “This world class collection helps to define the history of American art created by persons of African descent and it further enhances the canon in that it brings . . . attention to the public artists whose works have long been omitted from the study of American art history. The educational outreach for such an exhibition is enormous in that it brings together African diasporic studies that can be readily understood and appreciated.”

[modsnip]

It's a broad philosophical and moral question IMO.
Innocent until proven guilty is an admirable principle in a court of law but in the society in general if we pretend that no one ever said that Bill Cosby raped more than a dozen women or conveniently forget that Woody Allen's daughter said he molested her and things of that nature we're also sending the message to the victims of similar crimes that if they speak out they don't matter.

And that is yet another reason the Smithsonian shouldn’t be exhibiting the work of living collectors. Although plans for the Cosby exhibition were underway long before the long-standing* rape allegations started to receive renewed attention earlier this year, it now looks as if the museum is offering Cosby a haven, a place where he can be celebrated for generosity even as more than a dozen women have denounced him as a predator. It may not have intended the show as an exercise in art washing — the use of art to cleanse a reputation — but it will look that way to skeptics.

Mrs. Cosby is on the advisory board of the museum...
http://africa.si.edu/about/board/

 

[LaborDayRN]

The quote is from an article titled, An art loan from Bill Cosby draws the Smithsonian into a national debate
http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifes...e2794a-70e5-11e4-ad12-3734c461eab6_story.html


It's a broad philosophical and moral question IMO.
Innocent until proven guilty is an admirable principle in a court of law but in the society in general if we pretend that no one ever said that Bill Cosby raped more than a dozen women or conveniently forget that Woody Allen's daughter said he molested her and things of that nature we're also sending the message to the victims of similar crimes that if they speak out they don't matter.

Well said. Thank you!

 

[SStarr33]

JMO but in these kinds of cases the end the result of not believing either side without evidence does not largely differ from dismissing the alleged victims' claims as lies. It seems to me that a lot of the time when people are using this argument they're not really focusing on finding evidence pro and contra, they're focusing on dismissing the alleged victims to prove that he did not do it.

There were no physical examsconducted at the time, no blood tests to detect the presence of a drug, and most of the time I'm assuming there were no cameras and no impartial witnesses there to say whether whatever happened in the room with Bill Cosby and the woman in question was consensual or not.

The incidents that were described are the type that most evidence we're going to get are the victims talking about it.

The victims talking about what happened is considered evidence in the court of law.

That is just your spin on it, and as far as in my case, it is incorrect.

 

[Donjeta]

That is just your spin on it, and as far as in my case, it is incorrect.

Well I'm glad that it doesn't apply to you but if one reads comment sections one can't fail to notice that most everybody who says they don't believe anyone without evidence are really implying that they don't believe the women who said they were raped.

 

[Donjeta]

There was one protester. Around 6:42 p.m. she arrived outside the King Center with a sign that read “Rape Is No Joke.”

“I strongly feel Mr. Cosby should stay at home,” said Julie Lemaitre, as a scrum of TV cameraman surrounded her. “He needs to take a timeout and think about what these women have said and publicly address it.”

David Love, a 54-year-old mechanical engineer, said he finds it hard to believe the comedian did what he’s accused of. He’s been a longtime fan of his television work.

“Someone who is willing to use women like that, a person like that I can’t imagine being funny and having TV shows that project morality,” said Love. “Watching his shows, he’s always seemed to be a man of character. I’m going to assume he’s a good guy.”

Others questioned the accusers.

“These women, if it happened, why didn’t they report it when it happened?” said Lenore Raicovich, 79.

“You think Bill Cosby is the only one who has ever done this thing?” said Susan Raimondi, 69, sitting next to her.

“I don’t buy it,” said Shelley Nerbonne. “First of all, why are women coming out 30 and 40 years later? That’s not fair. If that’s true, they should have brought it out when it happened.”
Her husband, Richard, went further. He said that he would remain a fan of Cosby, no matter what.

“Even if he’s guilty, his personal matters do not come to this arena,” he said. “They’re with him and the Lord and elsewhere. I wanted to bring a sign tonight and say, ‘We Love You, Bill.’

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs...s-on-as-scheduled-in-florida-on-friday-night/

I find these people disturbing... I dunno... Not believing the accusers is one thing but this one guy actually says even if it was true it wouldn't matter the least bit.

And one woman seems to imply that other men rape women too so that makes it OK

Serial rape is a personal matter and everyone should just keep their nose out of Bill's business.

“Hilarious,” said Art Williams, 60. “Everything he said, I’ve lived.”

Williams said he was thrilled that Cosby didn’t mention the accusations during the gig.

“I thought it was spectacular with all the pressure on him right now,” he said. “He did a fine job in ignoring it and carrying on.”

 

[CHERIE.T]

MODS please delete if already posted,
http://www.nydailynews.com/entertai...-paid-women-ex-nbc-employee-article-1.2020464

EXCLUSIVE: Ex-NBC employee Frank Scotti claims Bill Cosby paid off women, invited young models to dressing room as he stood guard

bbm :hanging:

Mr. Scotti , in this article, provided copies of checks and money orders Cosby used to pay off women.

 

[kimi_SFC]

MODS please delete if already posted,
http://www.nydailynews.com/entertai...-paid-women-ex-nbc-employee-article-1.2020464

EXCLUSIVE: Ex-NBC employee Frank Scotti claims Bill Cosby paid off women, invited young models to dressing room as he stood guard

bbm :hanging:

Wow. He kept the receipts? I believe him. :cow:


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[CHERIE.T]

:seeya: hi Kimi! I know! Kind of proves things to me. imo

 

[crimesnooper]

I never bought into the Cosby persona. A wonderful actor for sure. I do remember our local radio station discussing their worst guests. Cosby was one who was mentioned as arrogant and abusive...no mention of anything sexual though. I had great respect for the radio host..who was black. So I beleived him when he spoke of his experience. This was years ago before any of the recent allegations.

As far as the women now coming forward..I think we need to remember wht the culture was 30 years ago regarding sexual encounters. If a woman got drunk and a man had sex with her it was her fault no matter how incapacitated she was. There was no such thing as date rape. In fact, it was kind of a male joke..get the woman drunk and you will"get some." There was no recourse legally or socially if you were sexiually harassed on the job...NONE. All the legal recousres we have now, with the exception of stranger rape, are fairly new and not practiced in the 60s, 70s and part of the 80s.
Two questions?
Have any of the women who worked with him come forward to defend his character. You know...he was a great guy...could never have done any of this?
If Cosby was a priest and 14 boys came forward 30 years later would you beleive the boys or Cosby?

 

[kimi_SFC]

:seeya: hi Kimi! I know! Kind of proves things to me. imo

Frank Scotti is 90 years old, and was with NBC during the filming of the Cosby Show in Brooklyn. He knew BC going back to I-Spy. So IMV, Mr. Scotti had intimate access to things most would never see. I also feel he validates everything that's being said (the women coming out now and BC's behavior) - all of it is consistent with a man who was very powerful when this was happening.

I am glad he is speaking out now. And bless him for going on the record with those receipts. This can NOT be easy for him right now. :moo:

:seeya: CHERIE.T and thank you for posting this article! :hug:


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[kimi_SFC]

I never bought into the Cosby persona. A wonderful actor for sure. I do remember our local radio station discussing their worst guests. Cosby was one who was mentioned as arrogant and abusive...no mention of anything sexual though. I had great respect for the radio host..who was black. So I beleived him when he spoke of his experience. This was years ago before any of the recent allegations.

As far as the women now coming forward..I think we need to remember wht the culture was 30 years ago regarding sexual encounters. If a woman got drunk and a man had sex with her it was her fault no matter how incapacitated she was. There was no such thing as date rape. In fact, it was kind of a male joke..get the woman drunk and you will"get some." There was no recourse legally or socially if you were sexiually harassed on the job...NONE. All the legal recousres we have now, with the exception of stranger rape, are fairly new and not practiced in the 60s, 70s and part of the 80s.
Two questions?
Have any of the women who worked with him come forward to defend his character. You know...he was a great guy...could never have done any of this?
If Cosby was a priest and 14 boys came forward 30 years later would you beleive the boys or Cosby?

ETA: it was was Stacey Dash was tweeted (?) her support of BC. I could be wrong about the medium. I will try to find a link.


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[SStarr33]

I never bought into the Cosby persona. A wonderful actor for sure. I do remember our local radio station discussing their worst guests. Cosby was one who was mentioned as arrogant and abusive...no mention of anything sexual though. I had great respect for the radio host..who was black. So I beleived him when he spoke of his experience. This was years ago before any of the recent allegations.

As far as the women now coming forward..I think we need to remember wht the culture was 30 years ago regarding sexual encounters. If a woman got drunk and a man had sex with her it was her fault no matter how incapacitated she was. There was no such thing as date rape. In fact, it was kind of a male joke..get the woman drunk and you will"get some." There was no recourse legally or socially if you were sexiually harassed on the job...NONE. All the legal recousres we have now, with the exception of stranger rape, are fairly new and not practiced in the 60s, 70s and part of the 80s.
Two questions?
Have any of the women who worked with him come forward to defend his character. You know...he was a great guy...could never have done any of this?
If Cosby was a priest and 14 boys came forward 30 years later would you beleive the boys or Cosby?

Yes, Stacy Dash came forward.

 

[CHERIE.T]

Frank Scotti is 90 years old, and was with NBC during the filming of the Cosby Show in Brooklyn. He knew BC going back to I-Spy. So IMV, Mr. Scotti had intimate access to things most would never see. I also feel he validates everything that's being said (the women coming out now and BC's behavior) - all of it is consistent with a man who was very powerful when this was happening.

I am glad he is speaking out now. And bless him for going on the record with those receipts. This can NOT be easy for him right now. :moo:

:seeya: CHERIE.T and thank you for posting this article! :hug:


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

you are welcome darlin! :loveyou:

 

[kimi_SFC]

In looking for the tweet, I ran a search "Tempestt Bledsoe Bill Cosby" and there is a story that's out now with an interview.

I'm wondering if she's the unnamed actress in the story posted upthread.

Not sure I can post the link due to TOS.




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