Rape allegations mount against Bill Cosby #1

[BirdycatNY]

Bill Cosby Gave Interview to Keep Charges Secret
By GRAHAM BOWLEY and LORNE MANLYNOV. 26, 2014

...“I am not going to give in to people who try to exploit me because of my celebrity status,” he said.

(BBM)

My two cents: I wonder how he feels now that 19 women have come forward.

If he turns out to be guilty, I guess it's OK in his mind that he exploited others because of his celebrity status. That would be quite the double standard. Just sayin'...

Exactly, how about this Mr. Cosby, if it's true, he was able to exploit women because of his celebrity status...without his fame he's just a criminal who should have been in prison instead of making millions of dollars. With people like Woody Allen and Michael Jackson too(assuming allegations true) they are/were able to live this charmed life of being billionaires. I personally cringe every time I hear MJ's music and will not watch WA movies, but they certainly don't suffer too much and I don't think are blackballed from the Hollywood industry. jmo

 

[Donjeta]

It takes a village to hide a predator.

http://www.thestar.com/life/2014/11/26/celebrity_cases_must_lead_us_to_new_understandings.html

Cosby had said at his deposition that Constand and her mother asked only for an apology in early phone calls about the issue in January 2005, and he said they received one.

“Andrea’s mother said, ‘That’s all I wanted, Bill,’” Cosby testified.

Constand’s lawyers argued in their defamation suit: “Requesting only an apology is not the action of an extortionist or someone who wants to ‘exploit’ a celebrity.”

They said that Cosby later called back and offered to pay for Constand’s “education.”

http://www.thestar.com/entertainmen...canadians_sexualassault_story_in_a_deal.html#

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/nov/26/suzanne-fields-bill-cosbys-middle-class-message-of/

What’s fascinating about the coverage of the persuasive accusations against Bill Cosby, now 18 and rising, is that race doesn’t dominate. There’s an outcry at the abuse of women, and he’s shredded the healthy black-father family man image he carefully cultivated on his sitcom, but you don’t read or hear notice taken of the fact that the women who say he drugged and raped them were usually white.

Nor is the culture called racist for having turned Bill Cosby into an angry black man who spent his aggression against those vulnerable white women. There’s anger at a celebrity’s abuse of power, that an icon of family values is a violent hypocrite, but it’s not about race. No doubt a multitude of psychological and sociological interpretations will follow. The outrage is that he abused male power, destroyed a powerful positive image and broke a lot of black and white hearts.

http://www.vulture.com/2014/11/bill-cosby-comedy-analysis.html?wpsrc=nymag

Here are two things we know about Bill Cosby: He is a comedic genius, and a whole heap of his jokes aren’t funny anymore. Even worse, as suggested by the recent unearthing of a now-notorious bit about dosing women with Spanish Fly, some of his routines now scan as obvious hints of his alleged odious misbehavior.

http://uk.eonline.com/news/600906/b...ince-hannibal-buress-standup-crack-went-viral

News/
Bill Cosby Fallout Timeline: All the News Since Hannibal Buress' Standup Crack Went Viral (Nov24)

Comparing Cosby and Terry Richardson (an unknown entity for me but apparently he's a fashion photographer who has several women accusing him of sexual creepiness)
http://www.buzzfeed.com/jtes/bill-cosby-terry-richardson
http://www.styleite.com/news/bill-cosby-and-terry-richardson-all-accusers-are-not-heard-equally/

Neither Cosby nor Richardson has been charged with a crime. They have both settled lawsuits related to their alleged misconduct. They’ve also both publicly denied wrongdoing. But they’ve remained beloved and defended by fans and industry peers alike, allowing them to continue getting work.

Until Tuesday, when Janice Dickinson changed everything for Bill Cosby.

Nearly five hours after the former supermodel and reality-TV star revealed she’d allegedly been raped by Cosby, Netflix announced it was postponing Cosby’s stand-up special. Eighteen hours later, NBC confirmed that it too was shelving a new Cosby sitcom. Almost 24 hours later, TV Land pulled reruns of The Cosby Show. On Friday, Cosby’s Nov. 28 stand-up show in Las Vegas was also canceled.

Tamara Green was a trial attorney in 2005 when she came forward — even in an industry that Cosby couldn’t touch, speaking out was a “career-ender,” she told Newsweek earlier this year.

“It casts a shadow on your character,” she said, “if you dare to attack one of these icons.”

In a perfect world, I would be able to think that we don’t believe rape victims because we just can’t fathom rape as a thing that an otherwise normal-seeming person would ever do. I would be able to give apologists the benefit of the doubt that the truth of what rape is, what a rapist does, is so horrifying that they have to believe rape doesn’t exist.

But we do not live in that world. In this one, we simply don’t want to believe women – or, really, we don’t want to have to believe women, because doing so might, ever so slightly, complicate our own lives and our own preferred narratives.

It would be mighty inconvenient to have to see the world as it is.

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/nov/21/bill-cosby-rape-accusers-women-stories


http://www.laweekly.com/2014-11-27/filmtv/is-any-part-of-bill-cosbys-legacy-worth-salvaging/
Is Any Part of Bill Cosby's Legacy Worth Salvaging?

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

Tennessee university cancels Cosby appearance

"A university in Tennessee says it has canceled Bill Cosby‘s scheduled appearance at a benefit dinner amid allegations made by women accusing the comedian of sexual assault."

"Freed-Hardeman University in Henderson said in a statement Wednesday that Dr. Ben Carson will replace Cosby at the Dec. 5 dinner."

"Freed-Hardeman President Joe Wiley says the university knows that “names we have seen in the media represent real people who will be affected long after FHU’s dinner has passed.”


http://pagesix.com/2014/11/27/tenne...arance/?_ga=1.255730248.1126446268.1335160290

 

[Donjeta]

Bill Cosby allegations meet with mostly silence in Hollywood
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-et-st-hollywood-cosby-20141127-story.html

Via @latimes: What does Hollywood have to say about the Cosby assault claims? Very little, it turns out
Comedians seem to be having less of a problem addressing the Cosby issue than the entertainment world at large

"The silence from the entertainment community has been obvious, and frankly, disappointing," said Jeffrey McCall, a media studies professor at DePauw University. "Cosby's pals are hesitant to disrupt his legendary status over old allegations. The Hollywood culture protects each other from scandals because few of them have spotless pasts."

And then major entertainment figures fret about getting embroiled in the violent spin cycle on Twitter and social media, where outrage over offhand remarks about emotional subjects can within minutes prompt trolls to hurl abuse or even death threats.

The big network late-night hosts usually live to feast on the foibles of the famous, but they, with few exceptions, have stayed away from Cosby. Conan O'Brien and Jon Stewart made passing jokes about the scandal.

On his HBO show "Real Time," Bill Maher said, "Sorry, but this guy is such a creep. I've had to reevaluate everything I ever thought about him."

He added: "I get it. Celebrities are targets. But 16 women? All with the same story? Even for a guy who did a sitcom in the 1980s, that's a lot of wacky misunderstandings."

 

[IHAVENOCLUE]

Bill Cosby allegations meet with mostly silence in Hollywood
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-et-st-hollywood-cosby-20141127-story.html

Bill Maher: "I've had to reevaluate everything I ever thought about him."

This is my stance now, too...

I never thought I would be calling Cosby a creep... But now I am... And using even stronger words (that are not allowed here)....

Not only is his serial rapist actions sickening....

But the fact that he chose to out his daughter as having a drug addiction, to appease the reporter that was going to approach his rape allegations, is unconscionable...

:stormingmad:

 

[Zuri]

Thank you Donjeta and Izzy for posting the articles and links, and to everyone for posting about this. I thought about this situation as I spent hours on I95 in a virtual parking lot of cars trying to beat the Nor'Easter on Tuesday.

I am puzzled by certain actions by BC. He was a powerful man, with fame and fortune, and he was appealing. We know him best through our tv screens as witty and humorous and someone who gave back. I am guilty of wanting him to be as he appeared on tv, even when I know that is unrealistic. The Cosby Show, Jello commercials, and Kids Say the Darndest Things were enjoyable to watch and seemed to appeal to all sectors of our country.

What I don't understand is the drugging part. Why did he feel the need to drug these women to take advantage of them sexually? I would imagine many women would be flattered by his attention. So why the force? Did he think by drugging these women, they wouldn't remember? And why? Why did he feel the need to do this? Power? Used to taking what he wanted? I just don't get it on his part. JMV

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

What I don't understand is the drugging part. Why did he feel the need to drug these women to take advantage of them sexually? I would imagine many women would be flattered by his attention. So why the force? Did he think by drugging these women, they wouldn't remember? And why? Why did he feel the need to do this? Power? Used to taking what he wanted? I just don't get it on his part. JMV

(Respectfully snipped)

I have wondered the same thing.....why drug these women? I wouldn't be surprised if he likes the power as you mentioned, and as someone touched on earlier in this thread, I wouldn't be surprised if he is able to do whatever he likes and do it in a very rough manner, therefore the bruises some victims spoke about. I also think he probably videotaped encounters....and I expect he had a buddy or two who participated.

I don't know but jmo.....he sure is disgusting and has many secrets to hide.

 

[Donjeta]

http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat...ed_by_smithsonian_museum_should_its_show.html
What Should the Smithsonian Do With Its Show of Bill Cosby’s Art Collection?

The allegations against Cosby, it should be noted, are not new; they’ve been out in the public arena, reported on, and written about, for a decade now. There’s no question that museum staff would have known about them when the Cosby exhibition was being conceived and planned; what they didn’t and couldn’t know is how the charges—and the attention given to them—would escalate right around the time of the opening of the show.

So, what is a museum to do?

Well, for starters, they should not do what they are currently doing: ignoring the situation. As far as I can tell, the institution has not muttered a single word in regards to the allegations—which have mostly not been pursued in court, but overall appear to come from 15 women. I emailed the institution’s head of communications to ask for a comment or statement on the matter and received this nonresponse:

The museum’s mission is to inspire conversations about the beauty, power and diversity of African arts and cultures worldwide. Exhibiting Conversations: African and African American Artworks in Dialogue gives us the opportunity to showcase one of the world’s preeminent private collections of African American art, which will help further meaningful dialogue between Africa and the African diaspora. The exhibition will run through 2016.

 

[lawstudent]

I absolutely believe the drugging was purely a power/control issue. I'm surprised at how many people think rape is typically the result of lack of 'access' - it's often a preference.

 

[IzzyBlanche]

Thank you Donjeta and Izzy for posting the articles and links, and to everyone for posting about this. I thought about this situation as I spent hours on I95 in a virtual parking lot of cars trying to beat the Nor'Easter on Tuesday.

[snipped for focus]

What I don't understand is the drugging part. Why did he feel the need to drug these women to take advantage of them sexually? I would imagine many women would be flattered by his attention. So why the force? Did he think by drugging these women, they wouldn't remember? And why? Why did he feel the need to do this? Power? Used to taking what he wanted? I just don't get it on his part. JMV

Oh, you poor thing. I just opened up the front door to 83 degrees out to let some fresh air in. Usually it's not that warm here this time of year, but we are having Santa Ana winds from the desert. So once again we'll be wearing shorts to Thanksgiving dinner.

But I digress. Back on topic.

The thing is, the crime of rape is not about sex; indeed although I don't have a link handy, I remember reading somewhere that most rapists have willing sexual partners in their lives. I know you didn't say this, but I've heard it said of BC that "he didn't have to resort to rape to get sex." This is a complete misunderstanding of rape. Linda Fairstein defines rape as "a crime of violence with sex as the weapon."

So as for why he felt the need to do this, I surmise power, dominance, and misogyny. As one of the articles Donjeta cited above touched on, since most of the victims were white, possibly a racial motive as well.

 

[Trino]

I just see nothing of value in the allegations. Cosby cannot be prosecuted. The only outcome is a civil suit, which means money for the victims. Definitely, they will not say no to any monetary award.

As to the art collection, well, maybe Bill should get it back. After the civil suits, he may need to sell it to pay off his debts.

 

[Morag]

I just see nothing of value in the allegations. Cosby cannot be prosecuted. The only outcome is a civil suit, which means money for the victims. Definitely, they will not say no to any monetary award.

As to the art collection, well, maybe Bill should get it back. After the civil suits, he may need to sell it to pay off his debts.

Now every woman in the country knows to stay away from Bill Cosby.
I rather imagine that there's no woman reading this thread who would willingly be alone with him. BTW, have any suits actually been filed?

And as to the Cosby art collection: I don't think it has been given to the Smithsonian- merely loaned.

 

[Donjeta]

He was supposed to get the art back all along anyway, Smithsonian is just borrowing them for the duration of the exhibition.

But Cosby loaned the art, and the exhibit was built around his personality and fame. There are quotes from him on the walls, and he appeared at the museum to tout it.

http://www.wusa9.com/story/news/local/dc/2014/11/24/bruce-leshan-copy/70059482/

In its new statement, the museum says "Exhibiting this important collection does not imply any position on the serious allegations that have been made against Cosby."

In the meantime, Donna Motsinger says she wants nothing from Cosby:

On Tuesday, Mrs Motsinger, who lost her 33-year-old son, Dylan, in 2012, took to her Facebook page to offer more details on what made her come forward after all these years.

'My mother has known as has family and a few friends but it's something that I just didn't think I could be honest about with the world,' she wrote.

'If my son Dylan were still with me today he would tell me "Mom, you have always taught us to be honest and stand up for our truth, it's only right you speak up now.."

'Also my mother is very ill and I didn't want to do anything to bring her more discomfort but today she gave me her blessing to tell my story,' Motsinger stated.
'I wrote Mr. Cosby's attorney and asked him to please just have his client not demean the brave women who have come forward...but as you might expect they are determined to make these women out to be seeking money and or fame...

'I cannot sit back and just be quiet..be a coward..I want nothing from this man in any way. I want to be a friend to those who had the courage I didn't have...until now.'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...Cosby-drugging-raping-1971.html#ixzz3KIo6KSY2
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

 

[waitin'4thewrld2chg]

Monetary factors aside (and I wish monetary factors were more in play for the women alleging violence at the hands of Cosby), I see plenty of value, both for self and others, in the breaking of silence by rape victims, regardless of the timeline. How will we become a society that reports sooner rather than later/never if we don’t see the topic held up to the light and the behavior of disclosure modeled?

How do younger individuals learn that their personal power is as great as the next person’s, regardless of external trappings? How do they figure out that shame on the part of the victimized has no place in any equation unless they see real people stand up and say---either the next day or fifty years later---‘you know what, hell no!’.

 

[Slebby]

I just see nothing of value in the allegations. Cosby cannot be prosecuted. The only outcome is a civil suit, which means money for the victims. Definitely, they will not say no to any monetary award.

As to the art collection, well, maybe Bill should get it back. After the civil suits, he may need to sell it to pay off his debts.

I see great value in the allegations. For one, I think it is tremendously healthy for his victims to finally, FINALLY unburden themselves of these terrible experiences with BC. Two, for other victims of rape out there, perhaps the example of these victims will be enough to give them the courage to come forward against their abusers. Three, these revelations have provided an education about rape, and imo, there has been some great discussion in the media about the practice of victim shaming, the fear of coming forward, and delayed reporting of rape. Attitudes and pre-conceptions are changing.

IMO

 

[matou]

What is the statute of limitations for rape in the US? What about 'administering a noxious substance'? TIA

 

[CuriousPortlander]

Rape statutes of limitations differ by state. Very different from one to the other.

I know at least one article I read off the links in this thread said that one of the accusers lives in a state where the statute of limitations has not yet run out. So, theoretically, he could still be charged. Key word being theoretically.

 

[CuriousPortlander]

Why No One Should Be Surprised By the Bill Cosby Rape Allegations: A Timeline of His Bad Behavior
TV Guide News Nov 22, 2014 06:01 PM ET


There are many who are expressing shock that the imagined family man was capable of sexual assault, despite the fact that evidence and stories of Cosby's megalomania, intimidation and control tactics have been public knowledge since the height of his fame during The Cosby Show.

Here is a timeline of Cosby's bad behavior and abuse charges.

...1976: Cosby is at a party at the Playboy Mansion when Tommy Smothers congratulates the comedian on his latest TV show, not knowing it had been canceled a day prior. "He just looked at me [as if to say] 'F--- you,' and I said, 'Well, f--- you,' ... and walked away," Smothers recalls. Cosby then "sucker-punched" Smothers and stood over him for "a minute or two ... screaming at me, 'C'mon, I'll kick your *advertiser censored*,' stuff like that," he says.

...1984: TV Guide Magazine publishes a profile of Cosby, in which he is described as "combative, defensive, challenging, threatening and hostile. The most innocuous line of questioning could set him off." The article also details his propensity for holding grudges against anyone who digs too much into his personal life. "For example, TV Guide published an article 15 years ago that told how many cars he owned," the writer says. "He mentioned it to me at least twice, in anger."

ETA: 1989: Cosby's daughter Erinn, who was a coke addict, accuses Mike Tyson of sexual assault. Cosby forces her to seek treatment and says she wouldn't be allowed into the family until she fixed her life. She remains estranged from her family for nearly a decade until she attends her brother Ennis' funeral.


Read more: http://www.tvguide.com/news/bill-cosby-rape-allegations-timeline-1089629.aspx

 

[Donjeta]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/wo...ser-Hes-very-ill.-I-want-him-to-get-well.html

Joan Tarshis, who first met Cosby in 1969 when she was 19, starting out as a comedy writer, has said she believes the American star is “very ill”.

She alleged that one of the America’s best loved comedians spiked her drink when she accepted his invitation to his bungalow to discuss a new writing project and sexually assaulted her.

"I feel he will never say anything. He’ll never admit anything…I am not a psychotherapist but it almost seems his behaviour was sociopathic - because he didn’t feel like he did anything wrong,” she said last night on the BBC 5 Live Hit List.

 

[Nova]

Thank you Donjeta and Izzy for posting the articles and links, and to everyone for posting about this. I thought about this situation as I spent hours on I95 in a virtual parking lot of cars trying to beat the Nor'Easter on Tuesday.

I am puzzled by certain actions by BC. He was a powerful man, with fame and fortune, and he was appealing. We know him best through our tv screens as witty and humorous and someone who gave back. I am guilty of wanting him to be as he appeared on tv, even when I know that is unrealistic. The Cosby Show, Jello commercials, and Kids Say the Darndest Things were enjoyable to watch and seemed to appeal to all sectors of our country.

What I don't understand is the drugging part. Why did he feel the need to drug these women to take advantage of them sexually? I would imagine many women would be flattered by his attention. So why the force? Did he think by drugging these women, they wouldn't remember? And why? Why did he feel the need to do this? Power? Used to taking what he wanted? I just don't get it on his part. JMV

I have no professional training or experience on the subject, but I assume Mr. Cosby was turned on by the very fact of having absolute power over incapacitated (or young and intimidated) women. Sure, a prostitute PRETENDING to be helpless would be cheaper, but Cosby would know she was just pretending.

I don't think rape is JUST about power, but it is often the intersection of power and sex.

(IMO, the "rape is about power, not sex" mantra was coined to combat juries who saw the victim as "inviting" rape if her clothes or demeanor were at all attractive. This was a necessary step is raising our social consciousness; but now that we know better, we can admit that if a man is only interested in power, he can assert that over a woman without resorting to sexual assault.)