Bill Cosby:
On December 30, 2015, Bill Cosby was charged with aggravated sexual assault against accuser, Andrea Constand in Pennsylvania. Speculations and allegations accusing Bill Cosby of inappropriate sexual activity have been erupting for year and even longer with accounts from over 50 women. Since then Cosby has remained relatively silent on the matter, denying all accusations against him. While it might have taken him over a year to be charged in a courtroom, it took many of us in our streets only seconds to find him not guilty. There are others who find him guilty, but a divide is forming. Debates all over timelines, Twitter fingers sounding off, hashtags breaking the Internet all chiming in on the story set to become the OJ Simpson case of our generation.
Bill Cosby: Actor, Comedian, Icon, Alleged Rapist, Scholar, Husband, Grammy Winner, Philanthropist.
Cosby, 78, is a man who has worn many hats. He joined the Navy in 1956. He started in stand-up comedy in 1963, married Camille Hanks in 1964, moved on to his first role on television in "I Spy" in 1965, earned his Doctorate degree from University of Massachusetts of Amherst in ’76, and landed his (second) self-titled sitcom, The Cosby Show in ‘84. Throughout the ascend of his career, multiple women have come forth accusing Cosby of sexual assault. The number of accusation are numbered at 50+. Here are a few accounts:
In 1965, Kristina Rheuli alleges that Bill Cosby gave her drinks with drugs in them. She was invited to a party that had only 2 attendees. She woke up hours later to Cosby forcing himself into her mouth.
In 1969, Victoria Valentino and her friend were invited to join Cosby for dinner. He insisted they take a few pills to relax. They relocated and Valentino found herself pulling Cosby off her friend who had already passed out. Cosby pushed Valentino to the floor forcing himself into her mouth and then raping her.
Judy Huth says she was given alcoholic beverages at the Playboy Mansion. Cosby requested she sit on a bed next to him and he then proceeded to molest her in 1974, when she was 15 years old.
In 1977 P.J. Masten is invited to dinner. After a pre-dinner cocktail, she allegedly blacks out and wakes up the following morning – naked and bruised.
(ALLEGEDLY!)
“But I love the Cosby Show! He’s such a good family man!”
The confusion lies in the title. It's called The Cosby show, not The Huxtable Show. There is not one character in the family sitcom that goes by the name Cosby or Bill. Bill Cosby has never been mentioned. Dr. Heathcliff Huxtable is a fictional character. He is not a real person. His wife, parents, 4 children and 3 grandchildren are all imaginary characters brought to life on our TV screens. I don't even think many of us know of Bill Cosby's family at all. A lot of people are viewing things through a "As a man thinketh (in this case executive produceth), so is he." state of mind. The thought that such a beautifully constructed portrayal of the Black family came from the mind of a man (allegedly) capable of heinous crimes is a tough pill to swallow.
“But he donated a lot of money to a lot of charities!”
In 1988, Bill Cosby, along with his wife Camille, donated 20 million dollars to Spelman College, an elite black women's college. In 1995, he donated 1.3 million dollars to Fisk University. After the murder of his son, Cosby founded the Hello Friend/Ennis William Cosby Foundation dedicated to provide funds for disadvantaged youth. Bill Cosby is certainly known for his giving, but it doesn't eliminate the charges standing against him. Because of these charges, Spelman has since disassociated their institution with Cosby, forwarding all remaining monies toward a separate foundation founded by Camille, alone. Fordham University, Tufts University, Marquette University, and Brown University have all stripped Cosby of his honorary degrees and awards. NBC has pulled the plug on discussion of a modernized Cosby show. TV Land and BounceTV has removed all syndications from the air. Jerry Seinfeld and David Letterman have turned their backs on their fellow comedian. I say this to prove that in Cosby's case, philanthropic work does not pardon rape allegations. No matter how much good he's done for our society, it does not wash him of his horrific (alleged) past.