The whole Bill Cosby situation is so sad. It appears that more than 20 women who came in contact with the greatest name in television are accusing him of drugging and raping them.
But what has me confused is why did it take these women 20, 30 years or more to reveal these terrible violations of their bodies. And the other thing that has me confused is why would the most popular Black man in television history as well as one of the richest have to drug a woman to get her in bed.
Come on now. Lesser sports stars and entertainers have beautiful women hanging all over them, willing to give them whatever they want. Cosby was no exception.
Most people know Cosby from his great sitcom “The Cosby Show” which was the number one TV show for most of the seven years it aired. But he probably grossed more money from his Jell-o and other commercials than anyone in history. Cosby was a history maker in TV. He was the first Black person to star in a serious role on the “I Spy” series from 1965 through 1968 in which he earned three Emmy Awards. He followed that with another TV series “The Bill Cosby Show” in which he played a physical education teacher and coach from 1969 through 1971 then the “The Cosby Show” 1984 through 1992 which is probably the most popular TV series in history both when it was running and re-runs years later.
He followed this series with another TV series “Cosby” which lasted from 1995— 2000, plus “Fat Albert” which has been around forever. Many of our children and us grew up with this series, which started in the early ‘70s. He also created and produced “A Different World” which was another popular and positive show for Black people. The series was geared around college students at a Black college starring Lisa Bonet, Jasmine Guy and Kadeem Hardison and many others. At 77 he was working on a new series but all the accusations killed that.
Nothing has been heard from Phylicia Rashad, or Lisa Bonet who were the lead women in “The Cosby Show.” Or Denise Nichols who was Cosby’s love interest in the extremely popular and positive series of movies “Let’s Do It Again” and “A Piece of the Action” in which he played opposite Sidney Poitier. He had a different woman play his wife in “Uptown Saturday Night.” I’m saying that to say this. This was one of the most powerful Black men in America. He made the final decision as to who played in his sitcoms and movies, which means there were hundreds of women who would have went to bed with him for a bit role in one of these movies or TV series. So why would he need to drug them?
I don’t know if Cosby is guilty or not, but it’s a shame that a man who created some of the most positive, motivational televisions series in the history of television for Black people is now being disgraced and dragged through the mud in his old age. Everything he’s touched has been magnificent, and nothing can take away from that. Could some of this be because he said no when asked for a role on one of his TV shows?
I’m wondering why if he’s such a pervert haven’t any of the beautiful women who he gave opportunities to in his TV series aren’t accusing him of drugging and raping them? Think of all the women in “The Cosby Show” as well as “I Spy” and the Poitier series of movies. Could it possibly be because he is said to be worth $400 million and they want some of it. A female lawyer has even challenged him to waive the statue of limitation so she can bring him to trial because she says the public has the right to know. There have been more than 20 women making the claim and there will be a whole lot more because this is instant publicity, and maybe some money.
What can you do in a situation like this? No matter what you do, 50 percent of the people are going to say you are guilty and 50 percent will believe you with some doubt. His career and life is shot. But nothing or no one can take away the good this man has done for the Black image all over this world through his TV series and films.
And I don’t see anyone able to follow in his footsteps on TV.
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After watching police officers turn their backs on the New York City’s mayor because he criticized the NYPD for the choking death of Eric Garner, it really made me feel proud of the way Pittsburgh police chief, mayor and the officers as a whole have handled the many marches here in Pittsburgh protesting the shooting of Leon Ford, the beating of Jordan Miles, as well as support of the Ferguson and New York City police killings. There have been no incidents as the police have stood back while allowing people the right to practice their right to demonstrate.
The FOP and some other Right Wingers nationally are trying to blame the shootings of the two NYPD police officers by a sick man who said he killed the officers because of the killing of Eric Garner and in support of the various protests. Even though the issue is the killing of Black men by White police officers, the two officers he killed were Asian and Latino.
Wrong is wrong, the FOP throughout the country and especially in New York City need to step back and stop supporting bad cops. The police must be there to serve the community, and if they do this there will be less danger for them because the community will support them.
(Ulish Carter is the managing editor of the New Pittsburgh Courier.)
