Bill Cosby makes a "rape joke." FUCK YOU, you pitiful excuse for a human being. FUCK YOU.

[Miles Archer]

The Worst Part About Bill Cosby's Rape Joke
It reportedly drew cheers and applause when he uttered it at a stand-up show in London, Ontario on Thursday.
By Lucia Graves

http://www.nationaljournal.com/politics/the-worst-part-about-bill-cosby-s-rape-joke-20150109

During his show in Canada on Thursday night, Bill Cosby used a comedy performance to make a joke about the 20-plus women alleging he drugged them or sexually assaulted them. When a woman in the front row of the performance space said she was getting up to get a drink, Cosby reportedly told her, "You have to be careful about drinking around me."

The comments, relayed via Twitter by Richard Warnica, a reporter from the National Post in Toronto, were well received by Cosby's audience. After some initial gasps, "the gasps then changed to cheers and applause," according to Warnica's tweets. Later in the performance, a single heckler was removed (though more than 100 protesters were gathered outside the arena).

The comedian has long refused to answer questions about the rape allegations against him, recently stonewalling NPR's Scott Simon when Simon inquired about the reports on a Weekend Edition Saturday show. But Cosby is apparently not above joking about the allegations—and that's just fine with his some of his fans.

After the show, Cosby openly reveled in his joke's warm reception. "One outburst, but over 2,600 loyal, patient, and courageous fans enjoyed the most wonderful medicine that exist for humankind. Laughter."

[PCIntern]

1. Laughter my ass...

OK OK...he could be Caligula's Court Jester. How's that for laughs?

[Nevada Blue]

2. do we know he's guilty of anything yet?

or has he only been tried in the court of public opinion (and supermarket tabloids)?

I have no opinion about it at all until I know more. Seems to me when people like Janice Dickinson get on the bandwagon, there is at least a possibility that not all of these women are telling the truth.

I'm still in wait and see mode, personally.

[Miles Archer]

3. If you are accused of rape and you joke about it...

...you either are guilty or you suck ass as a human being.

Either way, "Dr. Huxtable" fucked UP on this one.

[mythology]

133. Or maybe you're a comedian who has spent his entire career turning his life into humor

I've made some pretty tasteless jokes about my physical condition after having knee surgery that means I won't be able to walk normally for several weeks. Yes it's a little different in that outside of my parents having to take me in for several weeks while I can't drive, nobody is effected, but some people deflect stress with humor.

[roguevalley]

148. if zimmerman joked about

shooting kids or some other dipshit with a serious problem mocked it, would it be humor too or a symptom of their pathology?

[NYC_SKP]

4. No we don't but if you want to avoid being attacked you must lockstep with the OOTD.

There's always something on the DU.

Earlier this week it was that vulgar explicit cartoons that deride a particular religious leader (and, by association, believers of that leader,) are Okie Dokie expressions of something protected by something and that's OK because SATIRE.

And here have people who have made the claims against Cosby and we have others who've come out in his defense.

Nobody on this board knows what happened but it's oK to presume his guilt, I suppose, because, well, I really have no idea.

It just happens.

If he is guilty, however, I hope he burns in hell.

[NewDeal_Dem]

6. because he's black, and because he made some demands on some businessfolks. that's

why.

[geek tragedy]

12. So you're accusing all 25+ women of being liars.

You are certainly neither a rape apologist nor a misogynist. Obviously.

[NewDeal_Dem]

15. just because a lot of people say something doesn't mean it's true. just because one

person says something doesn't mean it's true. take the innuendo in your post, for example.

[geek tragedy]

26. When 25 people say something, odds are overwhelming

that it's true.

[rock]

33. How many people say there's a god?

And next answer, how many people say there isn't a god?

[geek tragedy]

57. Maybe you should look up the difference between belief and personal knowledge. nt

[Cha]

113. Really. And, as far as those saying "Obama isn't American".. that's brainwashing. Were all those

women brainwashed?

[malaise]

41. Really!!! Thousands have said Obama is not an American

That sure isn't true.

[geek tragedy]

56. There is a difference between belief and personal knowledge. nt

[NewDeal_Dem]

52. depends very much on the situation and the people.

[smirkymonkey]

171. Oh right, because women always lie about

rape. That's just a given.

[nomorenomore08]

58. But dozens of different people, independently of one another, telling very similar stories?

The odds that they're all lying would seem to be unrealistically low.

[NYC_SKP]

18. When you're black, your never very far from that treatment.

It's just the way it is, no matter how successful.

[geek tragedy]

29. Ah, the Clarence Thomas defense.

You must have thought Anita Hill was lying too.

[NYC_SKP]

30. You just pop up everywhere!

I lurve you, geek tragedy!

[NuclearDem]

45. Actually, because over 25 women have accused him of drugging and raping or attempting to rape them.

Their stories are extremely similar, and unless you believe there's some kind of orchestrated conspiracy among dozens of different women to open themselves up to slut-shaming and general public denigration, it's likely they're true.

[NewDeal_Dem]

89. actually, all 25 haven't.

one woman claims he grabbed her breast.

another claims he kissed her.

Beverly Johnson claims he made her a cappuccino & after 2 "sips," she knew it was drugged, but too late -- she passed out, but not before calling him a motherfucker, which apparently made him give up his designs on her, such that he "dragged her out of his house and hailed her a cab"

one woman accuses cosby of licking her toes while she was drugged.

Sammy Davis Jr.'s ex says Cosby invited her to his room and immediately "ripped" her clothes off and raped her -- no drugs. She never told Sammy because..."I just figured, If I don't think about it, it won't bother me."

http://www.vulture.com/2014/09/timeline-of-the-abuse-charges-against-cosby.html

[geek tragedy]

90. But you don't believe any of them.nt

[NewDeal_Dem]

94. Why would I believe *anything* about the case when it's never gone to trial, I know none

of the participants and am passingly familiar with the public persona of just a couple?


Maybe you think that's a sound basis for having a strong opinion. I disagree.

[geek tragedy]

98. So you don't believe Pol Pot committed any crimes?

There was no trial.

[NewDeal_Dem]

106. That's your rebuttal? Pol Pot, the leader of Cambodia, openly setting up forced labor camps

is directly analogous to Bill Cosby raping women in private rooms. Maybe you'd like to bring in the Nazis too.

Ordinary Cambodians had knowledge of Pol Pot's camps and his disappearances, because he killed 25% of the population. So most citizens suffered directly or knew someone who did.

Who has knowledge of Cosby's alleged crimes, especially 20-40 years down the road? He didn't rape women in public.

Private persons accused of crimes like rape have a right to trial in the US.

[geek tragedy]

124. The women he drugged and raped have that knowledge.

Your choice to believe them all to be liars is not an enlightened one.

[NewDeal_Dem]

131. I don't "choose to believe" any such thing. Unlike yourself, I don't believe I know anything

about what happened between private parties in private, and where accusations are made, prefer a court of law decide the matter. As opposed to internet posters named "geek tragedy".

[roguevalley]

149. so if I grab a man's dick it isn't

unwanted sexual aggression? Does it have to be straight up rape to let the world know that he has a problem with using women against their will. If he TOUCHED THEM AT ALL he's a perv. If 100 women came out with their stories and its really damned possible that they exist, it would still be about color or something else for some because they don't get it. ANY touch unwanted is SEXUAL ASSAULT.

[zappaman]

7. Has he even been charged?

[rock]

34. No, one time settled out of court

The various courts say not enough evidence.

On edit: Oh, I should say most of the cases have met the statute of limitations.

[peacebird]

35. No. Apparently the status quo now is "innocent until x number of people accuse you"

I always thought it was innocent until proven guilty.

Why didn't these women go to the police as soon as the alleged rape took place?

[malaise]

42. They have a legacy to destroy

and they have the same plan for Obama.
Bring evidence or STFU - see how gently they handle the English prince who was hangng out with a convicted pedophile.

[bettyellen]

159. respectfully- that makes zero sense to me. a huge conspiracy by total strangers with no motive

except for malice? Among a group of women who all spent time with Cosby (you know he would rip their stories to shreds if her could- he partied, mentored and or or worked with all of them). I don't think that is a credible explanation at all. What is credible, is that society barely acknowledged "date rape" then or prosecutes rape of the incapacitated to this very day.

These women correctly assessed their chances at justice many years ago vs the chances it would further damage their lives, and for the most part- behaved accordingly.

I agree the prince is getting off easy- just as Cosby did years ago. As the majority of less powerful men do. When it's one woman, she is always asking for it. They would love us to believe it's always "sluts and nuts".

[geek tragedy]

59. Because people like you would call them liars. The "why didn't they go to

police" canard is the go-to for rape culture fans.

[peacebird]

72. As a rape survivor I find your assertion offensive. "Rape culture fans", really?

[geek tragedy]

74. You're accusing all these women of lying.

All of them.

You are choosing to believe one wealthy and powerful man over dozens of women.

Seems rather odd that you can't imagine why rape victims wouldn't come forward against a rich, powerful male celebrity.

[peacebird]

79. I am not accusing them of anything. And I still find your assertion offensive.

[NewDeal_Dem]

110. They were all just too scared, because cosby was so powerful. Well, nothing has

Last edited Sat Jan 10, 2015, 11:13 PM - Edit history (1)

really changed except he no longer has a hit tv show, but now we're supposed to believe they're no longer scared of his power.

He was going to have a new tv show, but he ran afoul of someone or something and isn't going to. What happened to Bill's power?

And I note that the poster who called me an asshole in response just deleted his post. and while I may be an asshole, I'm a female asshole, btw. unlike the male calling me an asshole.

[NuclearDem]

129. Female or not, your attitude towards rape victims is disgusting.

There are countless reasons rape victims don't report.

Nobody gives a shit enough Bill Cosby to orchestrate a takedown. That man is just a fucking creep.

[roguevalley]

150. because of posts like yours. its a hellish ordeal to

go through trial.

[peacebird]

153. Hi roguevalley, I am a rape survivor. Just fyi.

I find it more than troubling that none of these women went to the authorities back when it could have mattered, and now that it can never be fairly adjucated a bunch of folks are coming out with the same story. Did he rape? I do not know, nor do you. Did he have sex with women who later regretted it and now call it rape? I do no know, nor do you. Which one is telling the truth? He said, she said. IF he is guilty then let justice be done, but how can he ever clear his name if he is innocent? Bottom line, we do not know. Innocent until proven guilty, sorry, but that is the way of it. Not innocent until enough people accuse.

[NuclearDem]

158. Yeah, why didn't they just report?

http://savacenter.org/get-informed/why-dont-all-survivors-report/

The victim may feel that she/he is to blame for what happened.

The victim may feel embarrassed about what happened.

The victim may believe that the justice system is uncooperative, inefficient, or victim-blaming.

The victim may not want the perpetrator to get in trouble.

The victim may not want her/his family to find out.

The victim may not recognize that she/he was raped.

The victim may have been threatened by the perpetrator.

The victim may fear retaliation by the perpetrator if she/he was to report.

The victim may fear that she/he will not be believed.

The victim may have already had a bad experience with the police.

The victim may know someone who reported and had a bad experience with the police.

The victim’s friends and/or family may not support reporting.

The victim’s friends and/or family are telling the victim it was not rape.

There may be cultural considerations that lead the victim to avoid the police at all costs.

The rest of your post is just apologist nonsense that sounds like it came from AVFM.

[NewDeal_Dem]

162. "posts like 'yours'" had nothing to do with it; and even if a trial for rape is 'hellish,' how is

going to the press less hellish?

not to mention that other trials can be hellish as well.

[geek tragedy]

10. It's because we don't assume rape victims are liars.

Your apologism for a known rapist is far more offensive than a cartoon, in my opinion.

[NewDeal_Dem]

19. "a known rapist" = so far as i know, cosby's been convicted of absolutely nothing.

"not assuming rape victims are liars" already carries the assumption that those they accuse are rapists they're the victims of.

I thought kangaroo courts were for backward countries.

[geek tragedy]

27. What are the odds that 25 different women tell the same story?

The vast majority having no pecuniary motive to do so?

[NewDeal_Dem]

36. you can't claim to know the odds since you don't know all the possible reasons that

might exist.

I don't either, which is why I believe, generally speaking, in 'innocent until proven guilty' for private citizens.

[geek tragedy]

53. The odds are astronomical against the Cosby Apologist Caucus.

Even if you say the odds in each case are 50/50, the odds are 1/2^25.

He is not in jail. He is a rapist.

[NewDeal_Dem]

76. Calculating odds isn't just a matter of assigning numbers depending on one's opinion.

I repeat: as you don't have all the information, you have no idea what the odds are.

[geek tragedy]

85. I know Cosby is a rapist. nt

[NewDeal_Dem]

86. yes, you've made that perfectly clear. fortunately, it's not enough to convict him.

[NYC_SKP]

69. Have you ever had one of those goops that just sticks to your clothes or fingers?

Or the thistle burrs that won't go away?

Or a snippy little dog that won't stop yapping and snapping at your ankles?

I have had two or three of the darlings these past three days, they are like the Energizer bunny!

[NYC_SKP]

20. Oh, come here!

[NYC_SKP]

22. And don't forget, "If you don't agree with X then surely you're saying Y". It's in this thread!

We're soaking in it now!

[NJCher]

60. what is ootd?

Cher

[tblue37]

92. Outrage of the day. nt

[geek tragedy]

9. Those of us who aren't rape apologists and misogynists have figured

out that dozens of women describing the same pattern of behavior make an overwhelmingly credible case.

But, free country and it's your right to keep your head in the sand.

Cosby is a rapist.

[NYC_SKP]

65. Who at DU is a rape and misogyny apologist, geek?

Where ever do you come up with these things?

[geek tragedy]

67. Those who assume rape victims are liars.

If Bill Cosby is more credible to a person than the 30 women combined, that person is a rape apologist.

[rock]

119. Your logic (in this post and others above) reeks

These women have for the most part talked to reporters (not under oath). The women were not cross examined. What the reporters said was reported in the media (not under oath). Because some of us say, "We don't know these women, nor the circumstances of the stories, and desire to await an official investigation rather than jumping to conclusions." Your conclusion: they are all telling the truth; we are assuming the women are all liars; The best I can describe your logic is to say it is composed of non sequiturs. (That's the best, mind you.)

[geek tragedy]

120. The statute of limitations has expired.

You are free to disbelieve their stories and presume that Bill Cosby is an innocent victim of a smear campaign.

Either he is a rapist or they are all liars. One seems much more plausible and statistically likely.

[rock]

122. You still fail to get my point

I do not have to take a pro or a con position for a situation in which I have insufficient evidence. But I agree with underlying thought: you are free to believe their stories and presume that Bill Cosby is an evil rapist.

[geek tragedy]

123. You're still assuming that it's just as likely that they are all lying as it is that one or more

are telling the truth. That's the only way one can avoid having an opinion as to whether he's guilty.

30 different women combined aren't more credible to you than Bill Cosby is.

I am going with the math.

[840high]

105. ...^ that

[Donald Ian Rankin]

25. Technically no, but believing in his innocence strains credulity to breaking point.

At least 28 different women have accused him of drugging and raping them, many of them strangers to one another.

That many accusations from people who knew one another might, conceivably, be a conspiracy.

But the number of women who have never met one another who have testified that he drugged and raped them makes it really quite implausible that he didn't, I think, especially given that some of the accusations were made before others were widely known about.

[braddy]

31. He has already settled out of court with one drugging/rape victim

in 2005 she had brought forth 13 more Jane Does, so he settled.

[NewDeal_Dem]

38. "Settled out of court" doesn't constitute evidence of guilt, btw. You don't have any knowledge

of why he settled, despite claiming you know.

[braddy]

62. He settled with a victim that said he drugged her and raped her

she also found 13 more Jane Doe victims, mostly to support her description and his methods.

This is a discussion, not a court room, and I would say that settlement sure is a heavy hit against him.

[NewDeal_Dem]

66. you can say that, but an out of court settlement doesn't constitute an admission of guilt

or a determination of guilt.

it's go away money.

[braddy]

73. You can keep trying to say that he settled because he was innocent,

if that makes you feel better.

While doing that you can ignore the phenomena of dozens of women from a variety of states and cities, of all ages today, even their 70s, some very successful, describing sexual assaults from 5 different decades.

This would be one of the strangest conspiracies we have ever heard directed at an individual, in regards to rape claims.

[NewDeal_Dem]

96. as i never said any such thing, i can't "keep saying it" nor does it make me feel better.

[braddy]

104. The fact is that he settled, and he only did that after bringing in

his 400 million dollars of power and high priced lawyers and his media influence to destroy her.

Cosby settled, and America's Dad, with 400 million dollars, that already had a team of legal sharks and private investigators to protect him during his wild sex life, did not reach that decision until he had tried methods that had already worked for him in the past.

"A former Enquirer reporter told Page Six that the tabloid had a story planned about Cosby's alleged sexual escapades for the summer of 1989:

Contacted by the Enquirer for comment, Cosby apparently handed the weekly a story about his then-23-year-old daughter Erinn's battle with drug and alcohol abuse instead.

"My editor told me that daddy Cosby was the source. He ratted out his flesh and blood," said my source.

Cosby was quoted in the flattering story as saying, "Deep down inside, she knows we love her."

[NewDeal_Dem]

107. link? not that an anonymous enquirer reporter is a particularly unimpeachable source.

[braddy]

109. Here is the link

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/25/bill-cosby-leaked-daughter_n_6219660.html

"As Page Six's Richard Johnson relayed on Monday, a former National Enquirer reporter told Johnson that in exchange for the tabloid killing a story about Cosby "swinging with Sammy Davis Jr. and some showgirls in Las Vegas," the actor allegedly leaked information about his daughter Erinn, then 23, and her battle with drugs and alcohol."

[NewDeal_Dem]

114. still the anonymous former reporter.

[braddy]

121. LOL, yes, right now it is just a reporter relating another reporter's story

that he doesn't want to name, he could be making it up.

Cosby has never settled out of court on this claim.

[wheniwasincongress]

39. This clip is from 2006.

Long before any trendy "bandwagon" as you so kindly put it...

[sabrina 1]

43. We don't need any due process in this country anymore. Or so I have been told, right here on DU.

I still like the old ways, when someone was not convicted in the media but in a court of law.

Thanks for asking that question, American is losing its 'freedoms' or I should say, giving them up with hardly a whimper. No one took them, as we were warned about, we just handed them over.

[alp227]

68. So it's none of the media's business if over 25 women accuse Cosby of rape,

because that would take away Cosby's freedoms to have a good reputation, and the media isn't a court of law?

[sabrina 1]

75. The media's business is to inform the public. It's easy to forget that, I know. So, to answer

your question. When allegations are made, remember the accusation against Gore eg, if it is a public figure, the media has a duty to report RESPONSIBLY on such a story.

Eg, I've seen some coverage of this story. Most of it resembles the Enquirer, a lot of supposition, opinions etc as you would expect from tabloid media.

What is missing is any kind of investigative reporting, eg, any evidence. What is not missing, is the media convicting someone based on 40 year old allegations for which, so far, there has been no evidence presented.

What the media should do is to cover any court proceeding related to the allegations and keep their opinions to themselves. They know nothing so their opinions mean nothing.

And no matter how many people allege something, under our system of justice, until there is some evidence, none of them are proof of anything.

Yes, I know, this is a very undemocratic view apparently, lately. But it's my view and I'm sticking to it.

[alp227]

78. well, what kind of evidence is good enough for you?

What about when men accused Catholic priests of abusing them as boys? Would you demand medical evidence, surveillance video, etc.?

Or the men who accused Jerry Sandusky of rape? Sure there existed circumstantial evidence such as Sandusky's 1998 confession to the mother of a victim (but prosecutors declined to charge Sandusky at the time). As well as text messages to a victim.

[sabrina 1]

80. Airc, there witnesses in many of those cases and there was a trial. Evidence was required and

presented, in the Sandusky case. That is how it should be done.

In court, with evidence.

As I said, the press has an obligation to investigate such stories, not spend hours speculating with nothing to go on but allegations.

[alp227]

81. Unfortunately, rape is often a witnessless crime.

If a coach and janitor hadn't walked in on Sandusky raping kids at PSU football facility, would Sandusky be in prison today?

[sabrina 1]

82. Which is why we have to be careful about allegations. Anyone can make them, especially decades

later. Clinton is a perfect example. Did you believe Juanita Broddrick eg? Or any of the others, Paula Jones?

[alp227]

84. Why Broaddrick lacks credibility:

http://conwebwatch.tripod.com/blog/index.blog/2347723/mrcs-bozell-graham-portray-broaddrick-as-a-credible-rape-accuser/

Prior to flipping in 1998, Broaddrick had repeatedly insisted that Clinton didn't rape her; she even said so under oath. It was not until she gave into the Clinton-haters -- and, more crucially, received a promise of immunity from independent counsel Kenneth Starr that she wouldn't be prosecuted for perjury -- that she changed her story.

Regarding Paula Jones though, I have never seen anything that would make her questionable. And Bill Clinton admitted under oath to having an extramarital relationship with Gennifer Flowers. Basically, Clinton sex scandals were evaluated and investigated non stop throughout the late '90s, so we should know who's telling the truth and who's out for a witch hunt.

And yes, anyone can accuse anyone of rape. But I don't get it. What people consider "real rape victims" have such a hard time being believed, why would anyone willingly lie about being raped, to gain sympathy? What's wrong with creating a culture where rape victims are respected and believed instead of immediately doubted? I think creating a skeptical environment around rape accusations hurts the many rape victims far more than preventing the few false accusations.

[sabrina 1]

132. Why would anyone lie about it? The woman who accused Gore lied.

There are people who will do anything for money.

A real victim won't lie. But someone who has something to gain, eg, my friend knew a woman in WV who was having an affair with a high profile politician. After a while, I guess he got nervous, he broke it off. She was furious and told my friend she was going to accuse him of sexual assault to 'teach him a lesson'. She did, she went to the DA and my friend and her husband felt they needed to tell him what they knew. They did but prosecutors sometimes like to have their cases fall apart especially when it will make them pretty famous.

THEY received threats for telling the truth. As far as I know, I don't believe it went to trial, but his career was ruined anyhow. She was not a real rape victim. She lied about it.

As for Broddrick, her excuse for waiting was that she was afraid. Many people believed her. I did not just for the record.

I did not believe Paula Jones either. She certainly was questionable. And Clinton never admitted to the claims she made, all she wanted was money, so to end the entire disaster they agreed to pay her off.

Think about it. If Jones had been a real victim, would she have dropped the case for money?

There was no trial re Jones, she didn't want it, she wanted money. And the Far Right used her. So her claims were never tested in court.

[alp227]

87. OK. I was distracted by a whole lotta stuff in the background like NFL playoffs,

A Prairie Home Companion...but found this New York Daily News (yes I know a tabloid) story with some pretty damning evidence implying a pattern of sexually predatory behavior on Cosby's part.

When Cosby invited young models into his Brooklyn dressing room, the megastar’s pal stood watch outside the door. When the married Cosby sought a Queens apartment for another pretty face, Scotti arranged the deal.

And when the man behind Fat Albert needed cash disbursed to his flock of single female friends — hey, hey, hey — Scotti became the conduit for payments of up to $2,000 a month.

The Emmy-winning Cosby, NBC’s most bankable star at the time, used Scotti to deliver monthly payouts to eight different women in 1989-90 — including Shawn Thompson, whose daughter Autumn Jackson claimed the actor was her dad.

Cosby, while denying paternity, paid out more than $100,000 to Thompson over the years after their 1974 affair began. Scotti told The News that he believes Cosby was sleeping with all the women who received money.

Angela Leslie, now 52, was the last name on the receipts — and she told The News the Cosby camp paid for her to fly to California in the early 1990s. She got sick and returned her ticket but saw him two years later in Las Vegas.

Once there, Leslie claimed Cosby got naked before getting sexual — despite her lack of interest. When she backed off, Cosby chased her out of the room.

Right there is the M.O. of sexual predators, luring their prey with all sorts of nice things in exchange for sexual favors. Often, the predators buy their victims' silence with a boatload of money. It's pretty sickening that a man playing the "perfect dad" on America's favorite show of the '80s seemed to live in a completely 360 degree opposite in real life.

[pnwmom]

46. There are about twenty separate accusers now, several of them high profile women

who have absolutely nothing to gain from exposing their personal tragedy to public view.

And because of the statute of limitations, he may never face any trial.

The court of public opinion may be the only court he ever faces -- and yes, for most of us he's been found guilty.

And he's helped to condemn himself. Did you hear the audio of his comedy routine in the 70's, where he joked about drugging women with Spanish Fly in order to have sex with them?

[roguevalley]

147. you have made up your mind. you do it on a lot of threads.

You accuse the women of being on the bandwagon, etc but say is he guilty of anything? Sounds like a position to me. Thirty women isn't a bandwagon. its a tidal wave.

[NewDeal_Dem]

5. I don't consider it a 'rape joke'. I consider it a sarcastic comment on the allegations

against him.

[GeorgeGist]

8. Your sensitivity needs training wheels.

[geek tragedy]

13. The Cosby Defense League isn't known for

its sensitivity.

[NewDeal_Dem]

21. oh the irony

[smirkymonkey]

173. Training wheels? It needs f**ing life support.

[Chemisse]

156. As it was. But it was a bit jarring.

It was like making jokes about 9/11.

[lpbk2713]

11. He must be showing signs of his age.

Normally one would think about it before saying something
so utterly stupid. Especially to a crowd of people.

[Miles Archer]

14. My gut reaction is...

...that he thinks "Dr. Cliff Huxtable" is invincible.

We shall see.

[lpbk2713]

24. I probably should have added ...

I by no means offer that as an excuse, just a possible explanation.

IMO Cosby should get no free pass.

[oberliner]

16. If you believe all the women are lying, then it's an amusing barb

And I would imagine that a goodly number of people who would still go to a Bill Cosby concert after all that has gone down are most likely exactly in that narrow subset.

[Beringia]

23. And 3 more women have come forward bringing number to 30

but he will not go to court because of statute of limitations



-----------------
Three new women have stepped forward with sexual allegations against Bill Cosby.

They join a growing list of women who claim that they were drugged and assaulted by the legendary comedian.

The first to speak at a Los Angeles press conference called by attorney Gloria Allred on Wednesday was Linda Kirkpatrick, who was 25 at the time of the alleged incident. She was matched up against Cosby in a tennis tournament. He offered her and her partner tickets to his show, provided they beat him in the match.

http://www.people.com/article/three-new-women-allege-assault-bill-cosby-gloria-allred


http://www.cnn.com/2015/01/09/opinions/drexler-bill-cosby-phylicia-rashad/

[NewDeal_Dem]

40. and they decided to come forward after the statute of limitations expired because....?

[NuclearDem]

47. Well, let's just take a look:

http://savacenter.org/get-informed/why-dont-all-survivors-report/

The victim may feel that she/he is to blame for what happened.

The victim may feel embarrassed about what happened.

The victim may believe that the justice system is uncooperative, inefficient, or victim-blaming.

The victim may not want the perpetrator to get in trouble.

The victim may not want her/his family to find out.

The victim may not recognize that she/he was raped.

The victim may have been threatened by the perpetrator.

The victim may fear retaliation by the perpetrator if she/he was to report.

The victim may fear that she/he will not be believed.

The victim may have already had a bad experience with the police.

The victim may know someone who reported and had a bad experience with the police.

The victim’s friends and/or family may not support reporting.

The victim’s friends and/or family are telling the victim it was not rape.

There may be cultural considerations that lead the victim to avoid the police at all costs.

[Beringia]

48. they do not fear reprisal now

and are encouraged by others who have spoken out.

[NewDeal_Dem]

95. why is it they don't fear reprisal now, because cosby no longer has a hit tv show? but

he was scheduled not so long ago to have a show again. something happened, and that's when the rape allegations suddenly came up.

What happened?

[Beringia]

100. They are all older now

I think this all happened to very young women who had entertainment related jobs or he was considered a mentor or to help in their careers.

[pnwmom]

50. Because now they realize they're not alone and SOMEONE might believe them.

Something most of them probably thought would never happen, given Cosby's power and reputation.

[NewDeal_Dem]

54. why don't they fear reprisal now? what's happened to change cosby's power & reputation?

seems to me the only thing that has is that he's being accused of rape 20-30 years after the fact.

and all at once, suddenly. things that make you go 'hmm'.

[NuclearDem]

55. You disgust me. Shame on you.

[geek tragedy]

61. Go sit next to Dottie Sandusky. nt

[NJCher]

64. strength in numbers

as outlined above, common sense just tells you that people who don't know each other and who are from all parts of the country and who have a similar story...there's prob'ly some truth there.

So the more women who come out, the more likely it is that others will feel confident enough to tell their own experience.

I'm pretty sure you're not a woman. This would be easier for you to understand if you were.

As far as DU goes and marching in lockstep and all that, why would it not be easier to say there are are a couple different camps, one of which is called "he probably did it." The others would be "he didn't do it" and then the "he did it" camp.


Cher

[NewDeal_Dem]

111. i'm a woman; i was a woman in the 70s. it wasn't feudal times; it was a time of great

activism, including women's activism.

[NJCher]

136. yes, I know about the 70s

Boomer here.




Cher

[politicman]

130. numbers game, really?

You use the number or 27-30 different women as some sort of confirmation that Cosby is a rapist by saying that in your opinion the sheer number of women alleging the same thing must mean its true.

What about the flip side of the numbers game, you have 27-30 different women that now allege something, and out of that big number, none of those women went to the cops?
Really? Such a big number of women who would obviously all have different personalities, some weak, some strong, and none of them went to the cops even long after they were not around Cosby and his influence anymore?


Tell you what, lets just go by your method for dealing with allegations from now on, lets just label anyone with anything as long as we can get enough people to allege the same thing, who needs trials and convictions, lets just overhaul our justice system and replace it with the numbers game.

BTW, if I wanted to label you something really bad, whats the threshold number of people that I need to get to make an allegation before you will convince yourself that you are what I am trying to label you?

[NJCher]

135. well, as usual

You're distorting what I said, but that's OK. Happens often enough here. I'm starting to think a lot of the posters here would do well to take a reading comprehension course.

You really missed my point. My point is there's a category for "probably." Not so black and white, as your post raves on about. That was the whole point! "Probably!" Sheesh!

And there's a big difference in this situation because there will be no trials. That also is a significant point that you seem to have missed.



Cher

[politicman]

138. probably is not good enough to label someone a rapist.

I don't miss the point, what I am saying is that you can have 1000 women allege the very same thing about Cosby and every single one of them have the exact same story, but it doesn't change anything, the only time I will believe Cosby raped these women is when he is found guilty in a court of law.

And as you said, there will be no trial because the women didn't speak up for 30 years, so if they really were raped by Cosby, then they have no one else to blame for not being believed but themselves.
This is victim blaming, this is a hard cold fact, that all 30 of these women had every opportunity for the last 30 years to report it and they didn't.

Imagine, 30 years has passed, after 10600 days and nights, these women still remember the details clear enough to know that they were raped by Cosby? Really?

[NJCher]

141. oh, one of those "cold hard facts" (sic) people

Imagine, 30 years has passed, after 10600 days and nights, these women still remember the details clear enough to know that they were raped by Cosby? Really?

Know what? I think your next lifetime should be as a woman. You just don't get context at all.

Your position is like all those republicans who just think poor people should go out and get a job and pull themselves up by their bootstraps. Yessirreee jim bob, it's just that simple.

Useless to try to point anything out to you, but enjoy your next lifetime!

And yes, you did miss my point. And you still don't get it, but guess what--I don't care. You're entitled to be willfully ignorant. Go right ahead; enjoy yourself.


Cher

[politicman]

143. because i wont accept someone words automatically, i am compared to republicans ha

So tell me then, should I just believe these women that allege Cosby raped them 30 years ago because there are 27 or so of them?

Should I label and think of Cosby as a rapist on the word of these women simply because they say it without the evidence ever needing to be tested?

Because if that's all that's required to believe these women are telling the truth and Cosby is a rapist, then we start getting into the numbers game of how many women need to allege rape against a guy for him to be labelled as a rapist.

1 allegation from one woman enough to meet that threshold? Does there need o be 5 allegations from 5 woman? Does there need to be a certain threshold?

[smirkymonkey]

172. If only!

[pnwmom]

99. Cosby has far less power and a much reduced reputation now. So more and more women

finally feel safe -- and they know they're probably paving the way for other women.

And you should keep up . . . not all of the 30 claims (and counting) are 20-30 years after the fact. I'm hoping there will be a trial on a more recent case, to help vindicate all the other women.

[NewDeal_Dem]

112. why's that? explain the reasons for his reduced power & reputation, such that women now

feel safe confronting him.

[pnwmom]

115. No one's hiring him anymore and those with contracts are terminating them.

So there's that.

And the women feel safe because they know that now, finally, people are believing them -- and not him. His is the reputation that's being damaged, not theirs.

[NewDeal_Dem]

117. he had a new show lined up fairly recently -- and then something happened. we don't

know what, but suddenly, the accusations started coming out.

so either the women suddenly got gumption for no apparent reason, and they took his career down -- which is the reason I've seen for the cancellations and terminations... i.e. the women were more powerful than cosby...

or someone else cancelled the show, and the accusations came out subsequently.

I don't pretend I know, but there's something off about this story of women who were silent for 30-40 years and suddenly found their voices because cosby just suddenly lost his power.

maybe he never had so much power in the first place. very few entertainers do.

[pnwmom]

140. Are you really ignorant of how this all began?

Cosby has been going around for years with his holier-than-thou persona, castigating young black men for not measuring up to his standards; and several months ago a comedian, on stage, called him on it -- and referred to the 2005 civil rape case that was joined by several women.

In 2005, he was able to bury it. But in 2014, it rose up again. That many more victims have finally reached a point in their lives where they can deal with what happened to them and they want closure.

And then a tape from the 70's was unearthed, a recording of a comedy routine in which he described giving Spanish Fly to women to make them want to have sex. He used to get a lot of laughs from it. But 2014 is not 1964. Times have changed, and so has society's reaction to the charges these women have been making.

[NewDeal_Dem]

144. he had a deal with nbc last summer (2014). what happened?

[pnwmom]

145. What happened is that the comedian made his comment about Cosby's history of rape,

and dozens of women came forward to confirm he had drugged and sexually assaulted them.

[pnwmom]

146. The NBC deal got cancelled in the fall. (2014).

And the University of Massachusetts and the Berklee College of Music have both cut ties with him.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/kateaurthur/janice-dickinson-says-bill-cosby-raped-her#.jtkRW6MwYZ

NBC Has Killed Its Bill Cosby Project

UPDATE: After mounting public pressure, and a rash of renewed and new criminal accusations against Cosby, NBC has dumped the developing sitcom it had once touted while TV Land has pulled video clips of The Cosby Show off its website. On Tuesday, Janice Dickinson said Cosby had raped her in 1982.

http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2014/11/26/coakley-urges-umass-amherst-cut-ties-bill-cosby/BuR0zHe2yBW65hHIWTUmJO/story.html

The University of Massachusetts Amherst severed its ties Wednesday to alumnus Bill Cosby, joining a growing number of colleges to distance themselves from the entertainer amid accusations he sexually assaulted more than a dozen women.

Cosby, who received a master’s and a doctorate in education from the college, was an honorary co-chairman of the school’s ongoing $300 million fund-raising campaign. He and his wife, Camille, donated several hundred thousand dollars to the school, and the comedian was frequently cited in the past as one of the university’s most notable alumni.

[NewDeal_Dem]

161. so what happened to all cosby's supposed power? the power that kept these women from

talking about their rapes 20 or 30 years ago?

[pnwmom]

163. It disappeared because it was 2014, not 1970 or 80.

Americans have far less tolerance for that sort of behavior now than they did then. And also, in the meantime, he had the chance to molest many more women, and the accumulation of claims -- not a handful, not a dozen, but dozens -- finally was overwhelming.

That plus his comedy routine of the 70's on audiotape. What was perceived as funny then is not funny now. Hearing that tape in the context of the publicity about the woman's claims helped convinced many people that he was guilty.

[NewDeal_Dem]

165. and why not 2010? or 2005 or 2000? or 1985?

I was an adult female in the 70s; I know what life for women was like then; I wouldn't have been afraid to accuse cosby of rape.

[pnwmom]

166. You are not every woman. And you're not saying you were ever raped.

You can't know how you would have reacted if you had been. You can only speculate.

I am very close to a young woman who was raped ten years ago. She's in therapy and still struggling, still having episodes of PTSD (which I have witnessed). I won't be surprised if she's never able to face the man who hurt her, though I wish she would.

The research shows that the large majority of women who are raped never come forward. This isn't just the case with Cosby -- it's true in general. They are too traumatized and just want to put the incident behind them. And, in the case of the Cosby victims, because of his high status, they were even more afraid than other women that no one would believe them.

And you keep ignoring the fact that a woman DID file suit in 2005, and she was backed up by the testimony of multiple other women. And Cosby was able to bury the whole thing and the media helped him.

[NewDeal_Dem]

125. Bill Cosby's new NBC comedy show could debut as early as next summer (July 2014)

http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv/bill-cosby-new-comedy-show-debut-summer-article-1.1865796

Bill Cosby Reteaming With NBC for New Family Comedy (1/14)

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/bill-cosby-reteaming-nbc-new-673219


NBC reaches a deal on new Bill Cosby comedy

http://insidetv.ew.com/2014/08/06/nbc-bill-cosby/


NBC just announced that Bill Cosby will likely be returning to prime time next fall

http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2014/01/22/bill_cosby_returning_to_nbc_for_new_sitcom_his_timing_could_not_be_better.html



When exactly did this non-hiring begin, and why?

[oberliner]

134. What do you think is going on here?

Do you have any theories?

[chervilant]

157. Your first link

shows a publication date of JULY, 2014. Your second link shows a publication date of AUGUST, 2014. Your third link shows a publication date of SEPTEMBER, 2014. The media focus on the Cosby rape allegations intensified in NOVEMBER, 2014. You might do your own research to determine how "credible" are the accusations of the more than 25 different women who've come forward. However, you are unlikely to find many people who still believe Cosby is "innocent until proven guilty."

[NewDeal_Dem]

160. And all the links show the deal for cosby's show firming up. So what happened?

[chervilant]

176. Sigh...

You honestly don't know? Cosby's sexual assaults became fodder for the M$M. Who knows why now? I say, it's about damned time.

[braddy]

93. Not all were after the statute of limitations for instance

the police report filed in 2000 for the 1998 incident, the police report in 2005 for the 2004 drugging/rape that he settled out of court on, and the claim of a 2008 assault by a woman who is currently 24 years old.

[Beringia]

97. thanks for the correction, I thought they were all very old

Do you have info on who filed the police reports in 2000 and 2008? I have read about the one case that was settled in court.


http://cognoscenti.wbur.org/2014/11/24/bill-cosby-eileen-mcnamara



The one woman who did go to authorities about Cosby was Andrea Constand, a former director of operations for Temple University’s women’s basketball team and a college basketball star herself. She told police in 2005 that Cosby had drugged and raped her in his Pennsylvania home the year before. When prosecutors failed to charge him, citing insufficient evidence to meet the standard of proof required for conviction in criminal court, Constand filed a civil lawsuit for more than $150,000 in damages, saying Cosby’s actions had caused her “to suffer severe emotional distress, humiliation, embarrassment and financial loss.” They settled the case out of court, with a provision that prohibits her from disclosing the terms.

[braddy]

101. Lachele Covington from the Cosby show in 2000 (groping) and

Goins came forward recently claiming a 2008 drugging/groping/masturbation assault.

[pnwmom]

49. Crud. Last I heard it was 20.

How anyone can persist in believing he's innocent is beyond me.

[hrmjustin]

28. Not funny at all.

[MrMickeysMom]

37. It's like...

"I dare you to catch me!"

[DLevine]

44. He's a predator.

He's also a rich and powerful man, which is why he's gotten away with it for so long. He is laughing at us.

[Initech]

51. Yeah not the joke you want to make when you're accused of being a serial rapist.

[Chemisse]

63. I am uncomfortable with the assumption that he is guilty.

Yes, the throngs of accusers are convincing; some are very convincing. It is highly likely that this man is a serial rapist with a very specific mode of operation.

But it is wrong to convict someone in the press. There is a reason why we have the criminal court system, with its laws and procedures and protections. And there is a reason for the statute of limitations.

He should have been brought up on charges, repeatedly it seems, and had a jury determine the matter of his guilt. He should have been held accountable and he should have had the right to defend himself in a court of law.

But not one single one of these women had the courage or conviction to go to the authorities for justice? And now - instead - they are throwing out allegations from the safety of their comfortable lives? No need for that troublesome trip to the police station, the vaginal swab, the embarrassment, the aura of disbelief. And no need to go to court and face the defendant (who, remember has the right to face his accuser). Yes it is hard to go through, and maybe a few would have had to do it for authorities to finally take it seriously. But that is the way we do it in this country. And how many young women would have been spared this experience if he had been convicted of just one?

[gollygee]

71. He can't be convicted in the press

A conviction would be a sentence, and obviously that won't happen. That doesn't mean people should ignore 30 women telling remarkably similar stories and pretend it isn't very likely something happened to them.

[pnwmom]

102. It would be wrong to prejudge if he were facing criminal charges -- but he isn't.

And since he escaped prosecution based on the statute of limitations, it is up to the public to draw its own conclusions.

You are showing a remarkable lack of understanding of the pain that these women went through -- and of the reasons they would have had for not coming forward. As it was, a number of them DID come forward in 2005, but the case was then settled, and legally buried. They probably thought he would never face justice -- even in the Court of Public Opinion.

[NewDeal_Dem]

127. he escaped prosecution because he was never brought to trial because his accusers

never brought suit.

not because of the statute of limitation: BECAUSE THEY NEVER BROUGHT SUIT.

[pnwmom]

137. Wrong. At last one woman did bring suit, and several other women

joined the suit and provided their own testimony.

And then he settled, and the lawsuit was buried, so people like you never heard about it.

[Chemisse]

154. They came forward to sue him for money!

Where was THEIR understanding of the pain other women would feel if they didn't report this AT THE TIME? I find that unconscionable.

And yes, we can - and do - draw our own conclusions. I am just expressing my discomfort with the way all this happened, and with the inability of Cosby to have his day in court.

I am surprised that people are embracing this mode of 'conviction.'

[pnwmom]

164. Not true. Almost all of the women are well past the statute of limitations.

Even the women who were giving testimony in the 2005 case (which was settled) couldn't benefit personally because of the statute. They were just trying to help the woman who could.

Cosby could have had his day in court -- in civil court. But he chose to settle the case with the Canadian woman instead. And to have it sealed.

[NJCher]

139. I read an article

quite lengthy, but can't recall where at the moment, where one of them did go after him way back in the beginning and he counter sued and drove her into bankruptcy or something similar. She lost everything.

This was how he demonstrated to everyone how he would deal with them. Who's going to go up against that? You have to have major resources to do that, and most people don't have the $$ to wage a sustained legal battle against someone with his financial war chest.

Later, evidence came out that indicated she was telling the truth, so in effect, Cosby used the tools of power to shut down the truth. The man is ruthless.

If I can recall the article, I'll be back to post it.


Cher

[braddy]

151. No offense, but I think you are confused, that didn't happen

You might be thinking of the woman who tried to black mail him in the 1980s as his daughter, and ended up in prison.

[pnwmom]

167. For the record, her conviction was overturned. The appeals court ruled

that the judge made an error by not instructing the jury that if she believed he was her father, then that could contribute to a finding of not guilty.

[braddy]

168. That court reinstated her conviction.

NEW YORK — The federal appeals court that overturned the conviction of a woman imprisoned for trying to extort $40 million from Bill Cosby reversed itself Monday and restored her conviction.

The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decided that an improper instruction given to the jury was not sufficient to overturn the extortion conviction of Autumn Jackson.

[pnwmom]

169. Thanks. I'd like to know more because their first opinion makes more sense to me. n/t

[braddy]

170. Here is a quick link to get you started.

http://articles.latimes.com/1999/nov/16/news/mn-34071

[Chemisse]

155. I don't see how anybody can sue you

if you go to the police and report a rape. Did any one of these women do this??

Perhaps they were filing a lawsuit?

[HockeyMom]

70. No remorse in his Old Age

Sick.

[LostOne4Ever]

77. Guilty or not that was in horrible taste (nt)

[Cha]

118. Agree.

[Ino]

83. A joke, or the truth in plain sight? (nt)

[pnwmom]

103. Like his old comedy routine, about giving women Spanish Fly to get them to have sex. n/t

[Warren DeMontague]

88. Normally I think self-deprecation is a good way to go, but...

I don't know. Honestly at this point anything this dude does, publicly, is in bad taste. Short of hiding under a rock, it's impossible not to go "eewwwww" every time he opens his mouth.

[Arugula Latte]

91. What a fucking creep.

Cosby*, you will always have an asterix after your name.





*Scumbag

[Skittles]

116. I haVE ALWAYS thought Bill Cosby was creepy

I am VERY good at reading people

[Arugula Latte]

174. You are very discerning, Skittles!

I was fooled by that Good-Guy Jello Pudding Pop schtick in the 80s.

[Kalidurga]

108. That's not a joke that's a warning.

Or possibly a threat.

[PeteSelman]

128. Hey sue me but I laughed.

I think Cosby is an absolute monster but that was a good line. He pretty much had to do that.

[NJCher]

142. he's getting expert PR advice

I can spot it. Used to be one of those PR people, and I know the tactics.

When the protesters sounded off at his last performance, he directed security to let them speak before they got thrown out.

Makes him look "tolerant." Magnanimous.

Meanwhile, he hires private detectives to dig up the dirt on these women. This not only gives him additional leverage, it scares others from coming forward.

Maybe you're easily amused? I didn't think the remark was clever in the least. In fact, the PR guy probably smacked his forehead because all it did was cause a major uproar in the press, reminding everyone of exactly what the PR flack is being paid to smooth over.


Cher

[PeteSelman]

175. I don't care about his PR team.

And I don't think the line was an all timer. I chuckled and moved on.

[davidpdx]

152. Honestly whether I think he is guilty or not is of no consequence

The only thing I can say for sure is the joke was in poor taste. Whether he did it or not will be decided in his legacy after he dies.