#cosbymeme - Well, that didn't turn out so well...

Just read that NBC is considering letting his upcoming tv show "die on the vine" as to not cause embarrassment. This cannot end well.

I think it would be more embarrassing to run it and further associate the NBC brand with Cosby.

I'm torn. I'm a big proponent of innocent until proven guilty. However, the number of women stepping forward with similar allegations makes it a little hard to keep that mindset in place for this particular situation.

I'd like to believe the allegations aren't true. but at this point, it's not reasonable to believe he's innocent. it's now 14 women who've accused him, he's settled with one of them, and he's not even trying to defend himself against the others. there's nothing for his accusers to gain at this point, so there's not much reason to disbelieve them.

ml1 said:

it's now 14 women who've accused him, he's settled with one of them, and he's not even trying to defend himself against the others. there's nothing for his accusers to gain at this point, so there's not much reason to disbelieve them.

Exactly what was going through my mind.

Ouch and ouch again. Netflix postpones the Thanksgiving debut of his newest comedy special and Janice Dickinson comes forward.

http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2014/nov/19/bill-cosby-special-shelved-netflix-janice-dickinson

http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2014/nov/19/bill-cosby-attacked-me-too-janice-dickinson-tells-entertainment-tonight

I sure would hate to be his publicist right now.

TarheelsInNj said:

I sure would hate to be his publicist right now.

I'm sure they are adding some extra charges to the bill!

Funny. Clarence Thomas is on the Supreme Court, yet Cosby goes down in the flames of public opinion. I'm not saying he's innocent, but I can't get the comparison out of my head.

Thomas was described as a sexual harasser. Cosby is being accused of rape.

Great piece, as usual from TA-NEHISI COATES

http://www.theatlantic.com/ta-nehisi-coates/

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/6184618

CNN's Don Lemon is no stranger to tense and uncomfortable interviews, but a conversation with Bill Cosby's latest rape accuser Tuesday night took a particularly shocking turn for the worse.

Speaking with Joan Tarshis, a woman who recently accused Bill Cosby of sexually assaulting her 45 years ago, the CNN host asked his guest why she didn't use her teeth as "a weapon" while being forced to perform oral sex on the comedian.

Lemon at first apologized for sounding "crude," and then pressed further: "You know, there are ways not to perform oral sex if you didn't want to do it," he said.

"Biting," he later said more directly.

"I didn't even think of it," Tarshis replied.

Read the full exchange:

Lemon: Can I ask you this, because -- and please, I don't mean to be crude, ok?
Tarshis: Yeah.

Lemon: Because I know some of you -- and you said this last night, that he -- you lied to him and said "I have an infection, and if you rape me, or if you do -- if you have intercourse with me, then you will probably get it and give it to your wife."

Tarshis: Right.

Lemon: And you said he made you perform oral sex.

Tarshis: Right.

Lemon: You know, there are ways not to perform oral sex if you didn't want to do it.

Tarshis: Oh. Um, I was kind of stoned at the time, and quite honestly, that didn't even enter my mind. Now I wish it would have.

Lemon: Right. Meaning the using of the teeth, right?

Tarshis: Yes, that's what I'm thinking you're --

Lemon: As a weapon.

Tarshis: Yeah, I didn't even think of it.

Lemon: Biting.

Tarshis: Ouch.

Lemon: Yes. I had to ask. I mean, it is, yeah.

Tarshis: Yes. No, it didn't cross my mind.

A CNN spokesperson did not immediately respond for comment.

After the interview, #DonLemonReporting took over Twitter:


UPDATE [2:25 p.m. ET]: Lemon addressed his comments on Wednesday afternoon during a CNN segment:

“A word about my interview last night with Cosby accuser Joan Tarshis. As I am a victim myself, I would never want to suggest that any victim could have prevented a rape. If my question to her struck anyone as insensitive, I am sorry as that is certainly and was not my intention.”

Ugh. A non-apology apology.

Yeah, his questions struck me as insensitive.

And now ex-model Janice Dickerson? Just WOW.

Janice actually has a sanitized version of this event in her book published many years ago. She said that Cosby and attorneys threatened her as well as the publishing company if the book were printed using her recollection of actual events. Janice bowed down, listened to Harper Collins and their team and took out the story, replacing it with how it reads today.

Wendy Williams also had a pretty good story about Cosby. Nothing sexual, but still related to these allegations. She said when she was on NYC radio around 1990, she reported that a woman had accused Cosby of sexual battery. She said while she was still on the air, her GM called her into his office with Cosby on speaker phone. She said Cosby called her everything in the book and demanded that the station FIRE her. Wendy said her boss never stood up for her and Cosby was allowed to verbally demean and disrespect her.

The man has more skeletons than a graveyard, you think?

That Don Lemon interview is horrifying. "Gee, why didn't it occur to you to try not getting raped?"

EDIT: And NBC has officially canceled the project:

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/nov/19/nbc-pulls-bill-cosby-sitcom-rape-allegations

And she was so nice about it. I know I'd have wanted to bite Don Lemon.

Tvland pulled the cosby show....this is not trial by media

There's no trial at all. If networks are pulling his shows its because advertisers don't want to sponsor them.

Yeah for advertisers it's a big ol' no-no

Here's another awkward interview moment from the AP:

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/20/business/media/bill-cosby-fallout-rape-accusations.html

I also heard he's a big fan of the sesame chicken at Bill & Harry's.

He's being compared to Jian Ghomeshi, another public figure who finds himself being accused by eight (oops, now nine) women of sexual misconduct. He lost his job and was dumped by his PR firm. It's hard to imagine any scenario where that many women, unknown to each other, would make false accusations against someone.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2813663/Actress-EIGHTH-woman-make-sexual-abuse-claims-against-fired-CBC-host-Jian-Ghomeshi-s-revealed-turn-teddy-face-wall-violent-sex.html

I've read about Jian Ghomeshi. With men like this, is it a sickness, a control thing or both? Do they feel since they haven't been ratted out or caught, they never will be? It's so incredibly insane to live a life this way. Jian and Cosby, if true, and I think they both are serial rapists at this point, must have believed that they could offend forever because of who they are and no sane person would believe the allegations.

This in today's Daily Mail UK:

Wife of Incredible Hulk star Lou Ferrigno claims Bill Cosby tried to sexually assault her at a party.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2841929/Florida-woman-fourth-past-month-accuse-Bill-Cosby-drugging-raping-wife-Incredible-Hulk-star-Lou-Feriggno-Carla-reveals-actor-tried-sexually-assault-her.html#ixzz3Jc8uXt6I

Re: Jian Ghomeshi, this essay from a victim is worth a read:

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/reva-seth/reva-seth-jian-ghomeshi_b_6077296.html

I think it's a sickness AND a control thing. Rape isn't about sex, it's about power. And famous men, unfortunately, also have the sheer arrogance to believe they can do whatever they want and get away with it, as well as the money to hire great lawyers and PR teams, until it gets out of control and the employees don't want to be tainted by association.

BTW, although I get that Clarence Thomas was a sexual harasser and Cosby was evidently a serial molester/rapist, I don't think that makes it OK that we have a man on the Supreme Court who routinely sexually harassed the women he came in contact with professionally. I don't think he should have gotten away with that and kept his career intact.

As for Cosby, he doesn't really need the appearances or the money now, does he? Surely he is wealthy beyond any of our understanding, so these career "setbacks" will only hurt his ego and reputation. No real repercussions, if you ask me.

This story also reminds me of Woody Allen's situation. And it all goes back to rich, famous, powerful men believing they are above the standards of us mere mortals.

kibbegirl said:

I've read about Jian Ghomeshi. With men like this, is it a sickness, a control thing or both? Do they feel since they haven't been ratted out or caught, they never will be? It's so incredibly insane to live a life this way. Jian and Cosby, if true, and I think they both are serial rapists at this point, must have believed that they could offend forever because of who they are and no sane person would believe the allegations.

It's called psychopathy.

kibbegirl said:

This in today's Daily Mail UK:

Wife of Incredible Hulk star Lou Ferrigno claims Bill Cosby tried to sexually assault her at a party.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2841929/Florida-woman-fourth-past-month-accuse-Bill-Cosby-drugging-raping-wife-Incredible-Hulk-star-Lou-Feriggno-Carla-reveals-actor-tried-sexually-assault-her.html#ixzz3Jc8uXt6I

The AP video interview in this article is truly disturbing; he is clearly intimidating the interviewer.

I've also wondered about Camille . . .



http://www.cnn.com/2014/11/19/opinion/telusma-camille-cosby/

ridski said:

I also heard he's a big fan of the sesame chicken at Bill & Harry's.

So am I.

PeggyC said:

This story also reminds me of Woody Allen's situation. And it all goes back to rich, famous, powerful men believing they are above the standards of us mere mortals.

I didn't realize that Woody Allen had multiple accusers. I'm not saying Woody Allen is innocent or that Bill Cosby is guilty, but having one accuser vs over a dozen skews any person's take on a situation.

Don't get me started on Jian Ghomeshi. Why in the world would WNYC waste prime weeknight air time with a banal, middle-of-the-road CANADIAN show when there must be significant resources right here to provide local, interesting, cutting-edge cultural programming. Yes, I know, I know, it appeals (panders) to the white-bread Yuppie donors that make up the listener (donor) base.