Bill Cosby Ontario Show Will Go Forward Despite Protest Threat


Bill Cosby’s three scheduled Ontario shows will go forward next week despite threats of protesting, the comedian’s representatives said Friday.

CBS News reports the promoters of three of Cosby’s shows, Chicago-based Innovation Arts & Entertainment, released a statement Friday stating the comedian’s representatives that as of Friday morning, Bill Cosby has every intent to go forward with his Ontario shows. The promoters maintain although the choice for the shows to go forward is an unpopular one, the promotion company and the venues are contractually obligated to proceed.

Cosby has three appearances scheduled in Ontario next week to include performances at Centre in the Square in Kitchener, Ontario, on January 7, Budweiser Gardens in London, Ontario, on January 8, and Hamilton Place Theatre in Hamilton, Ontario, on January 9.

The executive director of London Abused Women’s Centre, Megan Walker, is planning a protest of Cosby’s show January 8 at the Budweiser Gardens in London, Ontario.

Innovation Arts & Entertainment said in its statement that the safety of the audience during any protests is its primary concern.

“While it is disappointing for the need to worry about the theater being a place for planned protests, we are fully prepared to protect our audience.”

Walker insisted no one should be concerned about violence coming from her group during the protest.

“There’s an implication that somehow a peaceful protest is going to become violent when the violence we’re concerned about is the violence that the women have alleged against Mr. Cosby.”

Many of Cosby’s U.S. performances have been canceled in recent months due to the sexual misconduct allegations, either by the venue or because Cosby scrapped the appearance at the last minute.

Over 20 women have now come forward accusing Bill Cosby of some type of sexual misconduct, with some of the women alleging Cosby drugged and raped them. Although Cosby has not faced criminal charges, two of the women filed civil lawsuits last month. Tamara Green, a retired attorney, filed a defamation lawsuit against Cosby claiming his repeated denial of her sexual assault allegations has tarnished her reputation. Another accuser, Judy Huth, filed a sexual battery lawsuit against the comedian, alleging he forced her to perform sexual acts on him when she was only 16 years old.

Bill Cosby has chosen to remain mostly silent about the sexual assault allegations, although the New York Post reported last week that the comedian has hired private investigators to “dig up dirt” on his accusers.

[Image via Flickr]

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