Bill Cosby Shakes His Head At Rape Allegations
Why won’t Bill Cosby address allegations that he’s a rapist? The iconic funny man and his wife appeared for an interview on NPR’S Morning Edition on Saturday, and the questions may have been a little too serious for the famed joker. Mediaite reports that the interview was abruptly ended when interviewer Scott Simon touched on the allegations against him that have gained viral attention in recent weeks.
Cosby and his wife Camille were present for the interview to talk about the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art, and their various contributions to the establishment. Their family has donated at least 60 different pieces of African-American artwork to the museum. However, Scott Simon knows that the public is currently intrigued with allegations that Cosby is a rapist — allegations that are clearly causing his reputation as a beloved family man and comic to deteriorate. Simon was gentle in his approach when addressing the controversy on Saturday’s interview.
“This question gives me no pleasure, Mr. Cosby, but there have been serious allegations raised about you in recent days.”
Simon couldn’t even finish introducing his question before Bill Cosby began shaking his head, displaying a negative reaction as if trying to dissuade the interviewer from even touching on that territory. Of course, being the reporter that Simon is, he continued.
“You’re shaking your head no. I’m in the news business. I have to ask the question. Do you have any response to those charges?”
Bill reportedly shook his head negatively a second time, but Scott Simon gently encouraged the comedian to answer the question again — but again to no success. The segment ended there with Camille Cosby trying her best to appear gracious under the pressure of being present while her husband was accused of rape on NPR. Bill Cosby himself did not speak again after the direction of the interview turned to the rape allegations against him.
The past handful of weeks have not been kind to Bill Cosby’s image, and it doesn’t look like things are going to get any better for him. The Hollywood Reporter revealed recently that his scheduled appearance on The Late Show has been cancelled. However, what hasn’t been reported is who cancelled the appearance — David Letterman, or Cosby? Reports vary on who actually cancelled the appearance. It’s hard to imagine that the rape allegations would have come up during an interview between Letterman and Cosby, since the The Late Show is intended to be a lighthearted program, and not hard news reporting.
Bill Cosby’s apparent fall from grace began to snowball last month when stand-up comedian Hannibal Buress accused him of being a serial rapist while addressing an audience in Philly. MassLive reports that Buress said the legendary comic had raped 13 women. The website Vulture published a very informative piece titled “One Very Important Thing Is Missing From The New Cosby Biography: A Timeline Of The Abuse Charges,” which includes a thorough timeline of the rape and sexual abuse accusation against him by various women.
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