An interview with on NPR's "Weekend Edition" has just gone viral, but not because people want to hear from one of America's favorite comedians, Bill Cosby. It was what viewers didn't hear from Bill Cosby that has many interested. The interviewer Scott Simon ended his interview with a question about allegations that Bill Cosby had sexually assaulted and possibly drugged women, but only received a shaking of the head in response before the question was even finished.
While the original intent of Simon's interview was to focus on Cosby's lending art to the Smithsonian, Simon felt the question had to be asked and wanted to give Cosby the chance to defend himself. Simon admits that Cosby had his PR person with him, and that the question was not intent on "ambushing" the famous comedian.
Some say the reason why these allegations have resurfaced is due to a stand-up bit by stand-up comedian Hannibal Buress, who referred to Cosby being a rapist. There have been more than a dozen allegations of Cosby's rape behavior reported.
One of the alleged victims was Barbara Bowman, and she claims that Cosby both drugged and raped her when she was an actress in 1985. At the time, Bill Cosby was playing Cliff Huxtable, one of television's favorite dads on The Cosby Show. At the time, Bowman was not able to get anyone to take her accusations seriously because of Bill Cosby's reputation as being a funny and friendly man.
Another of the alleged victims is Tamara Green, who claims that Cosby both drugged and assaulted her in 1970. Green told People magazine that she wishes that Cosby would acknowledge that he is a sexual predator and apologize for his actions.
Since last Saturday, another alleged case against Cosby has surfaced. A woman named Joan Tarshis has given her account on Cosby to Hollywood Elsewhere. She states that Bill Cosby both drugged and assaulted her twice on two separate occasions, and that the comedian kept bottles of pills on him in a leather shaving kit.
Cosby's lawyer has responded to the allegations with a statement that dismisses the assertion as both old and previously discredited and promised that no one representing Mr. Cosby would comment further on them.
The lawyer says that Cosby is "doing his best work", even though the comedian is 77-years-old. The allegations have forced the comedian to cancel his planned appearance on The David Letterman Show. His website at billcosby.com promises a tour as well as his first live concert in 30 years entitled "Far from Finished" available on DVD.
