‘Cosby Show’ actress Phylicia Rashad defends Bill Cosby

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Source: Washington Post

By Soraya Nadia McDonald January 7 at 4:54 AM

Phylicia Rashad, the actress who played Bill Cosby’s wife, Claire Huxtable, on “The Cosby Show,” has finally broken her silence about the many allegations of rape and sexual abuse being levied against her former co-star. She maintained there was an orchestrated effort to take down Cosby.

Rashad defended Cosby in an exclusive interview with Showbiz 411?s Roger Friedman at a luncheon for “Selma,” hosted by Paramount Pictures in New York.

More than 24 women have come forward to say that Cosby attempted to drug or sexually assault them, including models Janice Dickinson and Beverly Johnson.

“Forget these women,” Rashad told Friedman. “What you’re seeing is the destruction of a legacy. And I think it’s orchestrated. I don’t know why or who’s doing it, but it’s the legacy. And it’s a legacy that is so important to the culture.”

When Friedman asked Rashad about Johnson and Dickinson specifically, he said Rashad responded, “Oh, please.”

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/01/07/cosby-show-actress-phylicia-rashad-defends-bill-cosby/?tid=hp_mm&hpid=z3

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So there! Anyway, 'tis now the wee hours, even here in Sharkland. Thus, I bid thee Good Night.

[brucefan]

1. Her Husband

Was a pro football player,Bill didn't dare.

[hughee99]

18. It sounds like she was a little out of his age range, too.

She was in her mid-30's when the Cosby show started and it sounds like she was at least a decade too old for Bill's tastes.

[Brigid]

31. That's exactly what I was thinking!

Bill would have been very careful around her!

[ellenrr]

2. She may be the only woman Cosby came across that he didn't try to molest...

the idea that it is "orchestrated" is ridiculous.
Women came forward from all parts of the country, all walks of life, and from different eras even.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

25. I'd love to know who is behind this grand conspiracy

An angry Kodak film or Jell-O pudding?
The real killers in the OJ case?
Ben Gazzie?

[Sienna86]

3. Her residuals are affected?

I have to suspect the motivation for all involved.

[tabasco]

38. Bingo! n/t

[MADem]

4. This is all about The Bottom Line--she's not going to get those syndication checks, and that's some

major scratch--pay the mortgage and then some, for sure.

[dembotoz]

28. when in doubt--follow the money

[rpannier]

29. You're certain of this?

Please provide proof
That kind of statement, without something to back it up, is pretty caustic and extremely unfair to her

[MADem]

34. You have google, you could look it up yourself, but since you demand "proof" here you go.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/people/2014/11/19/bill-cosby-netflix-don-lemon-cnn-latest/19266133/

TV Land pulls 'Cosby' reruns; fallout continues


http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv/netflix-postpones-bill-cosby-special-article-1.2015878

NBC drops new Bill Cosby sitcom as Netflix postpones comedy special, TV Land pulls reruns amid sexual assault allegations


No reruns, no residuals. That IS how it works. Her bottom line is being affected in a MAJOR way.

[rpannier]

35. But how do you know that's why she is saying this

The Rashad's are very wealthy people with or without the syndication
Provide proof that her motivation is not that she thinks he didn't do what he's accused of, but rather the money

[MADem]

36. Uh..."the Rashads" are DIVORCED. Keep up, do!

She's might even be paying him alimony--she is worth (55 million) way more than he (8 million) is.

Her marketability is wrapped up in her Mrs. Huxtable persona--that's what she sells. That's where her "net worth" is generated.

Here ya go: http://www.celebritynetworth.com/richest-celebrities/actors/phylicia-rashad-net-worth/

If her 'persona' was found to be married to a pervert/rapist, that brush will reach her, like it, or not.

When I hear hoofbeats, I think horses, not zebras. You go on and provide proof that I'm wrong, how's that?

You want to think there's no financial motive in her defending her franchise, the thing that has continued to earn her money down the years, you go right ahead--but I won't believe you.

[Scootaloo]

5. So her reasoning amounts to "because!"?

[booley]

6. Won't impugn her motives

Perfectly possible she believes what she says.

But I think she believes that because Cosby is her friend.

Her entire rational seems to be this is a conspiracy because…. the alternative is too unpleasant to be true.

Unfortunately that's not how reality works.

[exboyfil]

7. She can join the Dottie Sandusky denial group

She can only speak to her personal relationship with Cosby unless she can alibi one of the accusations.

[rpannier]

30. I agree with you

w/o knowing her personally, to comment on her motives seems extremely unfair to her
It is also true, that some people deny these kinds of allegations because they either didn't pay attention to the signs or don't want to believe they were so blind.
I'm going with your friend theory

[KansDem]

8. “Forget these women"

[JackInGreen]

9. Yes, yes, of course

lets consider it a conspiracy rather than admit you were deceived by a possible serial sexual predator, that's the right way to think about it.

[Elmer S. E. Dump]

10. "Mr. Cheney, you've heard the verdict of the ICC. Do you have anything to say in your defense?

"Oh, please!!"

[cosmicone]

12. That is not what Cheney would say

He'll say "Go fuck yourself!" hahahaha

[christx30]

33. And there would probably be

buckshot to the face if the judge is an old man. Mr. Cheney doesn't mess around.

[MADem]

37. Ah...popularly known as "The Leahy Retort!"

I know that Senator Leahy was secretly THRILLED that he was able to (so easily, too) get Dickie so ticked off!

IIRC, that was the last time they ever did a seersucker photo in the Senate--does anyone know if they've revived the tradition?

[Fearless]

11. I'm sure that the whole ordeal must be very troubling for her

On one hand she can trust the person she worked with for over twenty years on two separate tv shows and thinks she knows. Or she can believe the accusers whom she doesn't know.

Clearly her opinion in this issue is automatically biased, as would any of ours in her position. I have little doubt he never touched her. Her only experience is of the person she thought she knew. It must be a very hard realization to come to that a good friend and coworker has been a sexual predator for years. I feel for her, but at the same time, recognize her bias.

[nevergiveup]

14. A very thoughtful and well said response.

[Sheldon Cooper]

15. The depravity of the allegations really does conjure up the cognitive dissonance.

It's very hard to square the allegations against what your experience with the person has been. If it was a matter of several women claiming to have had one-night stands with Cosby, they could be easily dismissed as gold diggers, or maybe Bill was just a big old horndog. Either way, it could be written off as a private matter between him and his wife. Perhaps his reputation is a bit tarnished, but no real harm done.

But the repeated drugging and raping of so many women (are we up to 3 dozen yet?), when he could have easily had all the consensual sex he wanted, is so disturbing. And that makes it hard to wrap your brain around. I think he was cunning enough to steer very clear of anyone he worked with, so for Ms. Rashad and the rest of the folks on his show, this must seem surreal.

[Pacifist Patriot]

21. I also agree.

I find it completely plausible that she is presently incapable of processing the information completely objectively. I think it would take a highly unusual person to be able to do so.

[Hekate]

32. Very thoughtful subthread. Successful predators have a lot of self-control & are...

...well-masked. They rely on the silence of their prey and choose them carefully.

Ms Rashad was not singled out as prey, never witnessed the stalk, had no reason to look behind the kindly smiling mask. Eventually she will either wake up, or she won't. I feel sorry for her, but I feel sorrier for those who were preyed upon by this predator who played on all our feelings and in a sense betrayed us all.

[Triana]

13. She has a right to her opinion.

And I have a right to mine.

Two dozen women don't just come forward to ruin someone's "legacy". That's ridiculous - IMO.

I think this is more about the residuals, myself.

But of course only she can say what her motives are in "forgetting" these women. I'm just guessing because otherwise, her take on this doesn't really make much logical sense to me.

[Schema Thing]

16. Conspiracy "Theorist" - Magic Thinker

These women are just MAGICALLY induced to ruin Cosby. They've formed a network out of thin air.



as GOB Bluth would say "Come on!".

[olddad56]

19. Can't doubt Clair Huxtable, she was an attorney.

[leftyladyfrommo]

17. Did you see what Bill Maher said about Cosby?

A woman he knew was working on one of the Cosby shows and repeatedly hit on her. And then when it finally got through to him that she really did mean "no!" he made her life on the set as awful as he possibly could.

I don't think Bill would lie about something like that.

[Reter]

23. That's sexual harassment

While awful it's not rape, which Cosby is being accused of.

[geek tragedy]

26. Fits the pattern of behavior. Corroboration. nt

[Reter]

40. I have known quite a few horny bosses that make dirty comments

None of them are rapists. So the two really don't go hand in hand.

[geek tragedy]

41. Surreal. nt

[KamaAina]

20. "And it’s a legacy that is so important to the culture.”

Yup. That's what's o disturbing about this whole thing.

[leftyladyfrommo]

42. Exactly.

The man had two completely different faces. That is really scary.

[Mike Nelson]

22. Ms. Rashad's wealth and livelihood...

...is attached to Mr. Cosby. She has no other choice.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

24. While it's even to dismiss a celebreality TV train wreck and fame junkie like Dickinson

(especially after that bizarre Nancy Grace interview), there are too many people coming out with stories. Cosby needs to adamantly deny the charges, pride be damned, before anyone entertains defending him.

His silence speaks volumes, and the sleazy tactics his lawyers are employing makes one assume the worst.

[TheNutcracker]

27. Hey Rashad-Cosby preyed upon the vulnerable, which you were not one of, as you worked on the show!

Gads...you're a peer! He went after actress wannabees. Every one of them. You, had an acting job, and did not need a offer to meet a man somewhere, cuz he would help you. Maybe in your past by someone else? What you say has no bearing on Cosby's predator lifestyle!

[Skittles]

39. she is trying to protect her own "legacy"

disgusting

better she should not comment at all

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

43. “Oh, please.” Well that settles that. What an elaborate incisive response. nt