As trial nears, Bill Cosby says racism could be a factor
Source: CNN
In a rare interview airing Tuesday, Bill Cosby says he does not expect to testify at his upcoming felony sexual assault trial and that he believes racism played a big role in the scandal that has engulfed his life.
During a 30-minute conversation with Sirius-XM host Michael Smerconish, the 79-year-old entertainer portrays himself as a victim of the media and of accusers who were piling on. Cosby, who has been accused of sexual misdeeds by at least 60 women, cited a feminist author, saying Gloria Steinem had a very interesting quote. She said, The truth shall set you free, but first it might piss you off.
Cosbys interview is part of a rollout of orchestrated media appearances in advance of the start of jury selection Monday in his trial on charges of drugging and sexually assaulting Andrea Constand, a former Temple University womens basketball official, in 2004 at his estate in suburban Philadelphia. One of Cosbys attorneys, Angela Agrusa, who is based in Los Angeles, recently told the Hollywood Reporter that she hopes to change the optics of Cosbys presumed guilt and hinted she may use a theory of false memory creation to undercut his accusers credibility. Earlier this week, two of Cosbys daughters Ensa and Erinn provided taped statements to The Breakfast Club, a nationally syndicated radio program about hip hop music, culture and politics.
What my father and family have had to endure these last few years makes me ashamed of our country today, Erinn said in her taped remarks. Her sister said: I believe that racism has played a big role in all aspects of this scandal. .?.?. My father is being punished by a society that still believes black men rape white women, but passes off as boys will be boys when white men are accused.
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/in-a-pr-blitz-before-his-trial-bill-cosby-blames-racism-for-sexual-assault-claims/2017/05/16/409ea7d2-3993-11e7-9e48-c4f199710b69_story.html?utm_term=.a7383ebd2c1e
dalton99a
(81,486 posts)whathehell
(29,067 posts)Orrex
(63,210 posts)Leith
(7,809 posts)and he's the one who did it.
That's his last grasp at the rope. Let him spend his remaining time in prison.
IronLionZion
(45,442 posts)Many of his victims kept quiet because they didn't want to see a positive black male role model and father figure be taken down. Their reasoning was if a wholesome looking person turned out to be a monster, racists everywhere would feel justified in their racism.
Samantha Bee joked about the modern equivalent would be if successful female comediennes drugged and raped her, she wouldn't want them taken down as some sort of proof that feminists are abusive rapists.
Jarqui
(10,125 posts)(the above is a little dated - I think it's over 60 now ...)
There are black or non-white women above making similar allegations. So yes, Bill can assert that he was not racially motivated when he drugged and sexually assaulted these women.
But it's a gigantic stretch to go the other way. If he's that desperate to try to cloud this with racism, he's basically confessing that he is in deep trouble. No one of any intellect is going to seriously buy that in the face of the above.
Initech
(100,075 posts)You grab pussy and get busted for it, you deserve whatever happens to you.
Lucky Luciano
(11,256 posts)Jose Garcia
(2,598 posts)Lucky Luciano
(11,256 posts)spiderpig
(10,419 posts)When I was a kid Bill Cosby was credited for bridging the races with humor and familiar stories. I had all his albums, watched I Spy, and that was 50 years ago.
Pulling the race card now is just a desperate move. You're a serial abuser, Bill.
Princess Turandot
(4,787 posts)He seems to be an opportunity-assaulter; I don't recall any of the women saying that he had come on to them over some extended period of time.
If he's using the color of his accusers as evidence of this defense, racism in the entertainment business caused that 'pool' to be largely white earlier in his career. (In particular, successful female comedians of any color were a rarity.) As times changed, he assaulted more non-white women.