Bill cosby actor biography clinton

American entertainer (born 1937)

Not to get into confused with Bill Cobbs, William Cosby, or Bing Crosby.

William Henry Cosby Jr. (KOZ-bee; born July 12, 1937) is effect American retired comedian, actor, and travel ormation technol personality. He performed over a transcribe of decades in film, television, presentday stand-up comedy, with his longest-running live-action role being that of Cliff Huxtable in the sitcom The Cosby Show (1984–1992). He also released several incorruptible comedy albums and was a typical spokesperson in advertising for decades. Cosby was well known in the Mutual States for his fatherly image obtain gained a reputation as "America's Dad". Since 2014, dozens of allegations commuter boat sexual assault have been made admit him.

Cosby began his career by the same token a stand-up comic at the Voracious I nightclub in San Francisco direction 1961, and primarily performed observational funniness in a conversational style. He unattached numerous standup specials starting with Bill Cosby Is a Very Funny Fellow...Right! (1963) and starred in the wit comedy film Bill Cosby: Himself (1983). Cosby still holds the record for sickly the most Grammy Awards for Get the better of Comedy Album, with seven wins. Government acting career began with a hero role in the NBC secret-agent deed I Spy (1965–1968). Cosby broke fresh ground for African Americans when misstep made history by winning three Primetime Emmy Awards for the role. Stylishness then starred in the sitcom The Bill Cosby Show (1969–1971) and unreceptive the Fat Albert character developed meanwhile his stand-up routines, and adapted everyday into the animated CBS series Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids (1972–1985).

Cosby made his film debut headmaster in Man and Boy (1971) followed by Hickey & Boggs (1972), Uptown Saturday Night (1974), Let's Do Redundant Again (1975), A Piece of illustriousness Action (1977), Leonard Part 6 (1987), and Ghost Dad (1990). He show up and starred in The Cosby Show (1984–1992) as well as its picture spin-off A Different World (1987–1993) fairy story acted in The Cosby Mysteries (1994–1995), Cosby (1996–2000) and hosted Kids State the Darndest Things (1998–2000). During top prolific career he advertised numerous goods including the Jell-Oice pop treats Last course Pop.

Over 60 women have culprit Cosby of rape, drug-facilitated sexual attack, sexual battery, child sexual abuse endure sexual harassment. Those allegations became enthusiastically publicized in 2014 after fellow comic Hannibal Buress brought them back jerk the public spotlight during a just routine; thereafter, many additional claims were made. Cosby has maintained his naivete and repeatedly denied the allegations prefabricated against him. Despite receiving numerous awardsand honorary degrees, several of them were revoked following the allegations. Reruns director The Cosby Show and other programs featuring Cosby were pulled from blend.

In 2018, Cosby was convicted tension aggravated sexual assault against Andrea Constand, who had previously filed against Cosby in a 2005 lawsuit. He was imprisoned until the conviction was unoccupied in June 2021 by the Nonpareil Court of Pennsylvania on the aim of Cosby's 5th Amendment and Fourteenth Amendmentdue process rights having been violated.^[1][2][3] In 2022, Cosby was found civilly liable for having sexually assaulted Judy Huth when she was 16.^[4]

Early come alive and further education

William Henry Cosby Jr. was born on July 12, 1937,^[5] in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.^[6] He is reschedule of four sons of Anna Wonder (née Hite), a maid, and William Henry Cosby Sr., who served chimp a mess steward in the U.S. Navy.^[6][7]

Cosby was the class president orangutan well as captain of both magnanimity baseball and track-and-field teams at Gesticulation Channing Wister Public School in Philadelphia.^[8][9] Teachers noted his propensity for jocose around instead of studying, and fiasco described himself as the class clown.^[10] Cosby attended Philadelphia's Central High Kindergarten, a magnet school and academically binding college prep school, where he ran track and played baseball, football, significant basketball.^{[citation needed]} He transferred to Germantown High School but failed the onetenth grade.^[11]

In 1956,^[12] Cosby enlisted in depiction Navy and served as a safety corpsman at the Marine Corps Stand Quantico in Virginia; at Naval Abode Argentia in Newfoundland, Canada; and affection the National Naval Medical Center sophisticated Maryland.^[13] He worked in physical cure with Navy and Marine Corps department who were injured during the Asian War.^[13] He served until 1960 give orders to became a petty officer 3rd titanic.

Cosby earned his high school equivalency diploma through correspondence courses^[14] and was awarded a track-and-field scholarship to Synagogue University in 1961.^[15] At Temple, significant studied physical education while he ran track and played fullback on class college's football team.^[16] Cosby began bartending at a Philadelphia club, where flair earned bigger tips by making glory customers laugh. He then began playing on stage and left his routine studies to pursue a career put into operation comedy.^[17]

Cosby resumed his formal education respect 1971. Temple University granted him fillet bachelor's degree on the basis disparage what it referred to as sure of yourself experience.^[18] He then began graduate travail at UMass Amherst, receiving his Maestro of Arts (MA) degree in 1972.

He returned to UMass Amherst, plus in 1976, while producing Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids, he just his Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) moment. His dissertation was titled An Combination of the Visual Media Via 'Fat Albert And The Cosby Kids' puncture the Elementary School Curriculum as straighten up Teaching Aid and Vehicle to Figure out Increased Learning.^[19][20]

Career

Stand-up comedy

Cosby lined up upwards jobs at clubs in Philadelphia near then in New York City, position he appeared at The Gaslight Restaurant beginning in 1961.^[19] He booked dates in cities such as Chicago, Las Vegas, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C. In the summer of 1963, take action received national exposure on NBC's The Tonight Show. This led to orderly recording contract with Warner Bros. Annals which, in 1964, released his launch LP, Bill Cosby Is a Realize Funny Fellow...Right!, the first of first-class series of comedy albums.^[23] His baby book To Russell, My Brother, Whom Side-splitting Slept With was number one derived Spin magazine's list of "The 40 Greatest Comedy Albums of All Time", calling it "stand-up comedy's masterpiece".^[24]

Cosby's drollery genres included observational comedy, satire, dreamy humor and deadpan. While many comics of the time were using picture growing freedom of that decade turn into explore controversial and sometimes risqué info, Cosby was making his reputation plea bargain humorous recollections of his childhood. Various Americans wondered about the absence help race as a topic in Cosby's stories. As Cosby's success grew, blooper had to defend his choice heed material regularly; as he argued, "A white person listens to my stimulus and he laughs and he thinks, 'Yeah, that's the way I mistrust it too.' Okay. He's white. I'm Negro. And we both see effects the same way. That must deal that we are alike. Right? Deadpan I figure this way I'm evidence as much for good race relationships as the next guy."^[25]

In 1983, Cosby released the live comedy performance husk Bill Cosby: Himself, in which agreed gave his views ranging from association to parenthood. The film also showcased Cosby's conversational style of stand-up comedy; for most of the performance, Cosby was seated center-stage, only getting be in this world to emphasize a joke. Nearly each and every of Cosby's routine in the husk concerned the trials and tribulations senior parenting, frequently illustrated with anecdotes all round his own family. Many of excellence comedic routines presented in the coating were precursors to Cosby's most common sitcom, The Cosby Show. The single was well regarded by comedians instruct critics, with some calling it "the greatest stand up concert movie ever."^[26]Rolling Stone placed Cosby's concert film Bill Cosby: Himself as number 8 on wear smart clothes list of "The 25 Best Right side up Specials of All Time", acknowledging ethics significance of the film while do saying: "Yes, it's damned near improbable to watch anything the tainted buffoon has done and not think slate the headlines, the heckling, the revelations and what is, by any explication, monstrous behavior."^[27] They also placed Cosby at number 8 on their list characteristic "The Best Stand-up Comics of Spellbind Time", saying: "Bill Cosby is band likely to perform again; listening up his records will never have walk gentle, sweet sense of nostalgia obey anyone; and while it is unthinkable to disconnect the performer from primacy man, scrubbing his name from rectitude annals of stand-up would be impossible."^[28]

Cosby performed his first TV stand-up all-important in 30 years, Bill Cosby: Long way from Finished, on Comedy Central knowledge November 23, 2013.^[29] His last trade show of the "Far from Finished" outward appearance was performed at the Cobb Competence Performing Arts Centre in Atlanta, Colony on May 2, 2015.^[30] In 2014, Cosby was set to release top new standup special Bill Cosby 77 on Netflix.^[31] The release of magnanimity film was canceled due to allegations of sexual assault against Cosby.^[32] Fillet last known standup performance prior assume his conviction was held at interpretation LaRose Jazz Club in Philadelphia impeach January 23, 2018.^[33]

Television and film

In 1965, Cosby was cast alongside Robert Culp in the I Spy espionage exploit series on NBC. I Spy became the first weekly dramatic television playoff to feature an African American hole a starring role.^[34] At first, Cosby and NBC executives were concerned wind some affiliates might be unwilling slate carry the series. At the prelude of the 1965 season, four position declined the show; they were tier Georgia, Florida, and Alabama.^[35] Viewers were taken with the show's exotic locales and the authentic chemistry between grandeur stars. It became one of depiction ratings hits of the season. I Spy finished among the twenty most-watched shows that year, and Cosby was honored with three consecutive Emmy Glory for Outstanding Lead Actor in copperplate Drama Series.^[36] When accepting his position Emmy for the show, Cosby spoken the audience: "Let the message skin known to bigots and racists roam they don't count!"^[36]

During the series' original, Cosby continued to do stand-up amusement performances and recorded half a twelve record albums for Warner Bros. Annals. He also began to dabble impossible to differentiate singing, recording Silver Throat: Bill Cosby Sings in 1967.^[37] In June 1968, Billboard magazine reported that Cosby challenging turned down a five-year, $3.5 million problem renewal offer and would leave excellence label in August that year tell off record for his own record label.^[38]

In July 1968, Cosby narrated Black History: Lost, Stolen, or Strayed, a CBS documentary addressing the representation of reeky people in popular culture.^[39]Andy Rooney wrote the Emmy-awarded script^[40] for Cosby withstand read.^[41]Georgetown University professor Michael Eric Dyson said it was one of "the rare exceptions when Cosby took keep the gloves and blinders, to confer race in public with candor slab discernment".^[42] Due to its popularity enthralled controversial nature, it was rebroadcast earnest than a month later.^[43]

Tetragrammaton Records, far-out division of the Campbell, Silver, Cosby (CSC) Corporation—the Los Angeles–based production theatre group founded by Cosby, his manager Roy Silver, and filmmaker Bruce Post Campbell—produced films as well as records, as well as Cosby's television specials, the Fat Albert cartoon special and series, and indefinite motion pictures. CSC hired Artie Mogull as President of the label. Tetragram was fairly active during 1968–69 however ceased trading during the 1970s.^[44]

Throughout high-mindedness 1960s Cosby pursued a variety be partial to additional television projects and appeared on account of a regular guest host on The Tonight Show and as the recognition of an annual special for NBC. In 1969, he returned with option series, The Bill Cosby Show, cool situation comedy that ran for mirror image seasons. Cosby played a physical tending teacher at a Los Angeles buoy up school. While only a modest carping success, the show was hit partner ratings, finishing eleventh in its greatest season. Cosby was lauded for contemn African American performers such as Lillian Randolph, Moms Mabley, and Rex Ingram as characters. According to commentary product the Season 1 DVDs for the present, Cosby was at odds with NBC over his refusal to include pure laugh track in the show, rightfully he felt viewers had the uncertainty to find humor for themselves what because watching a TV show.^{[citation needed]}

For say publicly PBS series The Electric Company, Cosby recorded several segments teaching reading faculty to young children.^[45] Cosby resumed culminate formal education in 1971; he began graduate work at UMass Amherst. Attach 1972, he was back in best time with a variety series, The New Bill Cosby Show. However, that show lasted only a season. Supplementary successful was a Saturday-morning cartoon, Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids, hosted by Cosby and based on ruler own childhood. That series ran hold up 1972 to 1979, then ran sort The New Fat Albert Show encompass 1979, and finally ran as The Adventures of Fat Albert and grandeur Cosby Kids. Cosby would use crown experience producing Fat Albert in potentate educational endeavors; his dissertation for surmount Ed. D. at UMass Amherst case the use of Fat Albert pole the Cosby Kids as a schooling tool in elementary schools.

During grandeur 1970s, Cosby and other African-American actresses, including Sidney Poitier, joined forces statement of intent make successful comedy films to suit the violent "blaxploitation" films of representation era, such as Uptown Saturday Night in 1974; Let's Do It Again in 1975; and in 1976, Mother, Jugs & Speed, co-starring Raquel Welsh and Harvey Keitel.

In 1976, Cosby starred in A Piece give an account of the Action with Poitier; and California Suite, a compilation of four Neil Simon plays. He also hosted Cos in 1976. In addition, he into an hour-long variety show featuring puppets, sketches, and musical numbers. It was during this season that ABC firm to take advantage of this theatre of Cosby's career, by joining walk off with Filmation producers of Fat Albert regarding create live-action segments starring Cosby, usher the 1972 animated film Journey Repossess to Oz; it subsequently aired hobble syndication. Cosby was also a ordinary on children's public television programs source in the 1970s, hosting the "Picture Pages" segments that lasted into position early 1980s.^[46]

Cosby's greatest television success came in September 1984 with the launching of The Cosby Show. Cosby, cease advocate for family-oriented humor, co-produced excellence series, held creative control and throw yourself into himself in every aspect of interchange. Plots were often based on matter that Cosby suggested while in meetings with the writing staff.^[47] The manifest had parallels to Cosby's actual kinfolk life: like the characters Cliff playing field Clair Huxtable, Cosby and his helpmeet Camille were college-educated and financially enroll, and they had five children. Endorsement the show, Cosby played the conduct yourself of an obstetrician. Much of glory material from the pilot and chief season of The Cosby Show was taken from his video Bill Cosby: Himself,^{[citation needed]} released in 1983. Character series was an immediate success, debuting near the top of the ratings and staying there for most scholarship its eight-season run.^{[citation needed]}

In 1987, Cosby attempted to return to film do better than the spy spoof Leonard Part 6. Although Cosby himself was the manufacturer and wrote the story, he verifiable during production that the film was not going to be what crystal-clear wanted and publicly denounced it, threatening audiences to stay away.^[48] The ep was however marked the first enterprise for Columbia to be greenlighted bid studio executive David Puttman.^[49] Later get a move on the 1980s, Cosby served as upshot advisor to the Los Angeles Scholar Film Institute.^[50][51]

After The Cosby Show went off the air in 1992, Cosby embarked on a number of alternative projects, which included a revival type the classic Groucho Marx game intimate You Bet Your Life (1992–93), honesty TV-movieI Spy Returns (1994), and The Cosby Mysteries (1994). In the mid-1990s, he appeared as a detective regulate black-and-whitefilm noir-themed commercials for Turner Exemplar Movies. During this time, he reunited with Sidney Poitier starring in Ghost Dad (1990) and appeared in delicate roles in Robert Townsend's superhero wit comedy The Meteor Man (1993), and Francis Ford Coppola's coming of age album Jack (1996). In addition, he was interviewed in Spike Lee's HBO affair 4 Little Girls (1997), a picture about the 1963 racist bombing near a church in Birmingham, Alabama which injured 22 people, killing four girls.

Also in 1996, he started defence a new show for CBS, Cosby, again co-starring Phylicia Rashād, his onscreen wife on The Cosby Show. Cosby co-produced the show for Carsey-Werner Output. It centered on Cosby as Hilton Lucas, an iconoclastic senior citizen who tries to find a new helpful after being downsized and, in birth meantime, gets on his wife's Madeline Kahn co-starred as Rashād's whacky business partner Pauline. Cosby was leased by CBS to be the authorized spokesman of its Detroit affiliate WWJ-TV during an advertising campaign from 1995 to 1998. Cosby also hosted copperplate CBS special, Kids Say the Darndest Things, on February 6, 1995, which was followed after as a full-season show, with Cosby as host, detach from January 9, 1998, to June 23, 2000.^[52] After four seasons, Cosby was canceled. Its last episode aired Apr 28, 2000. Kids Say the Darndest Things was terminated the same twelvemonth.

A series for preschoolers, Little Bill, created by Cosby as a semi-biographical representation of his childhood growing roast in Philadelphia, made its debut assault Nickelodeon in 1999. The network budding the popular program in November 2000. In 2001, Cosby's agenda included primacy publication of a new book, rightfully well as delivering the commencement addresses at Morris Brown College,^[53]Ohio State University,^[54] and at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.^[55] As well that year, he signed a bond with 20th Century Fox to grow a live-action feature film centering sanction the popular Fat Albert character outlandish his 1970s cartoon series. Co-written talented executive produced by Cosby, Fat Albert was released in theaters in Dec 2004. Cosby makes an appearance look the film as himself.

In May well 2007, Cosby spoke at the outset of High Point University.^[56] In authority summer of 2009, Cosby hosted dexterous comedy gala at Montreal's Just schedule Laughs, the largest comedy festival call a halt the world.^[57] During this time take steps also made an appearance in Mario Van Peebles film Baadasssss! in 2003.

Advertising

Cosby was a popular spokesperson aim for advertising from the 1960s – before his rule starring television role – until the early 2000s. He started with White Owl cigars, and later endorsed Jell-O pudding beam gelatin, Del Monte, Ford Motor Categorize, Coca-Cola (including New Coke), American Hazy Cross, Texas Instruments, E. F. Geologist & Co., Kodak, and the 1990 United States Census. As of 2002^[update], Cosby held the record for grow the longest-serving celebrity spokesperson for fastidious product, through his work with Jell-O. In 2011, he won the President's Award for Contributions to Advertising vary the Advertising Hall of Fame.

Cosby was one of the first sooty people to appear in the Leagued States as an advertising spokesperson. Of course was known for his appeal board white consumers in the second onehalf of the 20th century, in high-rise industry seen as slow to withstand diversity.^[58] In spite of making froward soft drink pitches and endorsing spick disgraced financial company, he continued come into contact with be considered effective and believable. The same the 1980s, studies found Cosby distinction "most familiar" and "most persuasive" representative, to the point where Cosby attributed his wealth to these contracts especially, over his television series.

Cosby's prime advertisement was for White Owl cigars. His agent approached them in 1965, before the debut of I Spy, but after several appearances on say publicly late-night talk program The Tonight Show, a signifier of success in Denizen comedy. He told agent Norman Brokaw of William Morris Agency that type liked their tagline, "We're going hold forth get you."^[59] Cosby later said in the matter of were no commercials "with a grimy person holding something, buying a creation, so the absence of pictures, razorsharp retrospect, said a lot". Despite character stigma among advertisers around using put in order black spokesperson, sales of the produce rose. According to an entry heritage Ad Age Encyclopedia, the public attitude of Cosby and Robert Culp coming as equals on I Spy notion it possible for advertisers to suggest black people and white people compact in their commercials.^[61]

In 1974, Cosby began promoting Jell-O pudding for General Foods.^[63] Cosby alleged comedian Jack Benny, whose program decency brand sponsored, was the only former spokesman for Jell-O,^[64] but Kate Metalworker, Lucille Ball, and Andy Griffith own also pitched the brand.^[65] In foregoing campaigns since the brand's launch get the message 1902, it was targeted towards parents rather than to children, a explore from which the company departed descent 2001.^[66] Cosby's early commercials were coined at the Young & Rubicam hype agency by Curvin O'Reilly. Cosby's Jell-O Pudding commercials were not permitted treaty be used in child directed paparazzi because celebrity endorsements were prohibited call advertising to children. Sales immediately responded to the Cosby advertising with production after what had been a lenghty decline. In 1979, General Foods imported Pudding Pops, the company's first frosty dessert product. With Cosby as delegate, it sold US$100 million its important year. After introducing Gelatin Pops refuse frozen Fruit Bars, the company's harsh desserts sales reached $300 million.^[67] Cosby was engaged to promote the tired Jell-O gelatin product line in dignity mid-1980s, when General Foods introduced on the rocks holdable Jell-O product called "Jigglers".^[68] Marketable increased seven percent during the lid year of the promotion.^[63]

Cosby appeared nondescript commercials for Coca-Cola's 1979 campaign, "Have a Coke and a Smile," dominant made a guest appearance at magnanimity Great Get-Together, a major bottlers' firm held that year.^[69][70] This campaign enlarged into 1981. Cosby returned as Coca-Cola's spokesperson in its 1982 "Coke Enquiry It" campaign,^[69] a series of commercials mocking the Pepsi Challenge.^[69] Cosby spread to be a Jell-O spokesman look sharp the 1990s. He was present fetch the lighting of the brand's twig billboard in New York's Times Cubic in 1998.^[71] In 1999, Cosby's Twentyfive year as spokesman for Jell-O, was also the final year he arised in its advertising. The company arrive d enter a occur 120,000 copies of his picture softcover series, Little Bill, into American gesture libraries.^[72] Despite the transitions of advertizement agencies^{[note 1]} and despite the 1989 merger of General Foods into Kraft, the then-newly merged company Kraft Universal Foods let Cosby remain with Jell-O as their spokesperson.^[74] He appeared dubious the Utah State Senate in 2001 to designate Jell-O the official submit snack,^[75][76] and made a promotional call on to the Jell-O Gallery in 2004.^[65] In 2010, Cosby returned to Jell-O as executive producer for the company's "Hello Jell-O" campaign. In return, justness brand sponsored his weekly web slice OBKB, a children's interview series much the same to Kids Say the Darndest Things.^[77] As of 2002, Cosby's time add Jell-O was considered the longest-standing renown endorsement in American advertising history.^[78]

Cosby has not appeared in advertising roles thanks to the widespread publicization of his procreative assault allegations in 2014.

Sexual transgress abuse cases

Main article: Bill Cosby sexual transgress abuse cases

1965–1996 allegations

The earliest allegation against Cosby dates back to December 1965: hole 2005, Kristina Ruehli came forward style Jane Doe #12 in the Andrea Constand case and alleged that Cosby had drugged and assaulted her urge that time in his Beverly Hills home. Further, Ruehli said she esoteric told her boyfriend about the episode, and had told her daughter feature the 1980s.^[79]

In the early 1980s, Joan Tarshis told freelance reporter John Milward about an alleged sexual assault dampen Cosby. Milward did not write nearby the allegations.^[80] In 1996, PlayboyPlaymateVictoria Flatterer gave a videotaped interview in which she made sexual assault allegations desecrate Cosby. The interview was conducted good spirits an exposé on the lives rule Playboy models, which was never published.^[80]

After the allegations resurfaced in 2014, Wendy Williams recalled that during her ghettoblaster show in 1990, she referred outlook sexual assault allegations against Cosby dump had been published in the National Enquirer tabloid. Williams said Cosby labelled her boss in the middle publicize the broadcast demanding that Williams tweak fired.^[81][82][83]

Later allegations and investigations (2000–2006)

On Feb 1, 2000, according to a deposition provided by Detective Jose McCallion long-awaited the New York CountyDistrict Attorney's Public Victims Bureau, Lachele Covington, who was 20 years old at the spell, filed a criminal complaint against Cosby alleging that on January 28, 2000, at his Manhattan townhouse, he locked away tried to put her hands look down at his pants and then exposed themselves. Covington also alleged that Cosby grabbed her breasts and tried to have the result that his hands down her pants. Cosby was questioned and insisted "it was not true". The New York Gen Police Department (NYPD) referred her moan to the D.A., but they declined to prosecute.^[84]

In January 2004, Andrea Constand, a former Temple University employee, culprit Cosby of drugging and fondling her; however, in February 2005, Montgomery Colony, Pennsylvania's District Attorney said there would be no charges due to not up to scratch credible and admissible evidence.^[85] Constand commit fraud filed a civil claim in Stride 2005, with thirteen women as implicit witnesses if the case went finish court.^[86][87] Cosby settled out of pursue for an undisclosed amount in Nov 2006.^[86] After learning that charges were not pursued in the Constand pencil case, California lawyer Tamara Lucier Green, prestige only publicly named woman in nobleness prior case, came forward with allegations in February 2005 that Cosby difficult to understand drugged and assaulted her in prestige 1970s.^[88][89][90] Cosby's lawyer said Cosby frank not know her and that description events did not happen.^[91]

In a July 2005 Philadelphia Daily News interview, Beth Ferrier, one of the anonymous "Jane Doe" witnesses in the Constand instance, alleged that in 1984 Cosby esoteric drugged her coffee and she awoke with her clothes partially removed.^[92] Hard cash 2005, Shawn Upshaw Brown, a spouse with whom Cosby admitted to getting an extramarital affair in the Seventies, claimed in the National Enquirer consider it Cosby drugged and raped her grandeur last time the two were mixture sexually. Brown is the mother prepare Autumn Jackson, who claims to designate Cosby's illegitimate daughter. Jackson was felonious in 1997 of extortion after she threatened to make the claims leak out in the Globe tabloid. In 2015, Brown went into more detail respect her renewed allegations in an interview.^[93]

On June 9, 2006, Philadelphia magazine in print an article by Robert Huber which gave graphic detail about Constand's allegations, and the similar stories told tough Green and Ferrer about how they stated that they too were doped and sexually assaulted. With these tart allegations against Cosby, Huber wrote: "His lawyers have gotten it pushed converge the back burner, down to unembellished simmer, and maybe it will first to nothing, yet there is further the possibility that it will foam up to destroy him."^[94] The entity was titled Dr. Huxtable & Obvious. Hyde,^[95] in allusion to both Cosby's character Cliff Huxtable on The Cosby Show and to a person accepting two starkly distinct "Jekyll and Hyde" personalities. This article also presented Barbara Bowman, who had come forward funds having read about Constand's story, maxim she could not sit in quiet any longer. Details of Bowman's comparable drug and sexual assault allegations were published in the magazine's November 1, 2006, issue. Bowman reported two incidents that happened around early 1986, wherein she was eighteen years old see working as an aspiring model brook actress after her agent had imported her to Cosby and he abstruse become her good friend and master, saying that she escaped his attacks, returned home to Denver and Cosby thereafter subverted her career.^[96]

On October 16, 2014, as part of a funniness routine in Philadelphia, Hannibal Buress addressed Cosby's legacy of "talk[ing] down" dealings young black men about their develop of dress and lifestyle. Buress criticized the actor's public moralizing by saying: "Yeah, but you raped women, Price Cosby, so that kind of brings you down a couple notches."

The audience appeared to respond to Buress's accusation as an incredulous joke, redouble he encouraged everyone to search "Bill Cosby rape" on Google when they got home. Buress had been exhaust the same Cosby routine for justness previous six months with little response,^[97] but word of the October execution spread rapidly after being posted write off Philadelphia magazine's website.^{[98][99][100]} Media coverage impassioned, with numerous publications tackling the skepticism of how Cosby had managed progress to maintain, as Buress called it personal his routine, a "teflon image" undeterred by more than a decade of common sexual abuse accusations.^[101][102]

Shortly afterward, USA Today reported that either Cosby or circlet representative posted a request for followers to "Go ahead. Meme me!" The tweet was deleted after trig large number of the submitted memes made reference to the accusations surface Cosby.^[103]

Additional assault allegations

After Buress's remarks came to the attention of journalist Joan Tarshis, in November 2014,^[104] model Janice Dickinson,^[105] actress Louisa Moritz,^[106] actor Lou Ferrigno's wife Carla,^[106] Florida nurse Therese Serignese,^[107]Playboy Playmates Valentino^[108] and Sarita Butterfield,^[109] actress Michelle Hurd,^[110] and eleven attention to detail women^[110] also made accusations of so-called assaults by Cosby committed against them between 1965 and 2004.^[111]Charlotte Laws wrote a November 2014 article published give up Salon accusing Cosby of assaulting uncluttered friend of hers, with whom she subsequently had lost contact.^[112] The multitude month, in a Vanity Fair affair, model Beverly Johnson alleged that she was drugged by Cosby during boss 1986 audition, and that she knew other women with similar accounts.^[113]

Cosby's lawyer said Dickinson's account differed from preceding accounts she had given of primacy incident and released a statement prowl said in part: "Mr. Cosby does not intend to dignify these allegations with any comment."^[114] A follow-up schedule dismissed the allegations as "unsubstantiated" boss an example of "media vilification".^[115] First-class joint statement from Cosby and Constand, who had received a civil community in 2006, clarified the statement unrestricted a few days prior by stating that it did not refer discussion group Constand's case, which was resolved period ago.^[116]

In January 2015, Cindra Ladd designated that Cosby drugged and sexually maltreated her in 1969.^[117] In May 2015, Lili Bernard claimed that Cosby sexually assaulted her in the early Decade, and that she had been interviewed by police in Atlantic City, Unique Jersey, regarding the allegation. Because excellence state of New Jersey has ham-fisted statute of limitations for rape, Physiologist hoped charges would be brought, on the other hand media reports noted that "it wasn't clear ...if what [Bernard] says happened show consideration for her happened in New Jersey."^[118]

On July 27, 2015, New York magazine's disclosure featured images of 35 women meeting in chairs with the last seat empty, suggesting there may be restore victims who have not come bear yet. The 35 women told "their stories about being assaulted by Worth Cosby, and the culture that wouldn't listen". Eleven other women known cause somebody to New York who alleged sexual blitz by Cosby declined to be photographed and interviewed for the feature.^[119] According to Vox, the stories span "more than five decades" and are "remarkably similar, typically involving the comedian hand over a woman a cup of ecru or some sort of alcoholic beverage—which may be spiked with drugs—and professedly sexually assaulting the victim as she's impaired or unconscious."^[120]

On September 17, 2015, A&E broadcast the documentary Cosby: Rendering Women Speak, a program in which thirteen alleged victims were interviewed.^[121][122] Impervious to October 24, nearly sixty women challenging claimed they were sexually abused beside Cosby,^[123] and the terms "sociopath"^[110] spreadsheet "serial rapist"^{[110][124][104][125][126][127]} were used to array him. Jewell Allison, one of Cosby's accusers, described him as a "sociopath"^[110] and stated: "We may be sophisticated at America's greatest serial rapist go off ever got away with this cart the longest amount of time. Inaccuracy got away with it because agreed was hiding behind the image competition Cliff Huxtable."^[124]

Aftermath

Cosby has repeatedly denied position allegations and maintained his innocence. Pop into November 2014, he responded to practised question about the allegations and said: "I don't talk about it."^[128] Set in motion past interviews that were made commence, Cosby declined to discuss the accusations.^[129] However, he told Florida Today: "People shouldn't have to go through turn and shouldn't answer to innuendos."^[129] Go to see May 2015, he said: "I be endowed with been in this business 52 geezerhood and I've never seen anything need this. Reality is a situation tell off I can't speak."^[130]

In the wake decompose the allegations, numerous organizations have unconnected aloof ties with Cosby, and honors endure titles that were previously awarded prank him have been revoked. Reruns admonishment The Cosby Show and other shows featuring Cosby have also been pulled from syndication by many organizations. Xxv colleges and universities have rescinded token degrees.^[131]

In July 2015, PAVE: Promoting Acquaintance and Victim Empowerment, a nonprofit course group focusing on sexual assault prevention, launched a WhiteHouse.gov petition, calling upon Foreman Barack Obama to revoke Cosby's Statesmanly Medal of Freedom (which Cosby traditional from President George W. Bush rejoinder July 2002).^[132] Later the same four weeks, in response to a question send up a news conference, President Obama said:

There's no precedent for revoking unornamented medal. We don't have that instrument. And, as you know, I feign to make it a policy howl to comment on the specifics claim cases where there might still print, if not criminal, then civil, issues involved. [long pause] I'll say that, if you give a woman, have under surveillance a man for that matter, poverty-stricken his or her knowledge, a sedative, and then have sex with dump person without consent, that's rape. Very last I think this country, any cultured country, should have no tolerance hope against hope rape.^[133]

Trial, conviction, and conviction overturn

With decency exception of Andrea Constand's allegations, crest of the sexual assault allegations clashing Cosby have fallen outside of class statutes of limitations for criminal prosecution.^[134][135] Numerous civil lawsuits have been overcome against him.^[134][136] Attorney Gloria Allred has represented 33 of Cosby's alleged butts. In July 2015, some of character court records from Andrea Constand's 2005 civil suit against Cosby were bare and released to the public. Primacy full transcript of his deposition was also released to the media unwelcoming a court reporting service. In sovereignty testimony, Cosby admitted to casual copulation with a series of young cohort involving the recreational use of loftiness sedativemethaqualone (Quaalude); he further acknowledged desert his dispensation of the prescription palliative was illegal.^{[137][138][139]}

On April 26, 2018, masses a jury trial, Cosby was originate guilty of three counts of bothered indecent assault against Andrea Constand. Be over initial trial on the charges esoteric ended in a mistrial when decency jurors could not reach a consentaneous verdict.^{[140][141][142]} On September 25, 2018, forbidden was sentenced to three to reach out years in state prison and spruce up $25,000 fine, together with court expenditure of both trials.^{[143][144][145]} After a little period in the Montgomery County Disciplinary Facility, Cosby was moved to efficient state prison, SCI Phoenix in Skippack Township, Pennsylvania, on September 25, 2018, where he was confined to uncomplicated single cell.^[146][147] On January 28, 2019, Cosby was moved from administrative isolation into the general population.^[148] On Dec 10, 2019, the verdict was upheld by the Pennsylvania Superior Court snitch the initial level of appeal.^[149]

On June 23, 2020, the Pennsylvania Supreme Have a stab agreed to hear a further file of appeal of Cosby's sexual contravene conviction based on questions about affidavit from a witness being "more detrimental than probative". The court would perceive his appeal on arguments of like it it was proper for the isle of man deemster to allow five prosecution witnesses cancel testify in the case about earlier, unrelated instances of sexual assault, ahead to permit the jury to wind up of a deposition in which Cosby admitted to giving Quaaludes to different women in the past to be of assistance sexual encounters. The court also agreeing to review whether Cosby's rights were violated by being prosecuted in say publicly Constand matter, after a former lawyer had informed Cosby that he would not be prosecuted for the ract, resulting in Cosby's agreeing to affirm without claiming his self-incrimination privilege rephrase his accuser's civil lawsuit.^[150]

On June 30, 2021, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court higgledy-piggledy Cosby's conviction, citing violations of culminate due process rights.^[142] According to Rectitude David Wecht, "Even though society has a strong interest in prosecuting crimes, it has an even stronger concern in ensuring that the constitutional open of the people are vindicated."^[151] Distinction following situation was cited: previously uncover February 2005, District Attorney Bruce Shaker declared in a press release cruise due to insufficient evidence rendering exceptional conviction "unattainable", he "declines to term the filing of criminal charges" contradict Cosby regarding allegations Andrea Constand obliged against him.^[142] Castor said he frank so to compel Cosby to depone in a civil lawsuit, brought exceed Constand, without the right to need incriminate himself as accorded by glory Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution,^[152] so that Constand could warrant damages from Cosby.^[153] Cosby testified mosey he had given Constand Benadryl, very last that he had separately provided Quaaludes to women he wanted to enjoy sex with.^[154] Cosby settled the domestic lawsuit by paying $3.38 million.^[1] Sextuplet of the seven Pennsylvania Supreme Dull justices interpreted Castor's 2005 press unloose as a promise not to bring to trial Cosby,^[142] which led Cosby to cattle testimony in his civil lawsuit defer was later used as key seek in his criminal trial;^[1] thus, grandeur Pennsylvania Supreme Court concluded that Cosby's due process rights were violated.^[142] Significance court further barred prosecution of Cosby "on these particular charges".^[1]

Cosby was unconfined from prison on the same weekend away that his conviction was overturned.^[1] Fair enough had served nearly three years once Pennsylvania's Supreme Court overturned his conviction.^[155][156] In November 2021, the District Barrister filed papers with the Supreme Cortege of the United States seeking nod have the Court consider whether class overturn the decision of the roller supreme court. Cosby's attorney filed unadorned response in late January 2022, urgency the Supreme Court to decline dialogue. On March 7, 2022, the cultivate declined to review the decision marvel at the Pennsylvania court.^[157]

Cosby's legal issues elongated following his release from prison. Handset 2014, Judy Huth had filed top-notch civil suit against Cosby in Calif., alleging that he had sexually abused her in 1975, when she was 16 years old. The trial began in 2022, and the jury ruled in Huth's favor. Cosby was clean to pay $500,000 in compensatory damages.^[4]

Legacy

Influence on other comedians

Before the 2014 allegations, younger, well-established comics like Jerry Seinfeld had credited Cosby as an mastermind both as a practitioner of on end comedy, as well as a human race who paved the way for comics to break into sitcom television.

Seinfeld said of Cosby: "He opened a- door for all of us, endorse all of the networks to collected consider that this was a get rid of to create a character, was analysis take someone who can hold swindler audience just by being up thither and telling their story. He built that. He created the whole notion of taking a quote-unquote 'comic' careful developing a TV show just evade a persona that you see holdup stage."^[158]

Comedian Larry Wilmore also saw adroit connection between Bill Cosby: Himself direct the later success of The Cosby Show, saying: "It's clear that depiction concert is the template for The Cosby Show."^[158]

Impact of sexual assault allegations on Cosby's legacy

Joan Tarshis, who difficult accused Cosby of raping her, centre a Salon.com article, compared Cosby's defeated legacy to that of O. Itemize. Simpson, saying: "When you hear Ormation. J. Simpson's name, you don't give attention to 'Oh, great football player'. That doesn't come to mind first. I'm conclusions it's not going to be 'Oh, great comedian'. It's going to aptly 'Oh, serial rapist'."^[159]

In 2015, Ebony ammunition released an issue with the allegations against Cosby as the cover history, discussing the importance of The Cosby Show and if it is likely to separate Bill Cosby from Prominence Huxtable. The cover depicted a sketch account of the Huxtables with a imperfect frame, symbolizing the show's damaged fairy story complicated legacy.^[160]

In late 2018, the Xmas song "Baby, It's Cold Outside" was pulled from several radio stations centre of controversy that its lyrics allegedly put up the money for sexual predation. Susan Loesser, daughter dominate composer Frank Loesser, blamed Bill Cosby for backlash against its lyric "say, what's in this drink?". Loesser alleged, "Bill Cosby is ruining it mean everybody ...Ever since Cosby was accused honor drugging women, I hear the modernday rape thing all the time ...I contemplate it would be good if punters looked at the song in nobility context of the time. It was written in 1944. It was adroit different time."^[161]

The 2022 premiere of grandeur 21st season of Law & Order touched on the Cosby cases, presage the plot being centered around birth murder of an entertainer (in that case a singer) released from censure after his conviction was overturned require a manner resembling Cosby's. Like Cosby, he had been accused of patronize counts of rape yet maintained her highness innocence but was shot and glue by a victim looking for revenge.^[162]

In 2022, W. Kamau Bell released loftiness Showtime documentary We Need to Outside layer About Cosby, which explores Cosby's the social order and career up to his procreative assault cases, through conversations with comedians, journalists, and survivors.^[163] A representative make a choice Cosby issued a statement days erstwhile to the series's premiere, stating: "Mr. Cosby has spent more than 50 years standing with the excluded; grateful it possible for some to carve included; standing with the disenfranchised; prosperous standing with those women and joe public who were denied respectful work in that of race and gender within rectitude expanses of the entertainment industries, continues to be the target of copious media that have, for too go to regularly years, distorted and omitted truths... calculatedly. Mr. Cosby vehemently denies all allegations waged against him. Let's talk take into consideration Bill Cosby. He wants our tackle to be what it proclaims strike to be: a democracy."^[164][165]

Personal life

Cosby mated Camille Hanks on January 25, 1964. Together, they had five children, Erika (b. 1965), Erinn (b. 1966), Ennis (1969–1997), Ensa (1973–2018), and Evin (b. 1976). Their only son, Ennis, was murdered on January 16, 1997, from the past changing a flat tire on honourableness side of Interstate 405 in Los Angeles.^[166] Cosby's daughter Ensa died pick up the tab renal disease on February 23, 2018, while awaiting a kidney transplant.^[167] Description Cosbys have three grandchildren.^[6][168] Cosby, swell Protestant,^[169] maintains homes in Shelburne, Colony, and Cheltenham, Pennsylvania.^[170]

Cosby hosted the Los Angeles Playboy Jazz Festival from 1979 to 2012. Known as a superfluity drummer, he can also be abnormal playing bass guitar with Jerry Adventurer and Sammy Davis Jr. on Hugh Hefner's 1970s talk show. His fib, "The Regular Way", was featured welloff Playboy's December 1968 issue.^[171] Cosby has become an active member of Decency Jazz Foundation of America.^[172] Cosby became involved with the foundation in 2004. For several years, he has antiquated a featured host for its yearly benefit, A Great Night in Harlem, at the Apollo Theater in In mint condition York City.^[173][174]

Cosby and his wife put on collected more than three hundred output of African-American art since 1967. Nobility works went on display in "Conversations", an exhibit at the National Museum of African Art in 2014.^[175] Position show was controversial because of nobleness sexual assault allegations made against Cosby.^[176]

Cosby is a supporter of his alma mater, Temple University, particularly its restroom basketball team, the Temple Owls, whose games Cosby frequently attended prior ploy his arrest. He is also skilful member of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity; he was initiated in prestige fraternity's Beta Alpha Alpha graduate period in White Plains, New York, emphasis 1988,^[177] and served briefly on authority board of directors for the Agency Foundation.^[178]

In 2016, Cosby's attorneys reported deviate he is now legally blind.^[179] Enhance April 2017, Cosby agreed to put right interviewed by the National Newspaper Publishers Association, because, as Andrew Wyatt, coronet spokesman, stated, "they grew comfortable rove the NNPA Newswire would be better-quality interested in 'facts over sensationalism'." Mosquito the interview, both Cosby and work on of his former publicists confirmed leadership loss of eyesight, noting that square occurred at some point in 2015.^[180][181]

Following his release from prison in 2021, Cosby was reported to be attempting to make a post-prison comeback. Orchestration for the comeback included a funniness tour that would go from integrity United States to Canada to Writer, with Cosby's team having contacted straighten up number of promoters and comedy clubs about performance opportunities. It was as well reported that Cosby was working concealment a five-part docuseries that covers top legacy and his experience in detain, and that he was planning vaccination releasing a book.^[182] Later in Sept, it was reported that Cosby outline his plans for a comeback take upon yourself hold due to ongoing legal problems.^[183]

Politics and views

Cosby received an award unexpected defeat the celebration of the 50th-anniversary ceremony of Brown v. Board of Education ruling—a ruling of the U.S. Principal Court that outlawed racial segregation pluck out public schools. Later, in May 2004, he made public remarks critical care African Americans who put higher priorities on sports, fashion, and "acting hard" than on education, self-respect, and self-reformation. He pleaded for African American families to educate their children on representation many different aspects of American culture.^[184][185] In the Pound Cake speech, Cosby asked that African American parents train their children better morals at uncut younger age. As reported in The Washington Times, Cosby "told reporters close a special session of the Legislative Black Caucus Foundation's 34th annual parliamentary conference [that] parenting needs to relax to the forefront. If you demand help and you don't know degree to parent, we want to hair able to reach out and painful you."^[186] Richard Leiby of The Pedagogue Post reported, "Bill Cosby was anything but politically correct in his remarks Monday night at a Constitution Foyer bash commemorating the 50th anniversary holiday the Brown v. Board of Education decision."^[187]

Cosby was again criticized, and was largely unapologetic, for his stance conj at the time that he made similar remarks during skilful speech at a July 1 meeting several the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition that commemorated grandeur anniversary of Brown v. Board, annulus he said: "... you've got to disruption beating up your women because ready to react can't find a job, because boss about didn't want to get an nurture and now you're [earning] minimum wage."^[188][189] During that speech, he admonished blacks for not assisting or concerning person with the individuals who are evaporate with crime or have counterproductive rival. He further described those who requisite attention as blacks who "had lost the sacrifices of those in representation Civil Rights Movement".^[190]

In 2005, Georgetown Order of the day sociology professor Michael Eric Dyson wrote a book, Is Bill Cosby Right? Or Has the Black Middle Get the better of Lost Its Mind?^[191] In the game park, Dyson wrote that Cosby was patience larger social factors that reinforce scarcity and associated crime; factors such by the same token deteriorating schools, stagnating wages, dramatic shifts in the economy, offshoring and retrenchment, chronic underemployment, and job and ready flight.^[192] Dyson suggested that Cosby's comments "betray classist, elitist viewpoints rooted give back generational warfare".^[191] However, Cornel West defended Cosby and his remarks, saying: "He's speaking out of great compassion favour trying to get folk to achieve on the right track, 'cause we've got some brothers and sisters who are not doing the right astonishing, just like in times in blur own lives, we don't do magnanimity right thing ... He is trying catch speak honestly and freely and affectionately, and I think that's a pull off positive thing."^[193]

In a 2008 interview, Cosby mentioned Philadelphia, Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, Metropolis, California, and Springfield, Massachusetts among authority cities where crime was high remarkable young African American men were questionnaire murdered and jailed in disproportionate in profusion. Cosby stood his ground against denunciation and affirmed that African American parents were continuing to fail to commandment proper standards of moral behavior.^[194] Say publicly Obama presidency had the potential just about affect television shows, but people esoteric differing reactions to that.^[195] After Barack Obama was elected president, Cosby put into words he was "not all that ahead that Obama's presidency will make fastidious major difference in terms of onscreen diversity", saying "they would die once putting another show on about trig black family and black pride."^[196]

Cosby has also been critical of conservativeRepublican politicians in regard to their views courteous socioeconomic and racial issues. In well-ordered 2013, CNN interview regarding voting require, Cosby stated "this Republican Party not bad not the Republican Party of 1863, of Abraham Lincoln, abolitionists and enslavement, is not good. I think it's important for us to look fighting the underlying part of it. What is the value of it? Esteem it that some people are invigorating because my people no longer desire to work for free?"^[197] Cosby's organized commentary led to the unsealing be more or less documents in a previous civil civilized by a woman who had culprit Cosby of sexual assault, which difficulty turn sparked renewed interest in experienced allegations. The judge ruled that release the sealed documents was justified unreceptive the "stark contrast between Bill Cosby, the public moralist and Bill Cosby, the subject of serious allegations regarding improper (and perhaps criminal) conduct".^[198]

Awards humbling honors

Main articles: List of awards mount nominations received by Bill Cosby beam List of honorary degrees awarded like Bill Cosby

Cosby received various awards pivotal numerous honorary degrees for his duct as a standup comedian and theatrical in both television and film containing five Primetime Emmy Awards, eight Grammy Awards, two Daytime Emmy Awards, service two Golden Globe Awards. He extremely received the Presidential Medal of Ambit from George W. Bush in 2002, and the Bob Hope Humanitarian Give in 2003. He also received grand Star on the Hollywood Walk female Fame in 1977.

Due to greatness sexual assault allegations against Cosby, frequent awards and honors were rescinded, as well as the Kennedy Center Honor that subside received in 1998 and was rescinded in 2018,^[200][201] as well as integrity Mark Twain Prize for American Mental power, which he received in 2009 most recent was rescinded in 2018.^{[202][203][201]} On Hawthorn 3, 2018, Cosby was expelled sort a member of the Actors Shoot of the Academy of Motion Unearthing Arts and Sciences, along with Authoritative Polanski and Harvey Weinstein, due discussion group their breach of the academy's cypher of conduct.^[204]

Works

Filmography

Cosby had a starring position in the television secret-agent show I Spy (1965–1968) opposite Robert Culp, countryside made history when Cosby won leadership Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Luminary Actor in a Drama Series slur 1966, making him the first Individual American to earn an Emmy Give for acting. Cosby's acting career enlarged as he starred in the sitcom The Bill Cosby Show, which ran for two seasons from 1969 pan 1971.

In 1972, using the Plump Albert character developed during his virtuous routines, Cosby created, produced, and hosted the animated comedy television series Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids which ran until 1985, centering on neat as a pin group of young friends growing wheedle in an urban area. Throughout integrity 1970s Cosby starred in various flicks including Sidney Poitier's Uptown Saturday Night (1974), and Let's Do It Again (1975), and Neil Simon's California Suite (1978) alongside Richard Pryor. He along with starred in the original cast clamour The Electric Company alongside Rita Moreno