It’s a sad day in America when the comedic father of the century makes jokes about his own rape allegations at a comedy show.
On Jan. 9, Bill Cosby made a quick joke about the rape accusations during a stand-up performance at the Budweiser Gardens in London, Canada. A woman rose from her seat to fetch a drink, only to be asked by Cosby about where she was going. According to National Post reporter Richard Warnica, the woman in the audience told Cosby she was getting a drink and asked if he wanted one. Cosby said he had a bottle of water onstage and then said, ”You have to be careful about drinking around me.”
Anyone following the recent coverage of Cosby knows he’s referring to the method of rape he has been accused of: drugging women’s beverages and preying on them.
Sunday night during the 72nd Annual Golden Globes, comedian hosts Tina Fey and Amy Poehler made some quip remarks about the allegations against Cosby. During a description of “Into the Woods,” Poehler went on to tie Cosby into the ramble of jokes and said, “Sleeping Beauty just thought she was getting coffee with Bill Cosby.”
The two Hollywood besties then went on to do impersonations of “The Cosby Show” creator with lines like “I put the pills in the people,” and “I got the pills in the bathrobe and I put ‘em in the people.” The reaction from the crowd was mixed — some less than pleased, others humored. Most were simply shocked.
The difference between jokes shared by Fey and Poehler and those by the comedian in question are the motives behind them and the message it sends. People continuously shout that rape jokes aren’t funny, and that hasn’t changed.
But Fey and Poehler called out America’s Dad on national television, and they did so in their own way. Both actresses have been rather outspoken about women’s rights during their careers and the undertone of their witty remarks were clear: we stand against what you’ve done, and we believe these women.
It appears that Cosby has yet to take this issue seriously.
The Editorial Board believes that more than a dozen women with stories of sexual assault cannot be swept under the rug.
Though representatives of Cosby have denied the allegations and pointed out that most are decades old, the only direct answer the public has received from Cosby is this joke in ?London, Canada.
The comedian has refused to answer any questions from reporters about the allegations and was discovered trying to bully an Associated Press reporter from airing questions asked about the ?accusations.
It appears the reason most people have difficulty swallowing the Cosby allegations is because they cannot accept that a beloved man who’s warmed our hearts for years could do something so heinous. It’s up to the public to realize that most rapists aren’t lurking from bushes in the dark. They are friends, family, people you know and people you watch on television.
The Editorial Board has decided that it’s time to say “Goodbye, friend” and demand answers from Cosby. More than a dozen accounts from women shouldn’t be outweighed by one man because he made us chuckle.
As Fey and Poehler said about their own Cosby jokes: “That seems fair.”
