With the controversy surrounding Bill Cosby showing no signs of subsiding as more women come forward with rape allegations, Netflix has scrapped plans to premiere the Cosby comedy special it had scheduled for the day after Thanksgiving. “At this time we are postponing the launch of the new stand-up comedy special Bill Cosby 77,” Netflix said in a statement Tuesday night.
The streaming service had said on Saturday that it was planning to release the special as scheduled despite the controversy, which then was in its early stages. The scandal since has grown, with more testimonies by alleged victims and calls for Netflix and NBC, which has a comedy series with Cosby in the works, to distance themselves from the comedian. Netflix’s announcement comes on the day two more women, including former model Janice Dickinson, publicly accused the comedian of sexually assaulting them, bringing the number of women who have made their allegations public to half-dozen.
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With the story very much in the headlines, and because of the nature of the accusations, the timing of the Netflix special, which celebrates Cosby’s 77th birthday, was perceived as incentive.
Netflix’s move puts more pressure on NBC, which continues to keep its family sitcom starring Cosby in development. It has been announced as being on track for a series launch in summer or fall 2015.
On the show, executive produced by The Cosby Show‘s Tom Werner, Cosby is to star as Jonathan Franklin, a patriarch of a multigenerational family who shares his many years of wit, wisdom and experience to help his daughters, sons-in-law and grandchildren navigate their complicated modern lives. In light of the slew of disturbing accusations, it would be hard for viewers to accept Cosby as a lovable family man and for NBC to sell the project to advertisers.
The network has a lot of money at stake. According to the deal, Cosby is owed a big penalty if the comedy doesn’t go to pilot. Because these are old allegations with little or no legal repercussions, the network might have to write Cosby a fat check if it kills the project. But the damage to NBC’s image — especially with parent Comcast priding itself as a family business holding strong moral values — could be pricier if it opts to continue.





One down, one to go. The plan to demean this man is working. Funny how these accusations go back to 1969, yet we’re only hearing about them on the eve of Cosby’s new deals with NBC and Netflix. 13 women dating back to the late 60s yet no charges filed. How strange. #teamcosby
These allegations have been around for over a decade. They are hardly something just drummed up now to discredit the man on his return to the spotlight. That hashtag should read #teamrapist.
Fifteen women have now come forward with similar accounts of what happened to them when they were with Cosby. Who knows how many more are out there who always believed they were the only one that had the unfortunate experience of being assaulted by a famous performer. The prosecutor who interviewed Cosby in the case that was ultimately settled said that he believed the woman’s allegations and all the other women who came forward to testify for her about what happened to them. He said he didn’t believe Cosby who he had probable cause to bring in for questioning. There are other women out there because serial rapists don’t stop their behavior.
I love how no to people seem to be able to agree on exactly how many women have come forward yet they’re all certain that their number is correct – 13, 14, 15, 9, 3… stop getting your news from the comments above your own.
These accusations have been around for years. #teampleasedontrapeme
Ok if these accusations been around a long time now, how is it he hasn’t been arrested ? Janice Dickerdon is a nuthouse. You telling me that you been raped by this man since in the. 60’s and you have been a tv personality all thes years and never hinted anything to anyone? Why now all of a sudden? Money
Have you considered the possibility that perhaps she HAS talked about it but you’re only aware of this now because of media attention related to the sitcom deal? Or that perhaps she’s a “nuthouse” because she’s still struggling with memories of the abuse?
Please, do tell me about this money she’ll be getting. For what? How much? You honestly think ALL these women are signing up for the public flaying that you and other like-minded individuals are putting them through for a couple measly interview fees?
It would take a lot more than that to get me to go public about a very traumatic personal experience. Maybe, oh, say, a desire to inflict some semblance of pain on an assailant that they inflicted on me.
You idiot.
Yes. It’s all a BIG conspiracy to target Bill Cosby…who hasn’t been relevant in almost two decades. Finally knocked him down a peg. (In case you’re not entirely sure, that’s sarcasm.)
Sorry, but that isn’t true. These allegations have been around for many years. For some reason people are just starting to listen. (Maybe because people weren’t willing to listen in the past or the fact that they have never died down people are starting to realize there is something to the allegations,) The Janice Dickinson one was in her book years ago. Most of the women “settled” (were paid off), to save his image, so the allegations died down. But more and more women are coming forward, which is stirring the old allegations uo. If money was a factor or the desire to shame him now that his show and special are coming out wouldn’t this problem have come forward in the 80s when he had the #1 show, or the 90s, when he had a top 20 CBS show, rather than now, when his show isn’t coming out for another year and no one knows if it will even be a top 50 show?? Sorry, but it just isn’t logical. When someone is the recipient of many such accusations from all kinds of women over many years and different backgrounds and occupations you can pretty much put stock in the allegations being true, to some against or other.
You’ve nailed it on the head with “For some reason people are just starting to listen.”
There’s no respectable reason why “people are just starting to listen.” The story is suddenly getting traction because there’s nothing more salacious to report. It became a bigger story for no reason other than it makes good click bait.
Suddenly it’s true, because it’s being talked about a great deal.
If these women, all of whom seem to be WHITE, by the way, were so strong in their their convictions then they wouldn’t have taken $$$. They would have insisted on a trial and had their date in court with Cosby.
Janice Dickhead is a washedup old hag that no one had ever heard of until she was on K! The Kardashian Channel. These women are simply pathetic golddiggers looking for attention.
And, sadly, the vast majority of the American public who don’t have lives and spend all their time on social media are stupid enough to buy their stories.
Additionally, none of these women has any “evidence” to prove their allegations. So for all you of sympathizers, I have a bridge I’d like to sell you.
Yeah except this isn’t the first time they were brought up. Burress was just the crack that broke the dam.
Fuck Hannibal Burress. Dr. Huxtable tells these young thugs and baby mamas to shape up, now he’s an accused rapist and the ghetto cheers. I don’t care how long rumors have been floating around, no charges ever filed, that’s what I see. Even Michael Jackson and R. Kelly were actually charged with CRIMES. If you believe this shit, you must have a vested interest in doing so. #teamcosby
Read my lips. Cosby. Is. Not. Conservative. He’s a huge Democrat and Obama supporter. He gives piles of money to the Dems, and was vocal in his Obama support. Just because he told blacks to pull their pants up, conservatives decided he was one of them. sorry, but NO. And even if he was Rush freakin’ Limbaugh, what would it matter? A serial rapist is a serial rapist. He’s a fraud. The rape allegations have been around for decades. He got away with it because of his power, wealth and fame. The person above who said Cosby hasn’t been relevant in years has it exactly right. He hasn’t been relevant in 30 years. The rape charges are the ONLY relevant thing about him now. Over a dozen women, who never met each other, come forward, and it’s some kind of liberal Obama plot? Pull your head out of your posterior. Cosby’s a scumbag. Always was.
The NBC deal was made back in January. By the way, it’s 15 women now. Maybe we’ll get to two dozen by Thanksgiving. Now go cry into your old ugly Cosby sweater. #sadpervyoldman
I love people that don’t have the necessary intestinal fortitude to put their names on their comments – makes them seem so self-righteous.
I can’t seem to understand why not one of these women ever contacted the authorities. Something is missing there are holes in these stories. If there is some type of violation or bodily harm on an average you go to the police. Nobody never went to the police how is that possible none of these rapes were never reported.
According to RAINN, a very credible organization, only 60% of sexual attacks are ever reported to the police.
So with 15 alleged victims, that means 8 – 10 of these victims should have reported these alleged crimes. What ever happened to innocent until proven guilty? Or did the Internet revoke that part of the Constitution?
Well, if we’re going to pull out statistics (which hardly seems relevant here, but I’ll play along), even the most liberal estimates of the of percentage of rape allegations that are false falls around 8%. Is your claim that 100% of these are false? If some are and some aren’t, how many of them have to be true before you think it makes sense to not make a family comedy starring the rapist?
Also, sorry to repeat what has already been said, but ‘innocent until proven guilty’ has ZERO bearing in the private sector. It would be insane to air this special or make the NBC show after a PR nightmare like this. THINK OF THE POOR INNOCENT BRANDS!
We don’t live in the perfect world where you are innocent until you are prove guilty. In the real world everyone believe that worst about you until you are prove innocent. No corporation don’t wanted to deal with Bill Cosby right now. I just read that Bill Cosby’s lawyer is now hit NBC/Netflix with a lawsuit between 25 million(NBC) and 5 million(Netflix). Good luck because lawsuit will take forever. NBC/Netflix will try to settle out of court.
Actually, it’s impossible to know how many rapes go unreported, so the real figure is probably a lot higher.
Strangest post ever. Next you’re going to say CeeLo green was right when he tried to explain that an unconscious woman is giving her consent to a man by being unconscious.
You obviously don’t work in the Industry within any proximity of the man. You know nothing. And you make me : (
And you make me :( If you feel this way, and still took a paycheck despite how you felt, then you’re disgusting too. No amount of money will ever make me work anywhere near someone I feel that way about. Hollywood, land of enablers. Even those that think they’re not.. If I misunderstood you, well, you’re implying SOMEONE you know has worked within any proximity of the man. Therefore, whoever that was, don’t feel all righteous now…you took the money.
NBC should give the time slot to Hannibal Burress. He could interview one Cosby victim every week. It’d run for years!
Burress makes me sick.
The man brings a history of sexual assault to light, and that makes you sick? Get a life.
And there you have the reason why all of this cow dung is in the public eye again. Somebody wants attention.
Yes, it would be seen as incentive. I see what you did there.
He is so disgusting
“I see what you did there,” is the new “nuff said.” Meaning, past its prime, and annoying as @#*$.
Cosby makes me sick. NBC, catch up.
If he did this stuff he’s a bad and troubled guy. But Janice Dickinson…great John Travolta friend, right? And why would these women let him put pills into drinks? Did they think it was Funny Face? And in one case, with one woman, it was three pills. And there’s no specific description of the cookie from any of them. Surely the female cookie in such situations would be described in harrowing terms. How sexually responsive in the cookie area can you possibly be if you’ve been drugged? Anybody know? And what were the drugs? Didn’t they ask? What did he say?
I don’t know. Looking more and more like Bert Fields “holy war” warpath stuff to me centering on the U.S.O. and NBC Universal.
What aren’t the authorities interviewing Caryn Mandabach one of the producers of The Cosby Show who was on set every day for the run of that series… she knows the dirt and am sure she covered a ton of stuff up since she was
Carsey/Warners henchwoman and did all their dirty work for them. Subpoena
her!!
I think that NBC should roll with it. See what happens. They’re screwed either way.
Although I am not one to sympathize with those who are proven guilty, it is nonetheless important to remember that Cosby has not been proven guilty; he has merely been accused of this publicly. Accused. Publicly. Twice.
Look, sexual deviance plagues Hollywood today, as it has for years. Casting couches aren’t folklore.
For godssake, is our media so bored that they must resurrect old issues for current debate? These allegations have been public knowledge for a decade. Audiences love “sensationalized news” like this, I get it. Even though stringing up celebrities to be crucified publicly is not a new pastime for the American public, I can’t help but to notice the hypocrisy in it.
Michael Jackson was widely considered to be a pedophile. Over the course of his adult life, he faced numerous public and criminal allegations of sexually assaulting children. He even faced a criminal trial before being found not guilty in 2005.
Like much of his life, Michael Jackson’s death created a media frenzy. His memorial was a star-studded event that was broadcast from the Staples Center to an estimated audience of 2.5 billion people worldwide. The production rivaled the Grammy Awards and mirrored the royal funeral of Princess Diana.
Mike Tyson. R Kelly. Roman Polanski. Woody Allen. None of these men have lost their celebrity nor their wealth for similar crimes and/or allegations.
If Michael Jackson overcame child molestation allegations to be given a send-off only reserved for royalty, then maybe NBC should seriously considering giving Cosby a similar chance. Experiment.
Maybe it’s America’s problem–and not just NBC’s. Let the people decide. It’s what they’ve been doing for years, or at least what they should’ve been doing for years.
Thank you Netflix. Cosby go to hell
Joining Netflix tomorrow just to support this decision. #cosbyisarapist
This man is a comedy legend and has done nothing but good for his community years, these people are just looking for money and fame just like the Monica Lewinsky scandal, she didnt have to do it, but guess what, she did. I agree with fluffo, the only thing this man has assaulted is a cup of JELLO…….
Ugh, you are exactly what’s wrong with closby and his fans; pretentiousness and high-pants-wearing “good” removes you from evil and it’s consequences.. you are the face of delusion AND denial. I suppose bing crosby and michael jackson were also great people because of the public image they pushed; you are an idiot. And you’re very easy to lie to- Because you’re an idiot.
And you’re “very easy” to believe your own thoughts to be absolute fact. Talking like that, calling other people idiots. Great world we live in!
Nope, that’s not the case. The victims are wisely choosing their moment to finally come forward at a time that damages Cosby…just like he apparently carefully chose his moments to take advantage of them and ruin their lives.
You speak for these women and their motives, do you?
You are painfully uninformed. Lewinsky never sought the spotlight. And when this many people have a similar story, AND when the man himself has settled out of court with at least one of them, it’s really hard to say that this is all nonsense.
Lewinsky never sight the spotlight, except for that trashy FOX dating reality show she hosted?
I’m sorry, but there is simply not a doubt in my mind that the man is guilty as shit. 1. Innocent men don’t go silent and hide behind their lawyers. 2. Opportunistic women don’t wait decades to make allegations and then finally do so with nothing monetarily to gain and much to lose. 3. I believe that 15 women (a list growing daily that could in reality be hundreds) would tell the truth before believing one man with his reputation and possibly freedom at stake would, particularly one with a now clearly established drug/rape MO. 4. Cosby’s rep in Hollywood as a womanizing, sanctimonious asshole has long been established. 5. Wealthy, famous, powerful men will sometimes serially commit atrocious acts because they have been conditioned to believe the societal rules don’t apply to them. I’m fairly certain that’s the case here.
This reminds me gotta watch some of the episodes from the ’96 show. They were hilarious! The ‘Techno funk’ one comes to mind.
Guilty until proven innocent is how justice works for this comments section I guess.
Seems rather funny,that all these sexual allegations comes up NOW,instead of when they were supposed to happen,,kind of like what “X-MEN” director Bryan Singer went through recently-so whoever has it out for Bill Cosby,then something must be pretty big,and especially to have waited so long a time,to do so! i smell an alterior motive here,with PLENTY of Dollar signs!
What if they shoot the pilot as a formality to get around the penalty but don’t order it to series? Would shooting the pilot be cheaper than the penalty?
They’ve already promised him 22 on the air.
Be sure to watch with your kids on Christmas Eve as your whole family enjoys our new Christmas Special “The Wit and Wisdom of Uncle Bill Cosby”
You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll kiss two hours goodbye. CBS has the inside track now for Uncle Bill Cosby and on Christmas Eve we will be known as the Cosby Broadcast System.
Not so fast Moonvest. We at ABC also love Bill Cosby and we will give him three hours of primetime on Christmas Eve to do whatever he wants to do. ABC will be re-branded that night to stand for Always Believe Cosby. We will give Bill Disneyland to use however he wants for our special it’s the Happiest Place On Earth you know.
I didn’t even know about the allegations
Are people seriously that weirded out that they might not watcha show because of it?
I think they should put the ones who just now coming forward under jail because if this happen they could of stop it from happening to some one else.and it should be a limitation on it 1982 don’t sound good to me at all you do the math
Yes, they are.
There has been a heightened awareness of late in regard to attacks on women so Cosby could be considered ratings poison at this point.
Anonymous, Do you really have no more conception of commercial TV that that?
Have you ever heard that networks compete to stay in business by selling commercial time to advertisers who are trying to get viewers to buy their products?
Given what’s going on, would YOU buy advertising, at prime-time rates, for this show?
Wait, don’t answer that, if, as you say, you’ve never heard of these allegations, the you probably wouldn’t see that problem.
As long as there is pressure to suppress victims of sex crimes,there will be no change in the way society deals with “old
allegations”.
Love Cosby and would enjoy him in s new series…
Of course you would. He’s not likely to rape someone named Chuck.
My own rapes have remained my own private nightmare for over 40yrs. Cosbys fame surely influenced his victims, and judging from some comments here, their fears of being not believed were well founded. its just sad for all the victims of this particular crime, regardless to the infamy of the perpatrator. admitting publicly to it must be awful but i imagine very unburdening as well.
Cosby has used his fame, influence, money, and contacts to get away with assaulting women for decades. I highly commend Netflix for having the sense to cancel his special. His flat out refusal to address the accusations against him stinks as much today as it did twenty years ago. His lack of humility is appalling. Keep him off tv and off the stage.
Cosby is a smart business man and great entertainer. Know matter how big you get something or someone going to try to derail you. Cosby like other big mogul are and will always be targets.The man worth hundreds of millions and the women that’s coming out to thrash media again are old broke actresses with no career s.So Netflix still got to pay him millions and so do nbc
Of course NBC won’t go forward with the Cosby show. Let’s be real and call it like it is.
seriously , is anyone believing Janice Dickinson ? She meet with Bill for something voice related ? Now that funny . she’s trying to resurrect a dead career , so she’ll say anything
I feel bad because O’Malley and Sikowitz are great writers and great guys. But… Cosby’ sa rapist. ‘Nuff said.