Community Chat

[Mominohio]

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@goodstuff wrote:

The "casting couch" is hardly a new or unexpected phenomenon.  Young, attractive women looking for help getting into showbiz have often been willing to bargain with their bodies.  And there has never been a shortage of older, successful showbiz leaders more than willing to take them up on what they were offering.  Drugs, alcohol, money........is anyone really surprised to hear this old story again?   None of these women were minors.......and when you read of their willing entry into the "games", it's hard to be totally sympathetic.  So, young lady.......what, exactly were you doing in a late-night, wild party at the Playboy mansion, drinking heavily, and going into private rooms with an older star like B.C.?  Were you expecting a Bible study session, maybe?  And these women are coming forward years after the reported events.  No police reports at the time in almost all cases.

No excuses for Mr. Cosby........but no excuses for that level of female stupidity, either!  Please:  If we're going to be "feminists" and credit women with brains, autonomy, ability, and responsibility, let's expect them to use them.

It's disappointing that Bill Cosby, who portrayed a family-oriented father on one of TV's most beloved family sitcoms, blew his opportunity to be a voice for Good.

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Best post ever on this subject.

I've said from the beginning the women bear some responsibility for this, but you said it much better than I have. Those that had this happen early one, have to know they allowed the later ones to become 'victims' because they didn't come forward, as well. Many that didn't come forward have taken money and favors to keep quiet, so the term victim is not really totally fitting. 

[Puzzle Piece]

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@goodstuff wrote:

The "casting couch" is hardly a new or unexpected phenomenon.  Young, attractive women looking for help getting into showbiz have often been willing to bargain with their bodies.  And there has never been a shortage of older, successful showbiz leaders more than willing to take them up on what they were offering.  Drugs, alcohol, money........is anyone really surprised to hear this old story again?   None of these women were minors.......and when you read of their willing entry into the "games", it's hard to be totally sympathetic.  So, young lady.......what, exactly were you doing in a late-night, wild party at the Playboy mansion, drinking heavily, and going into private rooms with an older star like B.C.?  Were you expecting a Bible study session, maybe?  And these women are coming forward years after the reported events.  No police reports at the time in almost all cases.

No excuses for Mr. Cosby........but no excuses for that level of female stupidity, either!  Please:  If we're going to be "feminists" and credit women with brains, autonomy, ability, and responsibility, let's expect them to use them.

It's disappointing that Bill Cosby, who portrayed a family-oriented father on one of TV's most beloved family sitcoms, blew his opportunity to be a voice for Good.

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What you write is true and if those females or any others in the business report the offensive behavior of males - their careers and futures in the business are over with forever.  It's a well known fact that many are blacklisted and the word gets around like wildfire. 

It's time to hold all accountable.  To bad the females of the past in the 1920's,30s, 40s, 50s, 60s and on up, went along with all the wrongs and set the stage for others to inherit.  Maybe now, things can be made right without repercussions. 

[Mominohio]

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@Shelbelle wrote:

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@JAXS mom wrote:

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@Shelbelle wrote:

Hard tp believe he was able to keep his hands off the lovely, Phylicia Rashad. I doubt she would have stood any harassment for very long.

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Well he had to know her football star husband at the time could easily kick his rear end. Plus she doesn't seem the type to suffer fools anyway. 

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Cosby was the one that introduced her to Ammad Rashad, he was also the one who gave her away at their wedding.

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I think guys like him know which women they can do this to/with and which they can't. He knew better with her, regardless of her husband, she is a strong woman. I sincerely hope she didn't know about these goings on, as I'd like to think she'd have been the kind of woman to walk away from the show, if not even out him for it.

[WenGirl42]

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@Mominohio wrote:

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@Shelbelle wrote:

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@JAXS mom wrote:

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@Shelbelle wrote:

Hard tp believe he was able to keep his hands off the lovely, Phylicia Rashad. I doubt she would have stood any harassment for very long.

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Well he had to know her football star husband at the time could easily kick his rear end. Plus she doesn't seem the type to suffer fools anyway. 

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Cosby was the one that introduced her to Ammad Rashad, he was also the one who gave her away at their wedding.

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I think guys like him know which women they can do this to/with and which they can't. He knew better with her, regardless of her husband, she is a strong woman. I sincerely hope she didn't know about these goings on, as I'd like to think she'd have been the kind of woman to walk away from the show, if not even out him for it.

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I think it extremely unlikely that she knew about it.  I agree with your point about guys like this knowing who their potential targets are.  Likewise, I expect that Rashad is the kind of woman most people wouldn't try gossiping with, and if they did, she wouldn't hear it. 

[Q4u]

I don't understand why somebody can't take Cosby to court over this and win.

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I believe the statute of limitations have run out on bringing up charges.  However, I really suspect they are working on it.

I never got on the Cosby bandwagon.  I didn't really enjoy the show very much although we (my family) watched it.  I remember my Mom saying how creepy she found him and couldn't stand watching him, didn't care for his humor at all.....  However when he came out with his moralizing regarding behavior, I was actually relieved to hear someone in the public limelight state their preference for decent behavior.... but there was still something my Mom and I couldn't put our finger on.....

Now we know, and yes, I think he is guilty... 

[Tinkrbl44]

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@Mominohio wrote:

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@brii wrote:

While I find Bill Cosby thorouly disgusting, I am equally disgusted by all the people that knew about his behavior but kept quiet all these years. 

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This is what aggervates me about this. How pitiful that so many women kept quiet after experiencing this. I've said it before, and I really mean, that I don't understand how someone who was victimized didn't come foreward, because there were so many. It wasn't the 1950's anymore. Women were empowered and this was no longer a reason for a woman to be ashamed. Had it been only one or two, I can see where they may not have come foreward, but so many, that chose money to keep quiet, or allowed themselves to be intimidated. What are the chances of that? Makes me sad that women didn't stand up,and each one allowed more victims to be had, because they didn't speak up.

And others in the business that probably knew this, and were afraid to bring it to the forefront, or at least approach the women and help them to report it and seek help aren't much better than he is.

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It was a much different time, and those women didn't know there were others!

I wouldn't doubt that Cosby intimidated them or told them to keep quiet "if they know what's good for them" .....  he was powerful and successful .... and there was no such thing as DNA and rape kits to corroborate the physical evidence.  

I'm sure Cosby would have his lawyer say the woman was lying in hopes of extorting money, and back then the police weren't very sympathetic to those "frivolous" reports.

[winamac1]

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@Mary Bailey wrote:

I believe he is guilty.

I remember an interview where one of child actors said they had to call him Mr Cosby. He demanded respect but shows no respect to women, from his wife to all of his victims.

I'd love to see him go to jail 

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I, too, believe he is guilty!

[pitdakota]

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@Tinkrbl44 wrote:

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@Mominohio wrote:

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@brii wrote:

While I find Bill Cosby thorouly disgusting, I am equally disgusted by all the people that knew about his behavior but kept quiet all these years. 

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This is what aggervates me about this. How pitiful that so many women kept quiet after experiencing this. I've said it before, and I really mean, that I don't understand how someone who was victimized didn't come foreward, because there were so many. It wasn't the 1950's anymore. Women were empowered and this was no longer a reason for a woman to be ashamed. Had it been only one or two, I can see where they may not have come foreward, but so many, that chose money to keep quiet, or allowed themselves to be intimidated. What are the chances of that? Makes me sad that women didn't stand up,and each one allowed more victims to be had, because they didn't speak up.

And others in the business that probably knew this, and were afraid to bring it to the forefront, or at least approach the women and help them to report it and seek help aren't much better than he is.

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It was a much different time, and those women didn't know there were others!

I wouldn't doubt that Cosby intimidated them or told them to keep quiet "if they know what's good for them" .....  he was powerful and successful .... and there was no such thing as DNA and rape kits to corroborate the physical evidence.  

I'm sure Cosby would have his lawyer say the woman was lying in hopes of extorting money, and back then the police weren't very sympathetic to those "frivolous" reports.

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I think it is hard for some to really understand what it was like "back in the day".  We are talking about a time when women who were se$ually assaluted by strangers were literally persecuted by the legal system.

This was a time when women were very reluctant to even report these incidents and even if they did, they were reluctant to testify in court.  It was common practice to put the victim (the woman) under scrutiny; accuse her of "asking for it", showing pictures of how she dressed, making innuendos about how she lived her life, etc.  And this was just for Plain Jane that happened to have the misfortune of being assaulted, let alone someone striving to make it in the Hollywood industry.

I do not find it surprising at all that these women did not report anything about Cosby, especially when you add his intimidation into the mix.  It was very common during that time.

[Mominohio]

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@pitdakota wrote:

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@Tinkrbl44 wrote:

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@Mominohio wrote:

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@brii wrote:

While I find Bill Cosby thorouly disgusting, I am equally disgusted by all the people that knew about his behavior but kept quiet all these years. 

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This is what aggervates me about this. How pitiful that so many women kept quiet after experiencing this. I've said it before, and I really mean, that I don't understand how someone who was victimized didn't come foreward, because there were so many. It wasn't the 1950's anymore. Women were empowered and this was no longer a reason for a woman to be ashamed. Had it been only one or two, I can see where they may not have come foreward, but so many, that chose money to keep quiet, or allowed themselves to be intimidated. What are the chances of that? Makes me sad that women didn't stand up,and each one allowed more victims to be had, because they didn't speak up.

And others in the business that probably knew this, and were afraid to bring it to the forefront, or at least approach the women and help them to report it and seek help aren't much better than he is.

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It was a much different time, and those women didn't know there were others!

I wouldn't doubt that Cosby intimidated them or told them to keep quiet "if they know what's good for them" .....  he was powerful and successful .... and there was no such thing as DNA and rape kits to corroborate the physical evidence.  

I'm sure Cosby would have his lawyer say the woman was lying in hopes of extorting money, and back then the police weren't very sympathetic to those "frivolous" reports.

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I think it is hard for some to really understand what it was like "back in the day".  We are talking about a time when women who were se$ually assaluted by strangers were literally persecuted by the legal system.

This was a time when women were very reluctant to even report these incidents and even if they did, they were reluctant to testify in court.  It was common practice to put the victim (the woman) under scrutiny; accuse her of "asking for it", showing pictures of how she dressed, making innuendos about how she lived her life, etc.  And this was just for Plain Jane that happened to have the misfortune of being assaulted, let alone someone striving to make it in the Hollywood industry.

I do not find it surprising at all that these women did not report anything about Cosby, especially when you add his intimidation into the mix.  It was very common during that time.

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Maybe I'm wrong about the time frame of many of these assults, but I thought some of them were in the 70's and 80's. If that is correct, I understand that not every woman would speak out, but with so many, how did some not do so? 

And don't get me wrong, I'm totally believing he did it, I just don't understand how so many women in that era (yes Iived it as an adult, and there was no excuse for at least some not coming out) didn't come forward. He must have paid really well to shut them up, and they really did themselves and the ones that followed them an injustice by doing so.

Or am I wrong about the years of the occurances?

[pitdakota]

Mominohio, I am talking about the 70s and 80s too.  I had a good friend in the early 1980s that was raped on a date.  There was no way she was going to report it!  And it didn't help that we had a local case on trial getting media coverage where the defense attorney was demonizing the woman that testified against the perp that was going on at the same time that this happened to her.  My friend kept saying there was no way she was going to put herself through that.  And she didn't either.  We are not talking that this only occurred back in the 1940s/1950s....this wasn't all that uncommon during the 70s and mid 1980s either.