Bill Cosby performed a surprise comedy show, and people are angry
Even before the #MeToo movement began as a tool to fight rape culture, comedian Bill Cosby was disgraced by sexual assault accusations. But on the evening of January 22nd, despite the allegations against him, Cosby performed in public for the first time since 2015.
The last-minute routine took place in Philadelphia’s LaRose Jazz Club. According to NPR, about 50 people watched Cosby’s performance, which involved the former comedian telling stories about his childhood, scatting, and drumming with the band. At one point, Cosby joked that he “used to be a comedian.”
Cosby reportedly invited media outlets to attend his act two hours before it began. The entertainer was silent about the charges of sexual assault against him, but despite the fact that he had canceled his 2015 comedy tour amid protests, his reception by the audience was warm.
Nearly 60 women have accused Cosby of sexually assaulting them. In a deposition for a 2005 court case, which the New York Times obtained in 2015, Cosby even revealed that he had drugged and sexually assaulted several women. But because many of the accusations were from too many years prior, only one woman was able to bring her case against Cosby. The trial, which took place in June 2017, was declared a mistrial. Not only was the jury unable to reach an agreement, but one juror even said some disturbing things about Cosby’s accuser, Andrea Constand — like that she was “untrustworthy” because she had worn a crop top to Cosby’s home before he assaulted her.
Cosby will be retried in April. In the retrial, prosecutors have requested that the judge allow 19 women to testify against Cosby rather than just Constand.
Bobby Allyn, a reporter for Philadelphia’s NPR affiliate, tweeted that when he asked Cosby if he thought the #MeToo movement would change the jury’s perception of him, Cosby shrugged and responded, “I don’t know.”
I asked Cosby if he’s prepared for his second trial, and he looked me in the eyes and said nothing stonefaced. I then asked how he thinks #MeToo might affect jurors, and he shrugged in an animated way, put on a goofy smile and said, “I don’t know!”
— Bobby Allyn (@BobbyAllyn) January 23, 2018
Here is the unforgettable face Cosby made when I asked him how he thinks jurors will see his case differently in the #MeToo era. pic.twitter.com/UVfTtSDsCz
— Bobby Allyn (@BobbyAllyn) January 23, 2018
Bill Cosby, sitting on a stool in a hoodie at a Philly jazz club, telling stories and working the crowd. No mention yet of his looming trial on sexual assault charges. pic.twitter.com/D7qldKi79B
— Bobby Allyn (@BobbyAllyn) January 23, 2018
Twitter users were outraged that the disgraced comedian is performing again.
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"I used to be a comedian" – @BillCosby
But now you're just a creepy old man and one of the most prolific rapists in American history sooooo…
— Hilary Banks (@soniamariesays) January 23, 2018
It's criminal that Bill Cosby is a free man. Whoever buys a ticket to his comedy show should be ashamed.
— Fohtohgirl (@fohtohgirl) January 23, 2018
Fucking sexual predator Bill Cosby had the nerve to do stand up at a Philly jazz club. There would've been a total of 20 people in attendance but that last guy was double parked. 😒
— nicki 🌊 (@nickiknowsnada) January 23, 2018
"Bill Cosby" Sorry but who on earth would go to that show?!?
— Ryan (@ryanfield) January 23, 2018
https://twitter.com/udfredirect/status/955678558159958017
The world just ain’t fair sometimes. Neil Diamond, at 76, quits live shows forever due to Parkinson’s Disease but Bill Cosby, at 80 and despised, is back on stage performing live. God works in mysterious ways!
— Peter Ford (@mrpford) January 23, 2018
We need to start listening to people who make sexual assault allegations, and that means not allowing predators to perform. We hope that Constand and the rest of Cosby’s accusers find the justice they deserve in April’s retrial. But until then, it’s important to believe women when they say they’ve been abused, no matter who they accuse.
