In 2017, Bill Cosby stood trial for the 2004 sexual assault of Andrea Constand. Ultimately, the Cosby jury deadlocked and the judge declared a mistrial.
In a few months, Bill Cosby will face his retrial. We guess that we can hope that, this time, justice will be served.
But … you remember how Bill Cosby threatened to perform again? He’s made good on that promise with a show, just last night.
With less notice than you’d expect, the ad for the show went up on Cosby’s Facebook page.
“Bill Cosby Returns tot he stage for a special performance to honor jazz great Tony Williams.”
Believe it or not, folks, after the dozens of rapes that he’s accused of committing, there are still folks who follow him on social media. And they’re fans.
“Actor & Comedian Bill Cosby returns to the stage for a special performance honoring Jazz Great Tony Williams on Monday, January 22, 2018 at LaRose Jazz Club located 5531 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, PA. This event is open to the public and tickets can be purchased at the door.”
As for what the appearance is all about:
“Bill Cosby will honor his fans with a historic performance with the Tony Williams Jazz Quartet and he will be performing a special comedy concert that will culminate the evening.”
At the actual show last night, which was extremely last-minute in nature, Bill Cosby didn’t shy away from his recent disgrace.
He joked about how he “used to be a comedian.”
He admitted that he gets a very different reaction when he goes places than he used to.
Worst of all, he joked about his alleged sexual assaults, saying: “There’s a perfectly good word called ‘stop’, Not ‘oh-oh-oh-oh-oh’.” A sickening line, particularly from a man who allegedly drugged his victims first.
(Plenty of women have trouble saying “stop” or “no” when they fear for their safety, but surely it would be next to impossible for someone who’s been drugged)
Afterwards, Bill Cosby was asked if he thinks that his retrial will go differently in the #MeToo era of people, you know, realizing that sexual assault is a real thing.
This was his facial expression:
He replied: “I don’t know.”
We can only hope that jurors are wiser than they were over the summer.
Now, you might be asking yourself who would go to such an event.
You’d think that all but the most aggressive misogynists would give up trying to proclaim Bill Cosby’s “innocence” after his accusers passed two dozen. Or three dozen.
(His accusers now number at approximately 60. He doesn’t have the most accusers, but it’s not a competition and many would question the agenda of someone who disbelieves sixty women in favor of the guy from their childhood Jell-O commercials)
After the deadlocked jury, Bill Cosby’s retrial date was set for this fall.
In September, it was pushed back to April 2018.
Since then, there has been a lot more conversation about sexual assault, victim-blaming, and why women remain silent for years when their careers, families, or even lives may be on the line.
Those who want justice for the approximately five dozen women who accuse Bill Cosby of sexual assault are hopeful that the jurors will keep in mind the realities of sex crimes.
Most of those women, due to statute of limitations laws that many feel are harmful, can’t bring Cosby to trial. But Andrea Constand can.
Both sides should agree that it’s good that the prosecutor vowed to try Cosby again.
Those who believe Andrea Constand (and the 59 others) surely want a guilty verdict. Those who believe Cosby want him cleared in court.
Honestly, both sides should also agree that going on stage for performances while he is so reviled and has yet to even be acquitted … is in poor taste.
Especially if he’s going to joke about his alleged sexual assaults.
But some wonder if this is part of one last hurrah. If he might be anticipating a conviction, and wanted to go on stage a couple of times before that happens.
