Despite nearly half of Americans saying they think it’s likely the rape allegations against comedian Bill Cosby are true, they say networks shouldn’t have cancelled his shows. Americans apparently still hold an innocent until proven guilty mindset, at least in this case, because they say the television networks were wrong to cancel Cosby’s shows until he was officially charged with a crime.
On November 19, NBC became the second outlet to cancel projects with Bill Cosby, which came only one day after famous model and well-known TV host Janice Dickinson told “Entertainment Tonight” that she was sexually assaulted by the comic in 1982.
But Americans don’t agree with the networks’ decisions.
(Video – Four4Four: Will Bill Cosby Ever Work Again?)
A new Rasmussen Reports survey found that 42 percent of American adults have a favorable impression of Cosby, including 16 percent who have a “Very Favorable” impression of him. However, now, a significant 36 percent view the star of “The Cosby Show” unfavorably, including 14 percent with a “Very Unfavorable” opinion, while 22 percent are not sure what they think of Cosby.
The survey’s wording is noteworthy, because the favorability questions were posed before they brought up the crime, though a high number of people reported to be familiar with the allegations.
- Do you have a very favorable, somewhat favorable, somewhat unfavorable or very unfavorable impression of Bill Cosby?
- Is the media covering rape allegations against Bill Cosby too much, too little or is the coverage about right?
- Should media networks wait until Cosby is charged with a crime before pulling any shows he appears in or should they take down the programs right away?
- How likely is it that the allegations against Cosby are true?
The survey of 1,000 American Adults was conducted on November 23-24, 2014 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence.
againstcorporaterule / November 27, 2014
If they could cancel all of Bill Cosby’s shows, then why couldn’t they cancel the director Bryan Singer’s X-Men movie?!! Especially now that Amy Berg’s documentary about his convicted pedophile friends is out, but her film gets blacklisted and a film by a pedophile director is doing fine and he is all set to direct the next X-men movie?
As much as I despise Bill Cosby, something not quite right about these arbitrary cancellations of his shows.
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Kevin / December 7, 2014
Do not pass judgment on this man based on media coverage and accusations. He is being crucified without proof or due process. If these rights are denied him, they are also denied to us all.
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Richard Baris / December 8, 2014
I Couldn’t agree more, actually. Where is Bill Cosby’s due process? It doesn’t matter if he is guilty or not, because we don’t even know yet.
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Aaron Andrews / December 11, 2014
Due process? Like when he settled in 2006 instead of going through the legal system? Is that the kind of due process you’re looking for?
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Richard Baris / December 11, 2014
In fact, that’s not the due process of I am talking about. That is a civil case, not a criminal case, which is frequently abused because of the trial lawyers association lobby. For years, they’ve made it far too easy to bring false witness and destroy lives. As a result, people pay off false charges all the time. In a free society, a criminal matter must be born out before life-ruining judgement is passed. Otherwise, we have nothing, including the rule of law.
That said, he’s likely guilty, but we don’t know for sure, and shouldn’t condone ruining lives without first hearing a defense rebuttal.
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Aaron Andrews / December 11, 2014
Well, it looks like he’s going to get his chance at a criminal complaint too since one of his supposed victims is attempting to file criminal charges via a loophole in the statute of limitations. But I suspect his lawyers will try to have the case thrown out instead of getting his “due processes.”
Cosby doesn’t want “due process,” he wants this to go away. If he was so worried about getting his side out there the civil case would have served as just as good a vehicle as a criminal one without the risk of jail time. I’d much rather risk money than my freedom; wouldn’t you?
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Margo Wilkins / December 18, 2014
A rape victim wouldn’t take money. She would demand that her attacker be tried in a court of law.
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Sana Lynn / November 29, 2014
If Bill Cosby is a serial rapist, does that negate everything else about him? Food for thought: “Outside the ‘Rapist Box’: Bill Cosby, Woody Allen, and my Father” http://embodiedexperiments.com/outside-the-rapist-box-bill-cosby-woody-allen-and-my-father/
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Dave A Smitty / December 8, 2014
i would bet the rent that bill Cosby did not rape anyone,,i would bet the farm on it ,,, these women should be charged for slander, defamation of corrector, whats wrong here ,, bill get off your ass and charge these women = lies.
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femonanon / December 16, 2014
seems to me being assumed guilty until proven innocent makes sense when the statistics are so wildly in favor of guilt…um, about 3% of all rape allegations are false, so…let’s see…maybe 1/2 of one of the women are lying? yep, that’s it, probably has a split personality
this world is sick to even question a stat like 97%, what is wrong with everybody???
Cosby is the worst of the worst >>> a lying, misogynist raping racist
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Paul Vincent / December 31, 2014
Defamation of corrector? Really?
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Aaron Andrews / December 11, 2014
My normal reaction to this kind of stuff is to ignore accusations when the first person comes forward. I start to listen when fourth fully independent person says the same thing happened to them, and I start to believe there’s some truth to the matter about the time the eighth discrete person gives the same story.
So far I don’t know of any cases where more than 10 fully discrete (discrete means separate and distinct vs. discreet’s meaning of careful and circumspect) individuals make an accusation of sexual assault and it was proven false. I’m interested in anyone’s list of other cases where 20 unconnected women were proven to all be lying. The scale is just unprecedented as far as I know.
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Margo Wilkins / December 18, 2014
The accusers’ stories are similar because they are based on the first accuser ‘ s account. The original accuser ‘ s account is a matter of public record. The other accusers could have easily accessed this information and then concocted similar stories of being raped. Every possibility should be considered. Think outside of the box.
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katehy / December 12, 2014
I think he is guilty as hell_ as a rape victim myself 30 years ago in high school_
I fully understand why it took so long for these brave women to come forward_I never did that with the boy who raped me_I was scared and ashamed_he was very popular and I didn’t think anyone would believe me_I still struggle with it to this very day_I became a drug addict shorty thereafter to numb my pain_with the help of a shrink I was finally able to get off drugs and KNOW THAT I DID NOTHING WRONG AND THIS BOY WAS A TRUE PIECE OF SHIT_to all of the women who have come forward I commend you_and to all the people who have never been sexually assaulted you have no reason to even comment on it_
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tbuc500 . / December 12, 2014
I’m a guy, and I’ve been in that position before. Except as a child. And I didn’t hesitate to go to someone. I told my mom, and she did her best to do something about it. If a child can go to someone almost immediately, there is no excuse for these full-grown women to have waited this long. I’m sorry, and I understand that the things you went through are just as bad as what i went through, and none of it should have never happened. But if a child can come forward, no reason why an adult can’t.
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The truth / December 26, 2014
This is a bullsh@t azz story 90% of these women are have a playboy past or a drug pass almost all said bill said he would get there foot in the door to become a actor or to be famous none of them are famous so this my take on it that was bill cosby pick up line to get in them panties he bang them and did make good on is promise so now this bitches mad they was starving in the 60s 70s 80s and they still starving some for money some the camera it doesn’t take much to see most of these women are lying and another thing who he’ll just take a pill from somebody a grown azz women and don’t think that’s odd I tell you why cause they condensed to the pill they where drug addicts and knew it was on bitter money grubbing bitches trying to destroy an American figure
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tbuc500 . / December 12, 2014
I myself am a victim of being molested as a child. And yet I went to my mother right away and told her something was done to me. AND I WAS A CHILD. These grown women just came out with this statement this year, and claim that it happened years ago. I’m sorry, but I just think that they’re full of crap simply because if it was true, there is NO excuse for them waiting this long if a child can tell someone almost immediately after it happens. Sure, it can be scary. And sometimes you don’t know what to do. But if a child can tell someone almost immediately, so can an adult.
In a nutshell, I say Bill Cosby is innocent, and all these women are simply playing one big game of follow the leader.
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Sotiro / January 2, 2015
@tbuc500 and why should we believe you? I bet you are lying! Do you know what Karma is? That’s what’s Happening now to the pudding pop man.. the same thing with OJ Simpson.. Karma has smacked him silly..
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tbuc500 . / February 23, 2015
Really now. You have the nerve to call me a liar. Perhaps you’d like to speak to my mother, or every single counselor I’ve had since elementary school, or the police officer who arrested the guy. Grow up already. -__-
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amy / December 16, 2014
I agree. He shouldn’t lose his show unless it is proven to be true. I think with the amount of potential money on the line that many will come forward and claim this. I think Hollywood is full of pervs and deviants with huge egos. What is sad if it is true is how naive all these ladies were. We need to teach our daughters not to be so naive and SO needy. If it is true, it isn’t their fault but they put themselves into a bad situation. The casting couch is still alive and well. I have a beautiful, talented cousin in Hollywood who has had minor parts in a few movies. She had to finally quit because she was expected to sleep her way into better roles. I wonder if some of these ladies are angry because promised roles didn’t pan out. Who knows? We don’t know and thankfully, in America, we are still supposed to be innocent until proven guilty.
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Horace bogart / January 25, 2015
These fame whores are all liers. This is a conspiracy against decent and moral television.
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Horace bogart / January 25, 2015
Fucc em
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Horace bogart / January 25, 2015
And fucc cnn and don lemon sambo ass
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Horace bogart / January 25, 2015
He just wants to fill TV with sodum and gamora
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Horace bogart / January 25, 2015
I don’t care how famous this black man is, any black man accused of raping a white woman 30 or 40 years ago would still be in jail today beloved or not.
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Richard Baris / February 27, 2015
I’ve heard your big mouth rambling on and on one time and again. Now, I am about to ban you from this site. I let you continue on and with your propaganda, which you have completely discredited by rambling like a radical left-wing psycho. One more BS repetition, and you will only have the ability to mini blog that crap on Twitter. Bring some evidence or something worthwhile to the conversation, or shut up.
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