Bill Cosby Meme Generator Backfires

[taf2002]

I also have a problem with Phillips saying Cosby should "go live a quiet country life" and "allow those of us who truly [him] to preserve just a bit of our enchantment". Cosby is a serial rapist. He does not deserve a "quiet country life", he deserves a "rot in jail" life. What's the count now - 40 women? Any enchantment Phillips had should be entirely gone by now. Being a Cosby apologist shouldn't be acceptable.

It's not acceptable but I can actually understand that sentiment. There is someone who has been a role model for me & who I have admired my whole life. My heroine has never displayed feet of clay. If something awful was now discovered about her my 1st reaction would be disbelief. When I finally believed it, I would probably be disgusted but I'm not sure if I could forget all the good. My hero helped advance women - there's no denying that Bill Cosby helped advance blacks. For that I can understand some hero worship along with the disgust.

 

[puglover]

I think I read lately that the count for Bill Cosby is 50 women. Anyone who is still reserving judgement really has their head in the sand. "He said - she said" accusations are almost impossible to prove unless you can show "he said - she said, she said, she said", etc. In Canada, recently we have had accusations about a popular CBC radio star named Jian Ghomeshi. He is accused of physically abusing numerous women over the years quite horribly and being somewhat protected because of his name and value to the CBC. He will go to trial for at least a few of them, but that seems unlikely for Bill Cosby. Personally, I hope blowing the lid off the behaviour of these pathetic, egotistical sorry examples of men empowers women to speak out earlier. I hope men so inclined will consider what has happened here and will think twice about inflicting their sick fantasy on vulnerable women or men. I hope organizations and businesses that benefit from the significant talent these men bring to the table will also think twice when first they hear serious accusations. Maybe even watch out for putting these men in positions where their ego and power make them almost untouchable.

 

[puglover]

One more thought - I grew up with Bill Cosby and loved him. I know as a white female I cannot understand the tremendous blow this is to those for whom he was a very positive role model. It does, however, sicken me that as a father of daughters he was unable to think beyond his own desires and recognize what he was doing to the daughters of others.

 

[agalisgv]

Personally, I hope blowing the lid off the behaviour of these pathetic, egotistical sorry examples of men empowers women to speak out earlier.

To me the issue is when victims do speak out, the entertainment industry rallies behind abusers. Cosby and Ghomeshi have essentially been rendered unemployable. But what about Woody Allen and Roman Polanski? They continue to function at the highest levels of the film industry without sanction. And viewers continue to flock to their movies despite them having committed rape and/or incest. So it makes me wonder why some are castigated while others who've done the same are lauded. I've never understood that

 

[puglover]

To me the issue is when victims do speak out, the entertainment industry rallies behind abusers. Cosby and Ghomeshi have essentially been rendered unemployable. But what about Woody Allen and Roman Polanski? They continue to function at the highest levels of the film industry without sanction. And viewers continue to flock to their movies despite them having committed rape and/or incest. So it makes me wonder why some are castigated while others who've done the same are lauded. I've never understood that

I totally agree! There is a huge injustice here. I have no idea what I would advise a young woman to do if she came to me with believable allegations about a man of talent and power. I am happy to see heads roll at the CBC. Anyone who shields an abuser or fails to investigate a serious complaint is, in my opinion, complicate.

 

[snoopy]

I think people were inclined to forgive Cosby initially, but woman after woman kept on coming forward. At some point, even the biggest die hards have to give up the ghost.

 

[my little pony]

polanski and allen were lucky enough to commit their crimes before social media could keep this thing alive forever. they could never get away with this now. also, polanski and allen are in positions where they can get other people in the industry what they want. actors can get award nominated roles from them. cosby is long past his prime and his stand up sounds pathetic now like some grumpy old man. the other one you mentioned, lots of people could do his job.

 

[agalisgv]

polanski and allen were lucky enough to commit their crimes before social media could keep this thing alive forever. they could never get away with this now.

Cosby's crimes were committed decades ago--actually before Allen's crimes. Cosby's accusers came forward about a year ago, and Dylan Farrow wrote an op-ed about Allen's abuse just last year. I'm not seeing the big difference (except Cosby is a pariah while Allen continues to be a Hollywood staple). The petition in support of Polanski was circulated in 2009--that's well within the social media scene.

I understand your point that Allen and Polanski are useful career-wise to many in entertainment, but to me that just goes to show the hypocrisy of it all. As long as someone remains influential, they basically are untouchable WRT abuse. That's just seriously messed up in my book.

 

[my little pony]

cosbys crimes are old but i dont remember it being a big deal until the comedian commented on it. for whatever reason, dylan's article didnt pick up a lot of attention. maybe because his work is still considered prestigious? i dont know.

but you are right. it is all very hypocritical and self serving.

 

[michiruwater]

Please correct me if I am missing pieces of evidence beyond Dylan's letter, because I very well might be, but as far as I know, while the evidence against Polanski and Cosby is pretty damning, the evidence against is Allen is not quite as bluntly clear, right? Has anyone other than Dylan come forward, and has their been evidence as clear as the evidence against Polanski and Cosby concerning Allen's alleged crimes?

 

[agalisgv]

A statement from the victim that went into graphic detail isn't bluntly clear?

FWIW, there's also the corroboration of her mother and independent court findings.

 

[attyfan]

IMO, a lot of the flack about Cosby is due to his public moralizing (this was actually cited by the judge in unsealing the deposition). Polanski and Allen do not set themselves up as role models to be imitated and they do not spend time giving speeches telling people what they should be doing.

 

[my little pony]

that's a good point. he spent a lot of time telling young men to pull their pants up when he had more serious issues with the placement of his own pants.

 

[agalisgv]

IMO, a lot of the flack about Cosby is due to his public moralizing (this was actually cited by the judge in unsealing the deposition). Polanski and Allen do not set themselves up as role models to be imitated and they do not spend time giving speeches telling people what they should be doing.

Seriously? Because someone publicly advocated social responsibility, their criminal activity should be treated more harshly than a child rapist? Are you kidding me???

It's unbelievable the lengths people will go to defend and minimize the criminal conduct of Allen and Polanski. Just unbelievable. And this is why the problems persist.

 

[VGThuy]

I don't think anybody said "should".

 

[my little pony]

i didnt take it like attyfan was saying that it should be that way, just that part of the backlash was due to that. it's easier to show that you are offended by someone who is in your face than someone you never see.

so if you do something shady, lay low

 

[attyfan]

Seriously? Because someone publicly advocated social responsibility, their criminal activity should be treated more harshly than a child rapist? Are you kidding me???

It's unbelievable the lengths people will go to defend and minimize the criminal conduct of Allen and Polanski. Just unbelievable. And this is why the problems persist.

IMO, the one sin that the media blows to the skies is hypocrisy. That Cosby set himself up as a moral guide means he is guilty of two sins: repeated rapes and hypocrisy. Polanski, OTOH, is guilty of one: the sex crime. Hipocrasy grabs media attention in a way that no other crime/sin does. Why, I don't know, but it does

 

[attyfan]

i didnt take it like attyfan was saying that it should be that way, just that part of the backlash was due to that. it's easier to show that you are offended by someone who is in your face than someone you never see.

so if you do something shady, lay low

You got it!!!!

 

[agalisgv]

Thanks for clarifying

 

[mag]

IMO, the one sin that the media blows to the skies is hypocrisy. That Cosby set himself up as a moral guide means he is guilty of two sins: repeated rapes and hypocrisy. Polanski, OTOH, is guilty of one: the sex crime. Hipocrasy grabs media attention in a way that no other crime/sin does. Why, I don't know, but it does

The length of the Duggar thread is a testament to this.

 

[Aceon6]

I think people were inclined to forgive Cosby initially, but woman after woman kept on coming forward. At some point, even the biggest die hards have to give up the ghost.

Same thing happened with Tiger Woods. Since all of the women confirmed it was consensual "groupie" sex, the initial reaction was pretty tame. His sponsors kept him on until the count got into double figures.

 

[michiruwater]

I also did not mean to in any way exonerate or belittle Allen's actions. I can just understand how the public at large might look at the evidence against him and not see the parts adding up to a sum the same way they do with Polanski and Cosby. Yes, there was a statement from Dylan that went into graphic detail, and I personally believe that what she was saying is true, but with Polanski you have an actual court case and guilty plea, and with Cosby you have 50 cases and counting, and the American public is full of people who like to blame the victim.

 

[DAngel]

I don't understand how anyone who's not a psychopath can still support a child rapist... And yet he's still making movies....

 

[Xela M]

I don't understand how anyone who's not a psychopath can still support a child rapist... And yet he's still making movies....

If the person has never even been charged with a crime I think it's quite dangerous to label him as a child rapist without any evidence whatsoever

 

[Xela M]

Wrong thread

 

[Vagabond]

I don't understand how anyone who's not a psychopath can still support a child rapist... And yet he's still making movies....

Without going into the specifics of any of the cases, I have to say that I can watch The Pianist and Blue Jasmine (or earlier works, like Chinatown and Annie Hall), enjoy them, and consider them great works of art. I can also listen to, enjoy, and admire the music of Carlo Gesualdo too. I do understand why other people would feel differently.

:shrug:

 

[PeterG]

I don't understand how anyone who's not a psychopath can still support a child rapist... And yet he's still making movies....

Without going into the specifics of any of the cases, I have to say that I can watch The Pianist and Blue Jasmine (or earlier works, like Chinatown and Annie Hall), enjoy them, and consider them great works of art...

DAngel's post left me confused. Woody Allen is a child rapist?? I thought Soon-Yi was an adult when they began their relationship. But from Vagabond's post, DAngel was talking about Roman Polanski?

 

[DAngel]

If the person has never even been charged with a crime I think it's quite dangerous to label him as a child rapist without any evidence whatsoever

He admitted his crimes... Is there a possibility that he's innocent?

DAngel's post left me confused. Woody Allen is a child rapist?? I thought Soon-Yi was an adult when they began their relationship. But from Vagabond's post, DAngel was talking about Roman Polanski?

I was talking about Roman Polanski.

 

[Xela M]

He admitted his crimes... Is there a possibility that he's innocent?

I was talking about Roman Polanski.

Ahhh sorry, I thought you were talking about Woody Allen!

 

[DAngel]

Sorry for the confusion. I'm actually not very familiar with Woody Allen's case...

Reading Roman Polanski's IMDB forum made me at the same time. I did watch the Pianist and thought it was a good movie. But after knowing about his crime, I just can't bring myself to watch another of his movies (even though I really wanted to watch The Ghost Writer).