NBC Scraps Bill Cosby Sitcom in Wake of Rape Allegations

[JamesG]

Bill Cosby Sitcom Dumped by NBC
by James Hibberd
Nov 19, 2014


NBC has halted development on its Bill Cosby sitcom. In the wake of mounting rape allegations against the legendary comedian, the broadcaster has shelved its plan to return The Cosby Show star to primetime.

The move follows Netflix “postponing” its plan to stream a Cosby stand-up special next week.



NBC first announced an untitled family sitcom starring Cosby last January, with a pilot to be written by former "Glee" star Mike O’Malley and sitcom veteran Mike Sikowitz.

The show was still in early development, but NBC intended to potentially debut a series next fall.







Despite the traditional media and social media tempest, Cosby has never been convicted with a crime related to the allegations. The allegations accuse Cosby of crimes during the 1970s and ’80s, and the actor has also declined to answer questions about the accusations.

It was NBC’s sitcom announcement that arguably first put Cosby’s name back in the headlines and prompted some media outlets to report the star’s past, where women have accused Cosby of drugging and sexually abusing them.



When asked about the issue at NBC’s press tour in July, entertainment president Jennifer Salke told reporters, “We’re very committed, and that’s an important show for us.”

While NBC’s entertainment chairman Bob Greenblatt told reporters after the network’s panel: “All I do is try to put on shows that I think are good, with extraordinary talent. I think he’s extraordinary. And I think the show will be good. All the other things will sort of sort themselves out.”







The allegations significantly spiked in media attention last month after a video of stand-up comic Hannibal Buress calling Cosby a rapist during a comedy show went viral.

A few weeks later, a meme-generating social stunt on Cosby’s website wildly backfired when users took the opportunity to mock the comic for the allegations.

Then late last week, Cosby canceled a planned appearance on David Letterman’s CBS late-night talk show.







On Sunday, after Cosby refused to answer questions about the allegations during an NPR interview, Cosby’s attorney John P. Schmitt released this statement:

“Over the last several weeks, decade-old, discredited allegations against Mr. Cosby have resurfaced. The fact that they are being repeated does not make them true. Mr. Cosby does not intend to dignify these allegations with any comment. He would like to thank all his fans for the outpouring of support and assure them that, at age 77, he is doing his best work. There will be no further statement from Mr. Cosby or any of his representatives.”







Yet on the heels of the statement, another woman surfaced with a new allegation of sex abuse by Cosby when she was 19 years old. Then on Wednesday, "Entertainment Tonight" broke the story of former "America’s Next Top Model" judge Janice Dickinson also accusing Cosby of rape when he was on "The Cosby Show".

This week, the media has swiveled to focus intensely on NBC’s project, as well as a Cosby stand-up special, Bill Cosby 77, which Netflix plans to stream on the day after Thanksgiving.

Variety took a poll and found 72 percent surveyed said NBC should cut ties with Cosby over the allegations.







For NBC, the situation represented a tough spot: Cosby was the star of the network’s top rated sitcom, which aired for eight seasons. His return was touted by the current executive brass. And essentially nothing has changed since most of the allegations have been around for years.

Yet as the media din increased, it became clear NBC had little choice — the Cosby brand has turned toxic, at least for now. As Cosby’s disastrous meme-generating stunt proved, any effort to market a show starring the comedian would be met with considerable criticism.

Still, this rejection by the network that became synonyms with the actor’s success and brand represents a key moment in the fall of “America’s dad.”

http://insidetv.ew.com/2014/11/19/nb...y-sitcom-plan/

[Sal]

So that's what the Jello Pudding was for!

[MikeLutton]

I heard tv land dropped reruns of cosby show as well

[Retro4Life]

Wow I am really hoping this isn't true. I was never much of a fan of The Cosby Show (in fact I really disliked it), but the guy's been a role model for decades now, and if this stuff is true, not only is he finished but millions of folks who thought they could point to him and say "Now THERE'S one celebrity I can look up to" are going to be crushed. I have to say, I have a very chilling feeling about this.

Let the investigations continue (if there are any) and let the chips fall where they may. If he's guilty, throw the book at him. If he's not, a lot of people are saying something terrible about an innocent man.

I just feel old reading this.

[Tubehead]

I was never fan of the cosby show he always made goofy faces when he's around kids or teenagers I just didn't think it was that funny I did enjo the movie ghost dad I enjoyed it a lot. I did like the other cobsy show he did one after the cobsy after the cosby show went off the air he had neighbor and lived with his daughter I liked the neighbor cause he was funny he always tried asking out cosby daughter . . I saw him on TV cosby is getting old . how old do you think cobsy is?

[DJM77]

Originally Posted by Tubehead

. how old do you think cobsy is?

He's 77.

[Coffeecup]

[QUOTE=Retro4Life]Wow I am really hoping this isn't true. I was never much of a fan of The Cosby Show (in fact I really disliked it), but the guy's been a role model for decades now, and if this stuff is true, not only is he finished but millions of folks who thought they could point to him and say "Now THERE'S one celebrity I can look up to" are going to be crushed. I have to say, I have a very chilling feeling about this.

I was shocked at the news of him being involved with a crime like this.
for I always felt he was very upstanding clean cut man. Then again you just don't know. If he is innocent, why hasn't come out and say so. With him being so quiet, you wonder why he is hiding. It seem when you keep hiding eventually someone digs and get the evidence.

[Mace Dolex]

Will people look at the old Fat Albert cartoons differently now?

[TVFactFan]

I still don't believe it

[Patty Duke]

I didn't believe it at 1st because of who he was but I was reminded that is the problem......and we didn't know him and never know how quickly someone can change. People who knew Ted Bundy didn't think he was a murderer.

Right now 15 women have stepped forward saying Bill raped them, I believe them. I'm sorry but that is far too many to be a fairy tale. Being a rape survivor my heart goes out to those women he attacked. It is something we might learn to live with but we NEVER forget.

I also know why many refused to step forward when it happened. I didn't report my rape, I only told my boyfriend (now husband) and my boss. Why? I work in a hospital, I have seen how women are treated, like we did something to deserve it, we are made to feel ashamed. The courts treat us like the one who committed the crime instead of the victim. Those women felt nobody would believe them because he WAS BILL COSBY.

I am sorry I didn't report my rape BUT until it happens to you, you have NO idea how you'll handle it all. I hope he gets punished for what he did but considering our justice system, I highly doubt he'll be held accountable.

[Zoneboy]

Originally Posted by Patty Duke

Right now 15 women have stepped forward saying Bill raped them.

Where do you get 15 from? The latest I'm hearing is that 4 have claimed he did it.

Link

In the meantime, four women have come forward publicly in recent days to repeat the decades-old accusations of being drugged, raped or molested.

[waichingliu81]

Originally Posted by Coffeecup

I was shocked at the news of him being involved with a crime like this.
for I always felt he was very upstanding clean cut man. Then again you just don't know. If he is innocent, why hasn't come out and say so. With him being so quiet, you wonder why he is hiding. It seem when you keep hiding eventually someone digs and get the evidence.

he has to speak out. but if he is found guilty, then his reputation is tarnished. if he is found not guilty, then it won't be and that the public moves on from this.

[Patty Duke]

Originally Posted by Zoneboy

Where do you get 15 from? The latest I'm hearing is that 4 have claimed he did it.

Link

On Tuesday, the 15th woman to accuse Bill Cosby of sexual assault came forward. The truth is...it makes no difference if it was 1, 10 or 40.
http://www.vox.com/2014/11/18/723626...ons/in/7013082

[Retro4Life]

Originally Posted by Zoneboy

Where do you get 15 from? The latest I'm hearing is that 4 have claimed he did it.

Link

http://thinkprogress.org/culture/201...of-bill-cosby/

http://www.vox.com/2014/11/19/724904...sexual-assualt

http://flavorwire.com/489388/why-so-...-do-it-earlier

Not vouching for any accuracy here, I'm just noting that she may have gotten the info from these, or other sites.

[Patty Duke]

http://www.hlntv.com/video/2014/11/2...-louisa-moritz