The Coz

Like probably most of you, this is the Bill Cosby I grew up knowing:

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gud6kankXo[/youtube]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fhs9zvLZa8M[/youtube]

[youtube]http://youtu.be/q6YowgQajpY[/youtube]

So it’s difficult to stomach or ignore this:

Janice Dickinson Joins Cosby Accusers

The self-proclaimed “world’s first supermodel” has joined two others in claiming that comedian and actor Bill Cosby once sexually assaulted them. During a 1982 meeting near Lake Tahoe, Dickenson claims that Cosby gave her “wine and a pill” after dinner. “The next morning I woke up and I wasn’t wearing my pajamas,” she told Entertainment Tonight. “And I remember before I passed out that I had been sexually assaulted by this man.” The last thing she remembered was Cosby “in a patchwork robe, dropping his robe and getting on top of me.” Dickinson’s account matches closely with the other two accusers, Jan Tarshis—who went public over the weekend—and Barbara Bowman who both published first hand accounts that included being drugged.

As they say, “Where there’s smoke, there’s fire”. When you have multiple accusers coming forth, it becomes a lot more difficult to believe that there is simply nothing to the accusations.

So what do you when you’re a fan of a person’s body of work; yet that person turns out to have personal failings that are morally repugnant? I suppose it depends upon the severity of the “failing”, and the weight it carries on your conscience.

Cosby, after all, is not alone. No one is perfect- least of all, Hollywood celebrities. Their politics alone are sometimes too much baggage for me to ignore.

I absolutely love Bruce Springsteen’s music, even though I cannot stand his political bloviating. Of course, this holds true for most popular musical artists. Liberals simply make great music. I simply hold my nose and listen. Recently, though, instead of “Shut up and sing”, I’d say, “Shut up…and shut up”. Does my supporting Springsteen’s music by purchasing his CDs also support his political donations? Going that route would be just a futile and misguided as proponents of gay marriage banning Chic-fil-A over same-sex marriage; unless you’re really that passionate about the issue.

Should any of us feel guilt over enjoying Wagner’s “Ride of the Valkyrie” or “Siegfried’s Funeral March”? Does this mean I should also ban “Excalibur“ from my video library?

Is it okay for me to still laugh at this scene from Naked Gun:

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2_tJIgfnDA[/youtube]

As much as I want to enjoy the clip, I have trouble separating the character of Nordberg from the man who plays him. I still enjoy it. But not like I used to.

I’m not a fan of Woody Allen’s movies (I’ve actually never seen one). But many are. How do they go on supporting the man’s body of work?

I was a fan of Chris Benoit, the WWE wrestler who killed his wife and kid; then hung himself. Does the severity of his crime mean I should erase from memory the legacy of his professional career? The brilliant matches and storylines he participated in?

Is Bill Cosby’s message to blacks any less important, even if the allegations leveled at him are true? Does it resonate with any less truth?

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGqlrVmVULc[/youtube]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-ggrIbX0TE[/youtube]

Certainly not.

This was kind of a random find:
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPHLueEFfz0[/youtube]

I know none of the allegations have proven to be true. They remain allegations, at the moment. But the allegations alone are already damaging him.

And if it turns out that he had raped these women, possibly others…rapists rank extremely low on my totem pole of human character.

Bill Cosby’s professional career, his personal political beliefs, his moral character…they are all intertwined. Can one be a role model in one area; and a despicable villain in another? Or does something like this taint the entire man from being regarded as anything but being defined by his worst aspect?

We are all mixed bags, imperfect in our humanness. Cosby can still have positive messages and hold views that resonate; but he will have become less effective at being a messenger.

And when it comes to his comedy, I already am having trouble laughing like I used to.