Phylicia Rashad Clears Up Bill Cosby Scandal Comments

Bill Cosby’s former TV wife Phylicia Rashad has set the record straight about remarks attributed to her during her recent defence of the embattled comedian, insisting she was misquoted.

The actress sat down for an exclusive interview with ABC News correspondent Linsey Davis on Wednesday to explain the comments which were reported in a Showbiz411 column.

When talking about Cosby’s sexual assault accusers, Rashad reportedly said, “Forget these women”, but she insists that quote is not accurate.

She tells ABC, “That is not what I said. What I said is, ‘This is not about the women. This is about something else. This is about the obliteration of legacy’. I am a woman. I would never say such a thing.”

She was then asked to address the women who have accused Cosby of sexually assaulting them in a series of decades-old incidents, and the actress added, “I can’t speak to those things and wouldn’t want to.”

The interview aired hours after three more women came forward to accuse Cosby of sexual assault, and attorney Gloria Allred, who represents the trio, took aim at Rashad, stating, “Phylicia, I vow to you that I will not forget these women, because women matter. They deserve respect and dignity. Phylicia, you should be supporting these women rather than joining Cosby’s paid attack dogs who are trying to undermine them in any way they can.”

Rashad reportedly told Showbiz411 she feared the sexual abuse allegations against her The Cosby Show co-star have been “orchestrated” to ruin his legacy, insisting she never witnessed any behavior to suggest there is truth to the claims.

She added, “Someone is determined to keep Bill Cosby off TV… and it’s worked. All his contracts have been canceled.”

Photo Credit:lev radin / Shutterstock.com/Helga Esteb / Shutterstock.com

Responses

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    1. Personally I feel like she elaborated on her original statements since she feels they were taken out of context the first time. Her explanation won’t be good enough for everyone though. At the end of the day her opinion is her opinion. If someone told me something horrific about about a long-time friend and co-worker, and I’d personally never seen signs of anything they were being accused of, I wouldn’t immediately jump on the hate bandwagon either. *shrug*

  1. I am a (67) yr. old white female, Let me just add, that I am not nor have I ever been a ” racist”, In my childhood, in 1958, (my age then 10 ) I was forced to change Schools as my family relocated across town. Most of the whits children,at the new School, were not friendly to me, I was a somewhat shy, timed , child, However many of the Afro-american children befriended me, my best friend was a (10) yr. old Afro-american girl, She remained my best friend until well into the 1990’s.

    At that time in 1958, I asked my best friend to spend the night with me, her Mother agreed. I did not realize that people could be so cruel, however, my “Dad”, called my best friend a “N____”, and screamed, Quote, “What is that Black “N” doing here???” Unquote.

    My best friend and I did not sleep all night, as she was terrified, and I was devastated, my best friend lay awake crying, and I lay awake beside her, trying to comfort her. The next morning her eyes were completely swollen due to her crying all night.that I had to take her by the hand and actually “lead her to School”.

    Due to most of my childhood friends, being “Afro-american, I was heckled, and bullied, even by my own family, all of whom called me a “N____ Lover”…This was devastating to me.

    In my teen yrs. in the 1960’s Bill Cosby was my favorite comedian, among my heroes that I admired and looked up to , was “Dr. martin Luther King Jr.”,

    However I believe it absolutely “Insane” that “Anyone”, would “Believe” that these women (Human Beings) , in their 60’s / 70’s, would come forward with vicious lies, about “Mr. Cosby” merely for the sake of slandering his reputation, destroy his career, and his legacy. and to “Keep him off Television”.

    Rape is nothing that a Rape victim wants to “Flaunt”, or “Broadcast”, it is a very traumatic experience, something that the victim is humiliated with, even though the victim seeks justice..Unfortunately, I happen to be speaking with the experience, as the victim of sexual assault.

    I also would like to say, My sexual assault experience, involved the extreme violation of my rights in gross max, Therefore, I contacted the “Civil Rights Leader”, “Mr. Jesse Jackson” Of whom did not even pay me the common courtesy of a reply to my letter. He merely “Ignored” my plea for help, I suppose he “Just forgot me” Uh, yeah.

    In my books, “Jesse Jackson” may have “filled”, “Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s”, “Chair”, But “Jesse Jackson”, Will “NEVER”, fill, “Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s, Shoes”.

    I honestly believe that had I been any thing but a “White Woman”, I would have received a reply to my letter from “Mr. Jesse Jackson”.

    Sue