Entertainment

Bill Cosby’s Public Moralizing Was His Undoing

Published

11 years ago

July 8, 2015

This Nov. 11, 2014, file photo shows entertainer and Navy veteran Bill Cosby speaking during a Veterans Day ceremony, at the The All Wars Memorial to Colored Soldiers and Sailors in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)

DAVID BAUDER, AP Television Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — For decades, Bill Cosby cast himself as America’s dad and then as America’s granddad, a moralist with tough talk for young people about acting responsibly. It was that image that proved to be his undoing.

The judge who unsealed documents on Monday revealing Cosby’s 2005 admission that he obtained quaaludes to give to young women before sex cited the comedian’s public moralizing in deciding to release the testimony.

The testimony, from a decade-old lawsuit, has called into question Cosby’s denials that he drugged and sexually assaulted women.

Cosby had fought the request from The Associated Press to unseal the material.

But U.S. District Judge Eduardo Robreno in Philadelphia ruled: “The stark contrast between Bill Cosby, the public moralist, and Bill Cosby, the subject of serious allegations concerning improper (and perhaps criminal) conduct, is a matter to which the AP — and by extension the public — has a significant interest.”

Cosby’s moralizing also triggered the most recent round of allegations by more than two dozen women who say he assaulted them. Last October, 31-year-old comedian Hannibal Buress set off the storm when he noted the contrast between Cosby’s image and the accusations.

“He gets on TV, ‘Pull your pants up, black people. I was on TV in the ’80s! I can talk down to you because I had a successful sitcom!'” Buress said. “Yeah, but you rape women, Bill Cosby, so turn the crazy down a couple notches.”

As leader of television’s Huxtable clan in the 1980s, Cosby was the dad who did things right. It was a persona that made him beloved and rich.

And Cosby gave back. He and wife Camille offered millions in donations to colleges and other institutions across the country, including $20 million to Spelman College in 1988. He also freely gave advice and opinions on society’s failings, which weren’t welcomed as much as the money.

One such commentary, a decade ago during a commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision on segregated schools, was cited by Robreno in his ruling. Cosby criticized a lack of parenting among poor families, complaining about young people’s poor speech, dress and dropout rates.

It was labeled the “pound cake” speech for this passage: “Looking at the incarcerated, these are not political criminals,” Cosby said. “These are people going around stealing Coca-Cola. People getting shot in the back of the head over a piece of pound cake! Then we all run out and are outraged: ‘The cops shouldn’t have shot him.’ What the hell was he doing with the pound cake in his hand?”

Cosby has aggressively sought to protect his public image as accusations came forth. His representatives have cast doubt on his accusers, and Cosby sought to get an AP reporter who had asked about them not to use his comments.

He also testified in the 2005 case that he granted the National Enquirer an interview about accusations against him in exchange for the tabloid squelching another story about an alleged assault.

Even before Monday’s release of testimony, the allegations had severely damaged Cosby’s career. NBC walked away from plans to make another Cosby sitcom, TV Land took reruns of “The Cosby Show” off the air, and Netflix shelved plans for a Cosby standup special.

Cosby mounted a standup comedy tour that was dotted with cancellations, and no further appearances are scheduled, according to the industry trade publication Pollstar.

The Bounce TV network, which is geared toward black viewers, announced Tuesday that it is taking its reruns of “Cosby,” the comic’s 1990s-era CBS show, off the air immediately.

And the smaller Centric cable network, which is affiliated with BET and aimed at black women, said it is dropping “The Cosby Show.” The 1980s NBC series was a big chunk of Centric’s schedule, airing four hours a day and in weekend marathons once a month.

It doesn’t appear that “The Cosby Show” is airing regularly anywhere else now in the U.S., said Bill Carroll, an expert on the syndication market for Katz Television. He said he doubts it will return while its star, who turns 78 on Sunday, is alive.

“You never say never,” he said. “But I think in the foreseeable future, I doubt we’re going to see ‘The Cosby Show’ returning.”

It remains to be seen how many minds the newly released testimony will change. But actress and Philadelphia native Jill Scott, who had publicly supported Cosby last fall, said she was “completely disgusted” by what he had to say under oath.

“I stood by a man I respected and loved,” Scott said via Twitter. “I was wrong.”

____

Associated Press correspondent Michael Sisak in Philadelphia and Television Writer Lynn Elber in Los Angeles contributed to this report.

____

Follow David Bauder at twitter.com/dbauder. His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/david-bauder.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Up Next

From Child to Man in the Circus

Don't Miss

Disney Removing Bill Cosby Statue from Hollywood Studios Theme Park

Oakland Post

Click to comment

Activism

Oakland Post: Week of February 11 = 17, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of – February 11 – 17, 2026

Published

3 hours ago

February 16, 2026

Oakland Post

To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Arts and Culture

Book Review: Books on Black History and Black Life for Kids

For the youngest reader, “As You Are: A Hope for Black Sons” by Kimberly A. Gordon Biddle, illustrated by David Wilkerson (Magination Press, $18.99) is a book for young Black boys and for their mothers. It’s a hope inside a prayer that the world treats a child gently, and it could make a great baby shower gift.

Published

6 days ago

February 10, 2026

Oakland Post

Photo of Black History Month book covers by Terri Schlichenmeyer.

By Terri Schlichenmeyer

Authors: Various, Copyright: c. 2025, 2026, Publishers: Various, SRPs: $17.99-$18.99, Page Counts: Various,

Everybody in your family has stories to share.

Your parents have told you some, no doubt. Your grandparents have offered a few, too, and aunties and uncles have spun some good tales. But there’s so much more to know, so grab one of these great books and learn about Black History and Black life.

For the youngest reader, “As You Are: A Hope for Black Sons” by Kimberly A. Gordon Biddle, illustrated by David Wilkerson (Magination Press, $18.99) is a book for young Black boys and for their mothers. It’s a hope inside a prayer that the world treats a child gently, and it could make a great baby shower gift.

If someone said you couldn’t do something that you were clearly able to do, would you fight to do it anyhow? In the new book, “Remember Her Name! Debbie Allen’s Rise to Fame” by Tami Charles, illustrated by Meredith Lucius (Charlesbridge, $17.99), a young girl in the Jim Crow South is told that she can’t dance because of the color of her skin.

She didn’t listen, though, and neither did her mother, who took her daughter to Mexico, where the girl soared! This is an inspiration for any 5-to-7-year-old; be sure to check out the back-of-the-book information, if you’re an adult fan.

Do you often hear your elders say things that sound like lessons? They might be, so “Where There is Love: A Story of African Proverbs” by Shauntay Grant, illustrated by Leticia Moreno (Penguin Workshop, $18.99) is a book you’ll like. It’s a quick-to-read collection of short proverbs that you can say every day. Kids ages 4-to-6 will easily remember what they find in this book; again, look in the back for more information.

Surely, you love your neighborhood, which is why the tale inside “Main Street: A Community Story about Redlining” by Britt Hawthorne and Tiffany Jewell, illustrated by David Wilkerson (Penguin Kokila, $18.99) is a book for you.

Olivia’s neighborhood is having a block party, but she’s sad when no one shows up. That’s when she learns that “the government” is discriminating against the people and businesses near where she lives. So, what can she and her neighbors do? The answer might inspire 6-to-8-year-old kids to stand up to wrongs they see, and to help make their neighborhoods stronger and safer.

And finally, if a kid wants a book, where can they go to find it? In “I’m So Happy You’re Here: A Celebration of Library Joy” by Mychal Threets, illustrated by Lorraine Nam (Random House, $18.99) is a good introduction to the best of what a library has to offer. The freedom to walk into a library and borrow a book is the theme here, as is the sheer happiness of being welcomed, no matter who you are. This is an easy book for kids as young as two and as old as five to enjoy.

On that note, if you want more, head to that library, or a nearby bookstore. They’ll be glad to see you. They’ve got stories to share.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Activism

Art of the African Diaspora Celebrates Legacy and Community at Richmond Art Center

Published

1 week ago

February 9, 2026

Oakland Post

‘Be Still...’ by Virginia Jourdan is on display at the Richmond Art Center (RAC), in Richmond, CA. Photo by Carla Thomas.

By Carla Thomas

The 2026 Art of the African Diaspora exhibition is on display at the Richmond Art Center (RAC) through March 14. The one-room gallery bursts with more than 100 works – paintings, photographs, sculptures, and mixed-media pieces – each affirming the power, beauty, and vitality of cultural expression across the African diaspora.

Now in its 29th year, Art of the African Diaspora is the Bay Area’s longest-running exhibition of its kind. Its roots stretch back to 1989, when artist and educator Marie Johnson Calloway founded Colors of Black, a salon for African American artists. That gathering inspired artists Jan Hart-Schuyers and Rae Louise Hayward to establish The Art of Living Black at the Richmond Art Center in 1996. Their vision was to showcase the creativity of emerging and established Black artists, bridging communities and widening access to audiences historically excluded from mainstream art spaces.

Over the decades, that founding vision has expanded and evolved, carried forward by artists, family members, and the Richmond Art Center after the loss of Hart-Schuyers and Hayward. In 2018, a new generation of artists formed a steering committee to organize the event; a year later, the exhibition was renamed Art of the African Diaspora to embrace the broader global connections of people of African descent.

The new name reflects not only a broader cultural lens but also an empowered community network that supports artists across the Bay Area. As part of this year’s programming, RAC will host ‘Art of the African Diaspora: Public Art in Our Communities,’ a free panel on Sat., Feb. 21, from 12 to 1:30 p.m. Artists Kristine Mays, James Moore, and Malik Seneferu will join arts administrator Denise Pate for a conversation on the impact and process of public art. The discussion will be moderated by longtime arts advocate and producer Flo Wiley.

Each panelist brings a distinctive voice to the conversation. Mays, known for her ethereal wire sculptures that capture movement and spirit, has exhibited internationally and is represented in collections ranging from the Smithsonian to the Crocker Art Museum.

Sculptor and painter James Moore creates abstract metal works and colorful field paintings that explore movement, balance, and emotion. His recent public art installations include large-scale pieces in Richmond’s Shields-Reid Park. Malik Seneferu, a self-taught San Francisco native, has built a large body of work celebrating African American life through vibrant murals and expressive figurative art.

Representing the institutional side, Denise Pate oversees public arts investments as director of Community Investments at the San Francisco Arts Commission, advancing racial and cultural equity through funding and advocacy. Together, these artists and administrators will trace how public art emerges, from concept to community collaboration, and why it matters.

The Art of the African Diaspora exhibition runs through March 14 at the Richmond Art Center, 2540 Barrett Ave., Richmond. The center is open Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission and programs are free and open to the public.