Bill Cosby’s Co-Star Phylicia Rashad On His Accusers: ‘Forget These Women’

FILE - In this Oct. 26, 2009 file photo, actress Phylicia Rashad enters the Kennedy Center to attend the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, honoring Bill Cosby, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, file)

Phylicia Rashad, who played Bill Cosby’s on-screen spouse Claire Huxtable in “The Cosby Show,” has reportedly defended the comedian and slammed the women accusing him of rape and sexual assault.

“Forget these women,” Rashad told Showbizz411 in an artlcle published Tuesday. “What you’re seeing is the destruction of a legacy. And I think it’s orchestrated.”

“I don’t know why or who’s doing it, but it’s the legacy. And it’s a legacy that is so important to the culture,” she added.

Rashad, who had previously remained silent on the allegations, said “oh, please” when some of the accusers were mentioned, the entertainment site reported.

“Someone is determined to keep Bill Cosby off TV,” she continued, according to Showbizz411. “And it’s worked. All his contracts have been cancelled.”

Cosby’s onetime co-star also defended the comedian’s wife, Camille, and said that Cosby should not be expected to address the accusations.

“If he spoke now, what do you think the media would do with it?” she reportedly said.

h/t The Root

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  1. Avatar for anniew anniew says:

    Why, why, why does she need to say this. What was Beverly Johnson’s motive?

    Just because Cosby treated her, a costar, with respect doesn’t mean he treated everyone else that way.

  2. Avatar for grawk grawk says:

    Well, now Bill’s fake wife from TV, and his real wife have defended him. But I find it hard to believe this is a conspiracy.

  3. It’s orchestrated?

    That’s some orchestration, then. Accusations spanning decades are the result of some orchestration?

    Cry me a river.

  4. I get her belief in his innocence. She worked with the man for years and years, knows him well, and believes he’s innocent. I’m sure it’s really tough to accept that someone you’ve known and loved for decades could commit such evil acts. That said, the number of women coming forward should at least raise an eyebrow. Also, unless you were there or know for fact that these assaults didn’t happen, it’s best to shut up about it.

  5. Interesting that she’s not so much defending Cosby because she believes he didn’t do these things, she’s defending him because she sees him as important to “the culture.” I can understand her concern, but the idea that the criticism of Cosby is orchestrated is pretty TH (tinfoil hat).

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