# Can we talk about Bill Cosby? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 19, 2014, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-talk-about-bill-cosby/705075 "2014-11-19T15:24:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 31
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-talk-about-bill-cosby/705075/602 "2014-12-12T19:24:51Z")
I’d like to agree with you, and say it’s just a tiny minority of people. and you’re probably right. But the degree to which it has come out of late that (many) men think they have the right to women’s bodies and women’s autonomy is frankly, depressing. Catcalling is just awesome and women should appreciate it. Women are often at least partially responsible for their own rapes. Women are always making false rape claims. Women are quick to play the rape card. If I didn’t have such a wonderful, gentlemanly, kind, loving man at home, who really is the epitome of the “good guy” I might be even more jaded and cynical than I am. But, no, I don’t intend to go and fight all the good fights of the world. 🙂 I’m just gonna go home and play Wasteland 2 until my eyes bleed. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-talk-about-bill-cosby/705075/603 "2014-12-12T19:32:55Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > If I didn’t have such a wonderful, gentlemanly, kind, loving man at home, who really is the epitome of the “good guy” I might be even more jaded and cynical than I am. My life is actually full of ‘‘good guys’’ so I guess that tempers my view. > [@](#): > > But, no, I don’t intend to go and fight all the good fights of the world. 🙂 I’m just gonna go home and play Wasteland 2 until my eyes bleed. I was gonna say something snarky about women not playing video games but… holy shit, that looks awesome. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-talk-about-bill-cosby/705075/604 "2014-12-12T19:41:10Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > My life is actually full of ‘‘good guys’’ so I guess that tempers my view. > I was gonna say something snarky about women not playing video games but… holy shit, that looks awesome. My social world is probably smaller than yours, plus I work with all women. 🙂 It’s old school RPG and it is lots of fun. I was really really hesitant and dubious to play it, but there was a Steam sale and I got suckered in. I loved Wasteland 1 so much and I was afraid they’d muck it up. And then I started playing…and now I’m over halfway through and up to my eyeballs in scrap. ---
**Author:** ![Turpentine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecd19e/32.png) [@Turpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turpentine)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-talk-about-bill-cosby/705075/605 "2014-12-12T19:44:21Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > The “roofied and raped” schtick was popularized in the late 90s or so and most of the time , no drugs are found, just alcohol. The evil male, who slips a drug into a woman’s drink to take advantage of her, might make a good character in a Lifetime movie. However, those movies are fictional. Yes, these stories are trendy, fictional tall tales that were only invented in the 90s. Funny how several pages back in the thread, we had Starving Artist saying just the opposite- that back in the 60s college guys were drugging women and sleeping with them left and right and it was a-OK back then! The women even laughed about it afterward! So, which is it? A trendy story? A real occurrence that’s happened hundreds of times that no one should get upset about? Or is the answer “any answer that makes defends a rapist’s actions and makes it all the woman’s fault”? ---
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-talk-about-bill-cosby/705075/606 "2014-12-12T20:14:58Z")
Are you suggesting that SA and dalej42 are the same person? If not, then I don’t see the logic. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-talk-about-bill-cosby/705075/607 "2014-12-12T20:35:14Z")
> [@you\_with\_the\_face](#): > > A man in his position could get all the consensual sex he could ever want. The fact above, the 2005 trial and the fact of so many women coming forward are why I’m convinced of his guilt. > [@Anaamika](#): > > I just don’t have the words. ☹ Posts like that don’t deserve your words. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-talk-about-bill-cosby/705075/608 "2014-12-12T21:16:50Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Some people say “These stories are too similar to be believable.” Well I wouldn’t have said that–the similarities are part of what makes them very believable IMO. But in any case, see later posts in the thread for other responses to my post which I think make good points. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-talk-about-bill-cosby/705075/609 "2014-12-12T21:17:50Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > Damn it. It’s not like these things are standard issue. You really have to know someone who knows someone. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-talk-about-bill-cosby/705075/610 "2014-12-12T21:20:41Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > I don’t think all women who make rape claims are gold diggers. My mistake. It appears that you think they are either gold diggers, crazy, or liars. That makes you sound much better. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-talk-about-bill-cosby/705075/611 "2014-12-12T21:57:42Z")
> [@Turpentine](#): > > we had Starving Artist saying just the opposite- that back in the 60s college guys were drugging women and sleeping with them left and right and it was a-OK back then! The women even laughed about it afterward! Nope, not drugged…drunk. And of their own volition. And yes, people were responsible for their own actions back then. And one woman I’m aware of laughed about it afterward. Are you stupid? Or just dishonest? ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-talk-about-bill-cosby/705075/612 "2014-12-12T22:59:48Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > Are you suggesting that SA and dalej42 are the same person? If not, then I don’t see the logic. I read it as an observation that some among those who would dismiss and demean the accusations have \*themselves \* multiple not necessarily consistent stories as to why. Either it was back in a time when it was no big deal, or it’s a trendy recent moral panic/SJW cause, or there there’s a lot of vindictive crazy women who play the “rape card” too casually, or the women failed to seek prosecution on the spot, or the stories are too similar or the stories are too dissimilar; what they have in common is that there’s some reason why the women are not to be believed, or that in any case if Cosby actually did something, it was not \*that _bad(_). Problem with the last one is that it involves admitting that _something did happen_ that was not entirely harmless and innocent(\*\*). This variance by itself is no more condemning than inconsistencies on the other side, since every person has a different way of looking at the world, but some of them, as in whether drugged rape was a 60s or a 90s moral panic seem to lead to it never having been an issue. (\*) A large number of the accusations have a common element of that he tried to or did, what we used to call, “take advantage” of her(\*\*) while drunk or high. Well guess what: a large segment of the population in the year 2014 now calls that “rape”. Should it be so? There have been debate threads on that before. (\*\*Which BTW you may notice that though not portrayed as criminal the term “taking advantage of her” is still loaded with the meaning of it being unethical.) ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-talk-about-bill-cosby/705075/613 "2014-12-12T23:44:15Z")
Again, I must say: Who provided Cosby with the drugs? It sounds as though this was not something scored from a pal after a gig. Rapid onset of the drug makes me believe it was a pharmaceutical that Cosby was buying. From who? Responsibility, responsibility… ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-talk-about-bill-cosby/705075/614 "2014-12-13T02:42:08Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > First of all, Patton Oswalt’s rants on Bill Cosby are irrelevant. It’s the equivalent of a punk athlete coming onto the field with his hands up or wearing a stupid T shirt. Just whoring for attention. > > These accusers fall into one or more of these 3 categories: > > 1. The obvious one is gold digging for money. I certainly believe Cosby’s claim of extortion by one of the women and I wouldn’t be surprised if there were multiple extortion attempts. When they say it’s not about the money, it IS about the money. > > 2. Revenge. I can believe that Cosby had numerous one night stands over the years. Many men are jerks the next morning after a one nighter. Plus, I’m sure some of the women felt guilty for getting drunk and having sex. Piling on the Bill Cosby bandwagon is an easy way to take down a previously squeaky clean icon. Also, he made it, not only in Hollywood, but as a well respected figure outside of TV. I’m sure there’s jealousy from many of these women who were only able to make it with minor roles in TV movies. > > 3. Publicity. It kinda ties in with the above two points. Going on the news with their stories of being drugged and raped gets their name out there. I’m sure some of these women wouldn’t mind some talk show appearances or paid newspaper or magazine articles. Plus, there’s always a chance that someone might revive a sagging career in Hollywood. > > I don’t believe Cosby is a sexual predator. He’s not the first famous person to bed a lot of women. The Bill Cosby “Himself” comedy show is one of the funniest routines I’ve ever seen. I’ll watch it again this weekend as well as searching out more of Cosby’s comedy work. I was never much of a fan of the Cosby Show, but he’s a great comedian. They must all be very very bad women. All of them, greedy little hands trying to get a piece of his pie. He’s probably just attracted to the wrong kind of woman, that’s all. Just wanted to help them all relax, I’m sure. ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-talk-about-bill-cosby/705075/615 "2014-12-13T06:34:03Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > Are you stupid? Or just dishonest? This is a warning for you, because you’ve been here way long enough to know calling others stupid is against the rules outside of the Pit. And before the point is made that you technically weren’t calling anyone stupid, but rather asking, I’m telling you it still counts as an insult. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-talk-about-bill-cosby/705075/616 "2014-12-13T07:53:09Z")
Mea culpa. Thought I was in the Pit. And of course it’s an insult. Despite your presumption I’m not the type to try splitting hairs over such things as asking/calling in the first place. On the rare occasion I screw up and break a board rule it’s always been my practice to acknowledge it and take pains not to do it again, which is what I will do this time as well. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 10:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-talk-about-bill-cosby/705075/617 "2014-12-13T10:16:07Z")
Nm. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 10:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-talk-about-bill-cosby/705075/618 "2014-12-13T10:17:47Z")
> [@Cartooniverse](#): > > Again, I must say: Who provided Cosby with the drugs? It sounds as though this was not something scored from a pal after a gig. Rapid onset of the drug makes me believe it was a pharmaceutical that Cosby was buying. > > From who? Responsibility, responsibility… To quote Noah: “Riiiiight.” :rolleyes: It doesn’t matter where Cos got the drugs. He’s still responsible for how he used them. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-talk-about-bill-cosby/705075/619 "2014-12-13T13:08:36Z")
> [@Cartooniverse](#): > > Again, I must say: Who provided Cosby with the drugs? You’re suggesting Nazis are responsible, or am I reading too much into this? ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-talk-about-bill-cosby/705075/620 "2014-12-13T14:00:32Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > Well I wouldn’t have said that–the similarities are part of what makes them very believable IMO. But in any case, see later posts in the thread for other responses to my post which I think make good points. I would say that the similarities, combined with the fact that many of the women seem to have witnesses who claim they told that story privately at the time – when the women presumably hadn’t talked to each other, or read the public comments – is what makes them believable. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-talk-about-bill-cosby/705075/621 "2014-12-13T14:10:13Z")
> [@Cartooniverse](#): > > Again, I must say: Who provided Cosby with the drugs? It sounds as though this was not something scored from a pal after a gig. Rapid onset of the drug makes me believe it was a pharmaceutical that Cosby was buying. > > From who? Responsibility, responsibility… Why do you care? Drugs (most of which are pharmaceuticals) are widely available, especially if you are rich and in show business. He may have had several suppliers. He may have convinced those suppliers he needed the drugs to help him sleep, or they may have suggested that he use them to rape women. What difference does it make? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-talk-about-bill-cosby/705075.md?page=30) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-talk-about-bill-cosby/705075.md?page=32)