Gloria Allred Bill Cosby Victims Press Conference

Bill Cosby took to the stage to perform stand up in Ontario, Canada as if he’s not in the middle of a media storm of sexual assault allegations mounting against him. The was the first of three shows Cosby has in Canada. As we all know, as many as 10 of those shows has been cancelled because of the allegations.

Reports claim that Cosby wore a sweatshirt that read, “Hello Friend” and the stage was decorated with two giant posters of Cosby happily posing with Nelson Mandela. What kind of message could Cosby have been sending with his wardrobe and decorative choices? Cosby’s last performance in Florida received a standing ovation and so did this one, even though the crowd was hardly as large as the Florida performance. Many ticket holders decided to boycott the show, leaving the theater two-thirds full. “I had a wonderful time,” Cosby said to the crowd before the audience erupted in applause.

There were a handful protestors outside of the venue heckling Cosby, with signs that read, “Rape is no joke” and “He Said: 1, She Said: 26+,” shouting, “You support rape!” But it was one in particular who caught national news attention when he said, “Congratulations on your first show of 2015. Talk about starting the year with a bang! We hope it was consensual, Billy!” The man can be heard shouting out in a video captured by NBC.  

Cosby is also scheduled to appear at the Budweiser Gardens in London on Thursday and at the Hamilton Place Theatre in Hamilton on Friday. Hours before Cosby took the stage on Wednesday, attorney Gloria Allred said three more women are accusing the comedian of drugging and sexually assaulting them in Las Vegas or Los Angeles between 1981 and 1996.
Up Next: Gloria Allred Reveals Three New Bill Cosby Accusers

Gloria Allred held a press conference on Wednesday Jan. 7th and revealed three new women who have all come forward for the first time to accuse Bill Cosby of sexual assault. Before Allred even introduced the women–Linda Kirkpatrick, Lynn Neal and “Kacey,” (who obviously doesn’t want her real named used) she went in on the comments Cosby’s TV wife, Phylicia Rashad allegedly made in reaction to the women coming out again him. Rashad was quoted saying, “Forget these women,” by Showbizz411.com And Allred said:

“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.”

Kirkpatrick, Neal and Kacey all read statements about their Cosby encounters in detail, but wouldn’t take any questions. Each of them had stories that detailed similar experiences with having to wet their hair, getting drugged and facing sexual assault.

Kirkpatrick met Cosby at a tennis tournament in Las Vegas in 1981 and he invited her to see his show. She claims he offered her a drink at a party in his dressing room, she blacked out and found Cosby on top of her, kissing her with force. She says she fought him off, Cosby apologized and she went back to the show before the attack went any further.

Neal says she met Cosby when she was working as a therapist at a health club where he was a regular. Allegedly, Cosby invited her to see his show, just as he did with Kirkpatrick, offered her drinks, but wouldn’t let her eat. After his show, Neal says she felt “disoriented and confused,” and that’s when she says Cosby walked her to her dressing room and raped her. “He betrayed my trust and took advantage of me,” Neal said.

“Kacey” claimed she met Cosby when she was working for Tom Illius, Cosby’s agent at William Morris Agency. She claims they were friendly work acquaintances and she even considered him a “father figure.” They’ve dined together with her children and she claims he even called her at home. But it was during a one-on-one meeting at the Bel Air hotel where he invited her to discuss career plans that she says Cosby took advantage of her. Kacey says Cosby insisted she take a “large white pill” to help her relax and the next thing she knew, she woke up in a bed next to Cosby, who was naked under his robe.

Allred said, “I have been in contact with Mr. Cosby’s representatives in regard to the two challenges or invitations that I have offered to him. One was that he invite all the women to sue and he agree that he would not assert his statute of limitations.” Allred’s hoping that a closed door mediation with Cosby, his accusers and a judge would be the best option for closure on this case.

Up Next: Journalist Who Shared  “Forget These Women” Quote From Phylicia Rashad Clears It Up

Roger Friedman from Showbiz411.com shared his exclusive interview with Phylicia Rashad where he asked her about the accusations against the legendary comedian and actor. Friedman quoted Rashad as saying, “Forget these women” and claimed that Cosby’s legacy is being targeted. Friedman’s quote went viral and people were shocked, saddened and mostly disgusted by Rashad’s comment.

Friedman displayed his journalistic responsibility to clear up Rashad’s statements, saying she didn’t mean her words in the way that we took them–as dismissal:

“Folks, I have been out of pocket all day on a personal matter. Let me clear something. I did not misquote Phylicia Rashad. But she didn’t mean for it to be taken the way it was, and I should have punctuated. There was NEVER the meaning in ‘Forget those women’ that she was saying to actually forget or dismiss then. She meant, ‘those women aside’– as in, she’s not talking about that, she’s talking about Cosby’s legacy being destroyed. It was conversational. Somehow this got twisted. I am really sorry if the way I presented it made it seem like either one of us was forgetting anyone. I’ve been at a hospice on and off for 10 days with a family friend of 40 years. So really, let’s all calm down. What Phylicia was doing was defending her friend and his legacy. That’s what she said, that’s what I wrote, I’m sorry if it caused her grief. And no one asked me to write this. I’m just saying it because I like and respect her.

PS I am also taking out the “Forget those women” because it was misunderstood, and not for any other reason.

Well, that clears that up. Rashad was not intended to shame the alleged victims of Bill Cosby, she didn’t even want to talk about said victims, but about Cosby’s legacy being thrown away as he’s accused of being a sexual predator. Either way, we’re still not sure what to believe when it comes to this terrible Cosby controversy. Our hearts go out to the victims.