Raven-Symoné says ‘The Bill Cosby Show’ “deserves all of its flowers” despite sexual assault allegations
Despite the stack of assault allegations against Bill Cosby, his former co-star Raven-Symoné has said his sitcom, The Bill Cosby Show, still deserves praise, as she considers matters of public and private life separate.
Cosby was previously jailed in 2018 for drugging and sexually assaulting Andrea Constand in 2004, yet he was released in 2021 after the conviction was overturned on a legal technicality. However, the guilty verdict still stands. Additionally, a lawsuit in 2023 accused the star of drugging and raping a woman in 1972.
Appearing newly on the Hate to Break It to Ya podcast, Raven-Symoné made her opinion on the matter known, stating, “Separate the creator from the creation. And that’s just where I live. The creation changed America… changed television.”
Symoné played the character Olivia Kendall alongside Cosby on his NBC sitcom from 1989 until the show’s end in 1992. It ran for almost 200 episodes.
Despite still praising the show, the star went on to acknowledge that “He’s also been accused of some horrific things. That does not excuse, but that’s his personal [life]. So personally, keep that there, and then business-wise, know what he did there as well.”
Ultimately, in her eyes, The Cosby Show “deserves all of its flowers, no matter what happened after.”
She continued, “I will always credit everyone on that set from top to bottom for creating who I am today and allowing me to have the career that I have. They took a chance on someone who had never been in the industry before.”
Cosby has denied all of the allegations involving sex crimes; he has been accused of rap, sexual assault, and sexual harassment by more than 60 women over four decades.
For help, advice or more information regarding sexual harassment, assault and rape in the UK, visit the Rape Crisis charity website. In the US, visit RAINN.
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