While there are two very factual writings on Bill Cosby, I decided to add my take on the current situation. Yes, Bill broke some stereotypes; Bill was smart enough to do projects that appealed to many. Personally, I always equate him with Jell-O, a product that should be banned, however the commercials are etched in my mind, vividly.
I heard he kept plenty of cash on hand, not checks, which are traceable, but that's a minor detail in the grand scheme of the accusations. Supposedly, one is innocent until proven guilty but we all know it does not always work that way. As for the statute of limitations, his reputation will be tarnished for the rest of his life.
Personally, I met Bill Cosby in the late 1970's, when he came to the community college I went to and worked at, because somehow the school was able to book him for a fundraiser. (I was attending there because they had a sliding scale day care center and I had a three year old daughter.)
I could not afford the ticket price, so I volunteered to be an usher and cleanup person, with the proviso I could bring my then 3 year old daughter. The volunteers had to set up as well and be there during rehearsal in case Mr. Cosby wanted anything. (We were instructed ahead of time by one of his people not to talk to him unless he spoke to us and to call him Mr. Cosby.)
It was a 7pm show and he arrived late, smelling like booze, but wearing one of his casual sweaters. He looked around the room, which had no audience yet, and complained that he was in an auditorium/gym. We had fashioned a small stage, draped it with bright cloth from the theatre department.
To keep my energetic daughter busy, I got her some crayons and paper to draw pictures for him, thinking of him as the person who made Jell-O commercials with smiling children. Meanwhile, Bill was not happy with the chair we had set up on the small stage he was not happy with, either. As he complained about the sound system and the lighting, I was quietly asked to get him a strong cup of coffee.
By the time he had coffee, and we changed what we could, he complained about the temperature in the room. My daughter tried to give him her pictures and he said, "Get the kid out of here." The audience was ushered in; I heard he did less than the hour promised, but I chose to walk out as soon as he started, my 3 year old daughter's hand in mine.
Bill Cosby made my daughter cry and I had to console her, explaining that just because people are famous, he had no right to be so rude to the volunteers and more importantly, no excuse at all to be mean to my little girl. Current allegations are sad, for all concerned. I guess when a performer and the real person get intertwined in our minds, we feel fooled or betrayed.