Several Bill Cosby live comedy shows have been axed as “America’s dad” – now 77 years old - continues to face allegations of sexual assault.
The Capitol Theatre in Washington State said Cosby's November 29 show is being postponed indefinitely. Foxwoods Resort Casino in Connecticut had a show scheduled for January 31 and is now also indefinitely postponing it.
More than a dozen women come forward in recent weeks to accuse Cosby of several decades-old sexual assault, including former Cosby writer Joan Tarshis, super model Janice Dickinson and Therese Serignese.
Each woman reported similar pattern of assault involving alcohol, drugs and non-consensual sex in Cosby’s hotel room. They claimed to have remained silent for fear that he could ruin their career in the entertainment industry.
NBC announced last week that it would suspend plans for a new sitcom starring Cosby as the patriarch. It was first announced in January.
Other TV giants have followed suite. TV Land has pulled repeats of his 1980s sitcom The Cosby Show. Netflix has decided not to broadcast a stand-up comedy special “Bill Cosby 77” that was to have been streamed this week.
Cosby has remained silent, and his attorney, John P. Schmitt, has issued a statement saying his client would not dignify “decade-old, discredited” claims of sexual abuse with a response.
A recent on-camera interview with the Associated Press showed a weak and fragile Cosby seated next to his wife Camille refusing to answer questions about the allegations. He then asked the reporter not to air the video.
AP Reporter Brett Zongker had asked about the onslaught of claims of rape dating back to the 1960s when the comedian was promoting his African-American art collection alongside African artworks at the Smithsonian's National Museum of African Art on November 6. The comedian responded reticently, “No, no. We don’t answer that.”
"I think you were told... and I don't want to compromise your integrity, but we don't, I don't talk about it" Cosby told Zongker. "Of what value will it have? And I would appreciate it if it was scuttled…I think if you want to consider yourself to be serious, that it will not appear anywhere."
The AP claimed that since they had made no agreement to avoid questions about the allegations or to withhold releasing any of his comments at any time, they decided to publish the comedian’s full, organic reaction to the questioning after the number of women accusing Cosby of sexual assault had increased.
Cosby is still due to perform two shows on 6 December in Tarrytown, New York and has a string of other dates scheduled in 2015.