Thoughts About Bill Cosby

BY LAURA THOMPSON

Bill Cosby is a household name worldwide.  I grew up listening to his commentary and jokes on albums; watched "Fat Albert" and ran to the TV when the Jello Pudding commercials would air.  I never had the privilege of seeing him in person, but I found him to be a person that was able to relate to his audience very well.  Those are the things that appeared on the surface.  Without accusing him of anything, his best foot forward was always presented to the world, because that's the persona he was selling.

I've had the opportunity to work with many celebrity personalities behind the scenes and some of their behavior was quite surprising.  Once I came to grips that they are human and are prone to mistakes and missteps just like anyone else, I began to look at celebrities, as just people and not idols to be worshiped.

Because we do not know Bill Cosby personally, off stage or behind the scenes, it's hard to grasp what he might be capable of doing.  We'd love to think that he would not rape someone or even have to go to those extremes to sleep with a woman in light of his popularity, but it's not impossible.

I have followed the bits a pieces of news stories that have been made available on Facebook, Huffington Post, AP news; heard about his refusal to answer questions about the allegations and thought to myself; "he could have very well done this", but he just can't seem to come to grips that these allegations are real and he might need to at some point defend himself.

I can see how a man in his position could feel entitled to sleep with any woman he chooses and how he could somehow be appalled that someone would have the audacity to turn him down; but I can also see a woman wanting to be involved with him because of his position.

There have been several women that have worked with him as children that say they respect him and he would never do anything like that, but he was probably smart enough to know that he should keep his distance because he worked so close to the young girls, but that does not necessarily release him from the fact that he approached other women in an abusive way...in other words raped them.

I hope Bill didn't stoop this low, but I don't know Bill personally...in fact, I don't know him at all.  Just from TV and that's not enough for me to rule out the allegations of the women that have stepped forward and accused him of rape nor is it enough to say, he would never do it.  No one is a saint...and if he did it...I hope justice is done.