I guess the mainstream media has already made up its mind and has decided to play judge, jury, and executioner, when it comes to Bill Cosby and the 20 plus women who are allegedly accusing him of sexual misconduct. This is despite no evidence, no police report, and of course many of them waiting over 30 years to come forward with claims of Cosby drugging and performing unwanted sexual acts on each of them; even though many of their stories are as shaky as the San Andrea’s fault. Nevertheless, the liberal media wants to make sure Cosby’s peers or anyone who happens to be a black actor or a black comedian, follows a deliberate script aligned with questions such as:

“So what do you think about the Cosby situation? I mean, with all of the women coming forward and all … Do you think Cosby should come forward or say anything?”

As if Cosby’s situation has anything to do with another celebrity’s latest project, movie, or musical endeavor, nonetheless, I believe (in my opinion) these questions are asked to see who’s willing to play the “shame game” or not. Obviously, they do it with us the viewing audience as I have witnessed countless people on social media and via the blogosphere either condemning the famed comedian or lending their outright support. Needless to say, the Cosby scandal continues to make headline news instead of making legal pleadings, complaints, and court documents. Other comedians have chimed in publicly taking gratuitous shots at Cosby such as Tina Fey and Amy Poehler (both former SNL standouts) during this year’s Golden Globes; and Larry Wilmore dedicating a scathing segment to Cosby during the newly revamped “The Nightly Show.” So now we have yet another comedian—Eddie Murphy–being asked not about his perspective on the Cosby situation; however, but to participate in a SNL staple comedic sketch called “Celebrity Jeopardy.”

From 1980 to 1984, Eddie Murphy was a budding comedic star that made his way into American homes impersonating memorable characters such as Buckwheat, James Brown, Michael Jackson, Sammy Davis Jr, Mr. Robinson (as a spoof of Mr. Rodgers), Stevie Wonder, and Bill Cosby. Often credited for helping revitalize SNL’s popularity during the 1980’s, Murphy would go on to achieve enormous Hollywood film success which has spanned the course of three decades. Once word got out that the 53 year-old Murphy was returning to the SNL set for the first time in 30 years, insiders thought Murphy had finally put old SNL “beef” behind him. The beef stems from how Murphy felt several cast mates (David Spade in particular) and producers tried to denigrate his career and it was allowed to be a part of the show as he spoke candidly in a 2011 interview with Rolling Stone:

“There was that David Spade sketch [when Spade showed a picture of Murphy around the time of Vampire in Brooklyn and said, ‘Look, children, a falling star’]. I made a stink about it, it became part of the folklore. What really irritated me about it at the time was that it was a career shot. It was like, ‘Hey, come on, man, it’s one thing for you guys to do a joke about some movie of mine, but my career? I’m one of you guys …”

Murphy stated that he is cool with Spade and no longer holds any grudge against the fellow SNL alum. This leads me to the eventful night when Murphy was asked to participate in the “Celebrity Jeopardy” skit doing an impression that’s he’s already done so famously before; Bill Cosby. Writer-comedian Norm MacDonald tried to convince the legendary performer to reprise his famous impression of Cosby for the skit but Murphy blankly refused. In a series of tweets that covered the 40th anniversary event, MacDonald summed up the reason why he thought Murphy didn’t go on by tweeting:

Eddie decides the laughs are not worth it. He will not kick a man when he is down.

— Norm Macdonald (@normmacdonald) February 19, 2015

Unfortunately, what one black man won’t do another one–Kenan Thompson–will do; especially at the behest of SNL’s menial chucks and giggles. And for the record, this is the same guy who played the lead role in a Cosby created Filmation animated character in the movie Fat Albert. But I guess some of us don’t mind doing the jig or putting on those proverbial tap shoes in an attempt to clown a fellow black man who has done nothing but uplift his own community. This brings me back to Eddie Murphy deciding not to participate in the comedic sketch. Maybe Murphy remembers how his former employer treated him over 20 years ago by having his contemporaries use disparaging jokes to make light of his career. Maybe he understands wholeheartedly what the media is doing to Cosby by essentially convicting him by way of public opinion. Funny how the liberal media (lead by so-called third wave feminism) spews out the notion of how terrible our alleged “rape culture” is yet has no problem with having its liberal jester bots make fun of Cosby who’s being accused of rape! But leave it to our walking dead society to make that, make sense.

From what I’ve seen on social media these days, many in the black community have expressed ambivalent feelings when it comes to the alleged accusations stacked against Cosby. Most people I’ve come across have said Cosby didn’t do it and these women were apart of a culture in Hollywood who would do anything to break into the business. On the other hand, you have others who say this is payback and Cosby deserves to suffer after his inflammatory remarks he made towards African-Americans in his highly publicized “Pound Cake” speech. Moreover these mounting allegations erupted during what was supposed to be the year of Cosby’s comeback to prime time television last year. Personally, I do believe Cosby had some run-in’s, conversations, meetings (public or private) with some of these women. Whether or not he did anything sexual with all of them is their word versus Cosby’s (which his lawyer has claimed not to be true). Also, I find it highly impossible for a BLACK MAN living in America during that time these allegations took place that not one of the victims went to the police because Bill Cosby was such a ‘powerful’ man. Ask yourself this: when has America and its criminal justice system NOT jump at the chance to arrest and convict any black man due to an allegation of rape coming from the mouth of a WHITE woman? Where’re talking late 60’s and early 70’s when some of these accusations took place and America was just coming out of the Civil Rights Movement, Jim Crow, and second wave Feminism was at its peak. Think about the social-political climate that was in existence at that time; nevertheless, the government still took down Malcolm, Martin, and the Black Panthers. This climate lead many of us to believe things were changing socially for the better–and to a degree it was for everyone except the black man.

Now the question shouldn’t be why I applaud Eddie Murphy for not throwing Bill Cosby under the bus; rather why haven’t more people come to his defense? Only former fellow Huxtable co-star, Phylicia Rashad and veteran comedian Sinbad, have made public remarks in contrast to how the media is painting Cosby as a pill-popping, sexual deviant. Rashad spoke earlier this year in an article for Roger Friedman’s Showbiz 411, about how she feels about the entire fiasco surrounding Cosby:

“What you’re seeing is the destruction of a legacy. And I think it’s orchestrated. I don’t know why or who’s doing it, but it’s the legacy. And it’s a legacy that is so important to the culture.”

Immediately after Rashad’s comments where publicized, you would have thought Rashad and Cosby had essentially, like one of Murphy’s top films and “Traded Places.” Rashad was immediately met with harsh criticism and leading the charge was feminist/women’s right’s attorney Gloria Allred; who vowed that unlike Rashad, she would not “forget these women” which was a quote taken out of context made by Rashad. Then during the same month, you had famed comedian Sinbad appeared on Power 105’s “The Breakfast Club” in a candid interview discussing the high and low times of his career, the current state of black music, Hollywood, and “The Cos.” During this classic interview (yes, I said classic), Sinbad discussed how Hollywood never liked Cosby and that the only reason why “The Cosby Show” was created because “he didn’t like what was on television.” At the 23:00 minute mark, Sinbad explains why many of the accusations aren’t adding up and elaborates further:

“Being with him [Cosby] and all I’ve seen this is so hard for me to take in. This is not the man I know. Like I said, we don’t ever really know anybody; and then when I hear some of the stories, some ring and some don’t ring right. One woman said it went on for four years? How many drinks did you take over a four year period before you realized ‘you shouldn’t drink’?”

While Rashad, Sinbad, and Murphy have been praised by Cosby for standing up for him; no one else has been more supportive than his actual wife, Camille. Married to Cosby for over 50 years, Camille has stood firmly by her husband’s side and has appeared unwavered amidst the controversy involving her husband. The mother of five released a statement last December and among the affectionate words she had for her husband; however, the most profound is when she describes the media’s depiction of her husband:

“A different man has been portrayed in the media over the last two months. It is the portrait of a man I do not know. It is also a portrait painted by individuals and organizations whom many in the media have given a pass. There appears to be no vetting of my husband’s accusers before stories are published or aired. An accusation is published, and immediately goes viral.”

No matter who comes to Cosby’s defense publicly in the future; having the woman you’ve been married to for over half a century being your most staunch supporter, speaks volumes. It speaks volumes because no matter how much the media wants to villianize him as some sick sexual pervert; Cosby’s greatest legacy lies within the strength, love, and loyalty he has with his family. Moreover, this is the reason why “The Cosby Show” was so significant because it was an actual extension or reflection, of his own real-life family. I esteem Mr. Cosby because not only did he champion morals and the values of getting a quality education; but stressed the importance family no scratch that, the black family. Because it used to be said, practiced, and believed by black people living in this country is when it comes down to family, “family is all you got.” Yet, if you were to gaze into the lives and households of the average black family in 2015; it seems like we have all but forgotten that mantra.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});