Bill Cosby has been a free man again for some time now. Despite being a free man, his troubled past continue to follow him. While people often discuss how Cosby’s legal issues have jeopardized his career, the cast of the Bill Cosby show has also been affected financially. While most have spoken out in support of the actor, Keisha Knight-Pulliam has been the most vocal.
Bill Cosby’s on-screen wife and cast member Phylicia Rashad, has stood by the embroiled TV dad for years. When Bill Cosby was finally released, Rashad took to social media to celebrate the win and share her thoughts on his trial and accusations.
“FINALLY!!! A terrible wrong is being righted — a miscarriage of justice is corrected!” she said on Twitter. Many were confused by Phylicia Rashad’s tweet, especially since Bill Cosby was not acquitted of his charges. Instead, he was let out on a technicality. The unnecessary opinion almost cost her her job as the dean of the Chadwick Boseman College of Fine Arts at Howard University.
The Cosby Show cast member, Malcolm Jamal Warner has also discussed the issues plaguing his television dad and argues that it is all way more nuanced than people would like to believe. For that reason, even after the trial, Malcolm refused to throw his TV dad under the bus.
“It’s so complex, and there’s so many shades of grey that so many people will never get.” Malcolm has opened up about how sad it was to watch their show’s legacy crumble with Mr. Cosby and how they lost out on money from residuals and potential reboots as a result.
Lisa Bonet says she was not surprised about the allegations. As part of the cast of The Cosby Show and its spin-off, It’s A Different World, Bonet was often at odds with Cosby. She admits there was always a “sinister energy” around Bill, although she never knew specifics about the abuse he was shelling out.
Bonet says that Cosby has such a dark shadow around him that he cannot hide it. Tempestt Bledsoe has remained quiet and, to date, has not released a statement on Bill Cosby.
Actress Raven-Symone was far too young to remember much from her days on The Cosby Show cast, but she has released a statement in support of thew women. Raven said in 2017 that she hoped anyone deserving of justice was able to get it and vehemently denied any wrongdoing towards her from Mr. Cosby.
While speaking on The View, the actress was asked about Bill Cosby when she stated, “‘I don’t really like to talk about the Bill Cosby scandal that much because he’s the reason I’m on this panel in the first place.’ Raven-Symone believed it was important to wait until the facts were revealed before making her opinion public.
Keisha Knight Pulliam has had a hard time separating the man she worked with from the man who stood trial. Keisha Knight Pulliam has stood by her opinion that everyone is innocent until proven guilty and has admitted to still loving Mr. Cosby despite all he has been accused of.
She exploded on Amber Rose during an interview after Rose tried to condemn people for supporting Bill. “I feel you, and everyone’s entitled to their opinion, but we still live in a country where you’re innocent till proven guilty,” Pulliam ranted. “And I understand everything that has happened, and me being a feminist and believing women — no means no, and I get that — but, just so you know, I worked with him for a really long time.” Rose eventually apologized and said she “gets it.”
Of all the cast members Keisha Knight Pulliam has been one of the most supportive. The actress stood side-by-side with Cosby, and even attended court hearings. Since the comedian has been convicted, Keisha Knight-Pulliam has remained quiet. Her silence eventually caused a rift between her and Bill Cobsy’s wife, Camille Cosby who believed she didn’t do enough to support Bill.
