Bill Cosby and his epic fall from grace continues on amid a bevy of allegations from women who say the longtime comic and actor drugged and raped them. The firestorm of controversy led Cosby to resign from Temple University’s board of trustees, with him adding that he didn’t want to be a distraction.
Cosby’s love of Temple University is noted, and he has represented heavily for his alma mater. Cosby joined the school’s board in 1982, and has used his celebrity to serve as a booster. However, the din of the rape allegations continues to grow louder and Cosby was forced to make the separation.
The Associated Press writes:
“I have always been proud of my association with Temple University. I have always wanted to do what would be in the best interests of the university and its students. As a result, I have tendered my resignation,” Cosby said in a statement released by the university.
Board chairman Patrick O’Connor told The Associated Press that the comedian does not want to be a distraction.
“The Board of Trustees accepts Dr. Cosby’s resignation … and thanks him for his service,” the university said in its release.
The AP notes that O’Connor once defended Cosby in a 2005 civil lawsuit in where a Temple Basketball employee says he drugged and assaulted her at his mansion. Cosby said he gave the woman Benadryl, and the case was eventually settled.
Hannibal Buress, according to an article by the Daily Beast, might have been an early catalyst in making the allegations go viral after telling a joke about Cosby being a rapist while in Philadelphia. Since that October performance, several women have come forth sharing similar stories.
Cosby continues to deny any involvement, and he has never been criminally charged.
—
Photo: Guillermo Proano/WENN
