--- title: Bill Cosby: Rape Allegation and the Power of Silence description: History teaches us that silence is often the most effective tool of power canonical: https://time.com/3598207/bill-cosby-rape-accusations-silence/ author: Erica Williams Simon article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2014-11-20T23:01:13.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-01T09:02:07.278Z og:title: Bill Cosby, Camille Cosby and the Oppressive Power of Silence og:description: What the couple's response to allegations of sexual assault reveal about the scandal og:url: https://time.com/3598207/bill-cosby-rape-accusations-silence/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf2ae1912bce4dc72/69876a31e53aba358b4d610b/bill-camille-cosby.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1209 og:image:height: 680 og:image:alt: bill-camille-cosby og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Bill Cosby, Camille Cosby and the Oppressive Power of Silence twitter:description: What the couple's response to allegations of sexual assault reveal about the scandal twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf2ae1912bce4dc72/69876a31e53aba358b4d610b/bill-camille-cosby.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Bill Cosby, Camille Cosby and the Oppressive Power of Silence > Sponsored content. 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Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=1a1c5f86-e22a-44a9-b01c-34a952b3433b&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1) ## Video: See Bill Cosby's Only Public Comment on Rape Allegations [Watch (HLS stream): See Bill Cosby's Only Public Comment on Rape Allegations](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/5EZrnNYI.m3u8) (4:13)  _Published 2014-11-20. See Bill Cosby's Only Public Comment on Rape Allegations_  by [Erica Williams Simon](https://time.com/author/erica-williams-simon/)  ## Erica Williams Simon Nov 20, 2014 11:01 PM UTC  by [Erica Williams Simon](https://time.com/author/erica-williams-simon/)  ## Erica Williams Simon Nov 20, 2014 11:01 PM UTC Camille Cosby smiles, uncomfortably shifting in her chair. Staring off camera, switching positions, silent. In the latest contribution to the Bill Cosby saga, we see husband and wife side by side as he addresses the very act of questioning about his numerous rape allegations in an AP interview (above). Mrs. Cosby continues to smile and looks away from the reporter several times, both she and her husband presuming that the cameras have stopped rolling. I will not read into her silence. I will not pull meaning about this woman and her thoughts and decisions other than to say that in the watching, the silence is palpable, wince-inducing and profoundly painful. That exchange highlights the most meaningful currency in this [30+ year long drama ](http://time.com/3592547/bill-cosby-rape-allegations-timeline/?xid=time%5Freadnext)that is just now seeing its climax unfold on the public stage: silence. At every turn, it is the silence that serves as a proxy for power in the story of Bill Cosby, his alleged sexual deviance and the current downward spiral of public opinion. Silence here, as in most cases, represents the power wielded and power taken by those who are seen as, well, power_ful._ In Cosby’s story we find accusations of women being silenced for decades by threats, lawyers, fear and a generally defensive public, who until now were uninterested in being awakened from sweet dreams of their TV father. The NPR audio interview released last week showcases Cosby’s clearly pre-determined response to the softest, almost nervous questions about the rape allegations: deafening silence. This should notbe viewed as the mature response of a well respected, integrity filled man (and in the case of his wife, a beloved, regal woman) attempting to maintain dignity and stay above the fray. It should be seen as what it is: A power move by a someone so arrogant that he thinks he shouldn’t even be asked about the fact that 15 women are accusing him of a horrific crime. The silence of those publicly associated with Mr. Cosby is also noticeable, as comedians who revere him and actors and actresses whose careers were made by him avoid addressing the not-new bombshell like the plague. And even in the most recent AP video, as Mrs. Cosby sits idly by, the central tension between Mr. Cosby and the reporter revolves around him pressuring the journalist into, what? Silence. He calmly yet persistently requests the editing out of his own “no comment” response to the reporter’s request for a statement. Be clear: In the actual interview, Mr. Cosby refused to discuss it, saying “I don’t talk about that.” It is that exchange that he wants scrubbed from the record. He even wants his silence silenced. History teaches us that silence is often the most effective tool of power. It forces others into submission. It attempts to control a narrative. It hides things. And it is often a strategic attempt on the part of the powerful to shame other voices – the victims, the oppressed, the challengers, the inquisitors – into a similar silence. But right now as Missouri police use military tactics and tear gas to force silence upon outraged but peaceful Ferguson protestors and rich executives threaten female reporters who won’t stop talking with personal attacks pulled from private investigators (see the latest Uber controversy), silence is not ok. And that is why, despite our national love of Dr. Heathcliff Huxtable, silence is not an option. Not for me. Not for his countless fans. Not for a media finally ready to deal with the dirt and thankfully, not for the women who are sharing their painful, private stories. It is time to counter his silence with other forms of power. The power of our common sense to see behind a made-for-TV character. The power of these women to, at the very least,have their voices heard. And the power for all of us to seek truth and justice, however unsettling it may be. _Read next:_ * [_Here’s Everything We Know (and Don’t Know) About the Bill Cosby Rape Allegations_](http://time.com/3592547/bill-cosby-rape-allegations-timeline/?xid=time%5Freadnext) * [_Bill Cosby’s Comedy Tour Continues Despite Rape Allegations_](http://time.com/3597131/bill-cosby-rape-tour/?xid=time%5Freadnext) * [_Raven-Symone Denies Rumors She Was Sexually Assaulted by Bill Cosby_](http://time.com/3597705/raven-symone-instagram-bill-cosby/?xid=time%5Freadnext) ## Transcript NBC says it has scrapped a Bill Cosby comedy that was under development. The second outlet within a day to put off or abandon a Cosby project after another sexual assault allegation against the comic emerged. [ LAUGH ] [ INAUDIBLE ] It is against that backdrop that the associated press is showing for the first time a new portion of an interview with Cosby. Taped on November sixth in Washington. The interview centered around an art exhibit. At the end of the interview, Cosby was asked about long circulated accusations of sexual assault, in recent criticism from comedian Hannibal Buress, this is that exchange. I didn't want to, I have to ask you about. Your name coming up in the news recently regarding this comedian. No, no, we don't answer that. Okay. I, I just wanted to ask if you wanted to respond at all about whether any of that was true. There's no response. Okay. Can I ask if? With the, the persona that people know about Bill Cosby should they believe anything differently about what- There's is no. Comment about that. Okay. And, and I'll tell you why. Okay. I think you were told. I, I don't want to compromise your integrity, but, we don't, I don't. Talk about it. As the interview wound down, Cosby then continued the conversation. The camera was still running and Cosby and his wife were wearing Lapel Microphones. Thank you very much. Thank you We appreciate your time. Thank you. Now, can I get something from you? What's that? That none of that will be shown. I. I can't promise that myself. You didn't say anything. I know I didn't say anything, but I'm asking your integrity that since I didn't want to say anything, but I did answer you, in terms of I don't want to say anything, of what value will it have? I don't think it will have Ma'am? What did you say? Sorry. What did you say? I don't think it has any [ INAUDIBLE ]. And I would appreciate it if it was scuttled. I hear you. I will tell that to my editors and I think that they will understand. Well I think if you want to consider yourself to be serious, then it will not appear anywhere. Okay, I appreciate what you've asked. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. And we thought, by the way, because it was AP that it wouldn't be necessary to go over that question with you. And we have. I haven't written about this at all in the past two months, and, but they want, my boss had wanted me to ask. If you will just tell your boss that the reason why we didn't say that up front was because we thought of the, the AP had the integrity. To not ask - >> And, and, one other point on that the, the, one of the three major TV writers for the AP in Los Angeles called me up and - >> Right. And asked me, Lynn Elbert [ UNKNOWN ] - >> Right. We're, we're not addressing it. So she, she said fine then. He just closed it off. Okay. And I think you need to get on the phone with his person immediately. IPO? Okay. Okay, thank you. Since that AP interview, two women have come forward publicly to accuse him of sexual assault. As the allegations gained increasing attention, the AP went back through the full video and made the decision to publish Cosby's full reaction to questions about the claims. The interview was on record. The AP made no agreement to avoid questions about the allegations or to withhold publishing any of his comments at any time. David Krugs, the Associated Press. [ CROSSTALK ] Because it really was his audience. 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