Bill Cosby said racism could influence the allegations made against him in a rare interview airing before he goes on trial on three counts of aggravated indecent assault next month.
Speaking with Michael Smerconish on the SiriusXM POTUS radio channel, Cosby suggested that racism could have played a part after being asked about his daughters’ recent defense on his behalf. In a statement released Monday on the radio show “The Breakfast Club,” Cosby’s daughter Ensa Cosby said “racism has played a big role in all aspects of this scandal.”
“Could be, could be,” Cosby said when asked about Ensa’s statement. “I can’t say anything, but there are certain things that I look at, and I apply to the situation, and there are so many tentacles. So many different — nefarious is a great word. And I just truly believe that some of it may very well be that.”
More than 50 women have accused Cosby of sexual assault.
When asked what he made of people who put credence in the charges against him due to the high number of women who have made allegations, Cosby said accusations were “piling on.”
“I think that the numbers came because the number prior to the numbers didn’t work,” he said. “So the piling on, so to speak, is a way — and certainly an impressive, impressive way — to get public opinion to come to the other side.”
The full interview will air Tuesday at 10 a.m. ET on SiriusXM’s channel 124.
More Must-Reads From TIME
- Dua Lipa Manifested All of This
- Exclusive: Google Workers Revolt Over $1.2 Billion Contract With Israel
- Stop Looking for Your Forever Home
- The Sympathizer Counters 50 Years of Hollywood Vietnam War Narratives
- The Bliss of Seeing the Eclipse From Cleveland
- Hormonal Birth Control Doesn’t Deserve Its Bad Reputation
- The Best TV Shows to Watch on Peacock
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
Write to Mahita Gajanan at mahita.gajanan@time.com