Whoopi Goldberg started her morning Tuesday with some backpedaling, giving up her steadfast defense of Bill Cosby against allegations that he has drugged and raped women, some of them decades ago.
In a conversation with Dan Abrams, ABC News’ chief legal analyst, the actor-comedian and longtime View host admitted, “If this is to be tried in the court of public opinion, I got to say all of the information that’s out there kind of points to guilt,” The Wrap reports. Goldberg had invited Abrams on Tuesday’s episode of The View to explain the statute of limitations on rape cases.
“You got a serial rapist, he’s been on the streets for 30 years,” Goldberg said, explaining her change of heart. “I have to say I thought that, ‘Yeah, here’s all the information, take his -ss to jail. I find out from you that that’s not possible. So I can’t say anymore ‘innocent until proven guilty’ because there’s no way to prove it.”
In Goldberg’s words, she’s “been taking a lot of heat” lately for her open support of Cosby, the long-beloved creator and star of The Cosby Show, who has been accused of sexual assault by more than 40 women over the past year. Goldberg continued defending him even after the release last week of court documents from 2005 in which Cosby admitted to giving Quaaludes to young women with whom he wished to have sex. “He has not been arrested, and the bottom line is that’s the law–innocent, until proven guilty,” Goldberg said last week.
Goldberg’s reversal means one fewer stronghold of public support for Cosby. Disney removed a bronze torso of the once-legend from Hollywood Studios last week, while Bounce TV and Centric have both pulled reruns of The Cosby Show from their networks.
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