We Can’t Laugh At The Cosby Show Because Bill Cosby Is A Rapist, Right?

“Have you watched The Cosby Show recently? It’s creepy,” my friend asked from the pool.

“Well, is it, or is just because of what we know about Bill Cosby now?” I replied comfortably in the shade. I’m a delicate flower.

“Sort of, it’s just hard to watch,” he said dismounting a noodle.

Bill Cosby’s admission of using prescription sedatives to rape women is crazy disgusting. Like beyond gross or creepy. He, the man, should be held accountable for his actions, his lies, the many women he abused. But do all the Huxtables deserve this treatment? Little Rudy?

More so, do the despicable actions of an artist completely devalue the work they created before their crimes became public? Should we really be boycotting their work, in addition to the countless innocent bystanders that helped create that work, just because of one person?

If that’s true, then what about these gems?

Annie Hall

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBzHphcc2Jw&w=420&h=315%5D

Sure, Woody Allen is a creeper. Anybody that marries their sort-of step-daughter is someone with a warped idea of daddy’s little girl. But have you seen Annie Hall? Because it’s everything. Especially Diane Keaton, who did not—as far as I know—marry her step-daughter.

Step By Step

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sF7ZY3ycnUE&w=420&h=315%5D

Remember TGIF’s Step by Step? Of course you do. Two polar opposite families brought together by the force of Suzanne Somers and Patrick Duffy’s sexual chemistry. Remember the loveable, albeit not quite all there in the head, Cody, played by Sasha Mitchell? Well he was charged with spousal abuse. Can we look past that and enjoy the rollercoaster in the opening credits?

Lethal Weapon

Is there a better buddy cop movie? No, there isn’t. But as a good Jew, I shouldn’t enjoy it because Mel Gibson is anti-semitic, right?

“Ignition” by R. Kelly

No party is complete without R. Kelly’s “Ignition.” Just one small thing: he totally peed on an underage girl before having sex with her. Sure, that’s gross, but…. bounce, bounce, bounce, bounce…

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

You’re probably thinking, “Ugh, why can’t we watch this classic?” Well, based on the Cosby rule, you can watch it because Matthew Broderick technically killed two people by recklessly driving in Northern Ireland, and got off by pleading guilty and paying a $175 fine.

7th Heaven

You know what would make a wholesome TV show rooted in good Christian values better? The actor playing the father admitting to once molesting and exposing himself to underage girls. That’s what you get with Stephen Collins on 7th Heaven.

Rosemary’s Baby

If you haven’t seen Roman Polanski’s Rosemary’s Baby, then we can’t be friends. It’s basically the best horror movie ever made. Ever! Just try and not think about how he’s been avoiding reentering the United States for over 30 years because of rape charges.

Every Mark Wahlberg Movie Ever

Who didn’t love Ted? Or The Fighter? I mean, Boogie Nights, yo! All those movies and many more have been able to be made despite the fact that he blinded a man in a racist fueled attack that resulted in jail time! Blinded! Not just like, “Oh, you got a black eye, NBD,” blinded!

So yeah, Bill Cosby did a really bad thing—multiple times, spanning many, many years. But isn’t suspension of disbelief a large part of entertainment? Can’t a really shitty person still be a good artist? Regardless of your answer, you’re probably still going to be creeped out by watching The Cosby Show, I know I will be. But before you change the channel, remember that little Rudy needs residual checks too.