Embattled actor Bill Cosby broke the silence that he has largely maintained during a wave of sexual assault allegations, saying he expects the "black media" to be neutral, according to a New York Post article. Cosby was reached by phone, according to a reporter who posted his comments in an article on the New York Post website and The Washington Observer website.
"I only expect the black media to uphold the standards of excellence in journalism and when you do that you have to go in with a neutral mind,” Cosby told the reporter who writes for African-American media, according to the article. Cosby wouldn't comment directly on sexual assault allegations, spanning decades, that more than a dozen women have brought against him. But he did answer a question about how his wife of more than 50 years was holding up under the explosive scandal. "Love and the strength of womanhood," Cosby said twice. "And, you could reverse it, the strength of womanhood and love,” he said, according to the article. Cosby's attorney, Martin Singer, told NBC News that he hasn't confirmed whether his client made the comments that were published. According to the report, Cosby cut the conversation off abruptly, saying: "They don’t want me talking to the media."
Meanwhile, Spelman College, an African American women's school, has suspended a program named after Cosby and his wife, Olivia Hanks Cosby. Two of the couple's daughters attended the school, and the family donated $20 million to the institution in 1988, according to a statement from the college. Last month, the school said they would not comment on the allegations, but a statement from Spelman released Sunday said the program named after the Cosbys "was established to bring positive attention and accomplished visiting scholars to Spelman College ... however, the current context prevents us from continuing to meet these objectives fully." Cosby has never been charged with a crime and, through representatives, denies the allegations brought against him.
IN-DEPTH
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— Elisha Fieldstadt
