Phylicia Rashad on Cosby's Release — Page 3

ctorres23 said: "HogansHero said: "This is not the first nor will it be the last time that the friends and families of a monster are blind to what the person did. We have another example contemporaneously. She just seems too intelligent to be doing this; it's not a close call."

Sometimes the victim themselves are blind. Sometimes victims defend their own abusers. And in those cases people are usually very forgiving of the victim because they understand that it's not the victim's fault, that the victim has often been conditioned to not see it for what it is.

I think this is closer to that. I don't think Rashad is entirely in her right mind here, and I think a little more empathy and a little less outrage is called for."

Frankly, your little gaslighting act is wearing thin. Get a new schtick.

SoCalDirector said: "She didn’t do any damage control. If you read the replies they’re angrier than ever now. The only ones who were supporting her believe he was innocent and the women were guilty. That’s like Trump supporters saying he is sent by God."

I said she tried. I certainly didn't say she accomplished it.

ctorres23 said: "HogansHero said: "This is not the first nor will it be the last time that the friends and families of a monster are blind to what the person did. We have another example contemporaneously. She just seems too intelligent to be doing this; it's not a close call."

Sometimes the victim themselves are blind. Sometimes victims defend their own abusers. And in those cases people are usually very forgiving of the victim because they understand that it's not the victim's fault, that the victim has often been conditioned to not see it for what it is.

I think this is closer to that. I don't think Rashad is entirely in her right mind here, and I think a little more empathy and a little less outrage is called for."

this reeks of incredible condescension: Rashad must be batty if she thinks the things she has said she thinks time and time and time again. I know it is very hard to believe a friend is guilty of something unseemly/outrageous/evil. Ive been there, and I am as guilty as anyone of explaining it to myself in my own mind in a more forgiving, biased light.

this aint that. shes publicly lauding the man for getting out of prison on a technicality. there was no vindication of mr. cosby. there isnt a shred of doubt injected into the testimony of his victim(s). (am i wrong that Cosby has admitted on the record to slipping quaaludes to dozens of women?).

we can appreciate her talent while calling out her moral turpitude and gross insensitivity. you seem to have found a more offensive path: strip her of any agency at all and chalk her views up to "oh, she just crazy." not a good look.

Zion24 said: "this reeks of incredible condescension: Rashad must be batty if she thinks the things she has said she thinks time and time and time again."

I don't mean to be condescending. The point I was making is that people very close to abusers, up to and including their victims, can be blind to the abuse. If it's happened to you, I expect you'd understand this. We usually don't maliciously blame victims for that kind of thinking, and I don't think others who are under the same misconception should be targets of viral attacks the way Rashad currently is.

I don't mean she's batty. That's my fault for using the phrase "in her right mind". People can be totally sane in almost every aspect of their lives while still having a blindspot to obvious abuse (see also: NXIVM).

EthelMae said: "Stop Tweeting everything that pops into your head. Take a breath and think, “do I really need to post this now?” Haven’t we learned that from the countless others who have stuck their foot in their mouths?"

Agreed. Rashad seems so calculated and collected, and her tweet felt impulsive and self-destructive.

ctorres23 said: "Zion24 said: "this reeks of incredible condescension: Rashad must be batty if she thinks the things she has said she thinks time and time and time again."

I don't mean to be condescending. The point I was making is that people very closeto abusers, up to and including their victims, can be blind to the abuse. If it's happened to you, I expect you'd understand this. We usually don't maliciously blame victims for that kind of thinking, and I don't think others who are under the same misconception should be targets of viral attacks the way Rashad currently is.

I don't mean she's batty. That's my fault for using the phrase "in her right mind". People can be totally sane in almost every aspect of their lives while still having a blindspot to obvious abuse (see also: NXIVM)."

fair explanation but i still think you're giving her way too little credit here. she isnt a victim of Cosby's, just a champion.

Yeah - I was thrown by that - kind of shocking. But actually - as despicable as he is - it was a miscarriage of justice according to our legal system. The prosecutors should have spent more time and got more evidence that wasn't related to that civil deposition. In all honesty - it's prosecutorial misconduct - which hurt ALL the victims. On her response - if you look at his actual testimony - he doesn't actually admit to anything other than procuring the Quaaludes- which were regarded differently to people who were adults in the 60's compared to now and having "consensual relations" with the victims. I think - in her mind - being in denial - she sees him as a womanizer - but not a rapist - not unlike how many people were when the first Weinstein accusations came out.

But one of the main accusations that they used for the case - which legally they shouldn't have used due to the deal in the civil prosecution - that was clearly the one that tipped it over the top for many people - as Andrea Constand is gay - and there is no way he could claim to have "seduced" her. I understand that Phylicia Rashad likely feels indebted to Cosby for her career - but she has got to see by now what is what. Her actions are very strange...particularly as someone noted earlier that she turned off responses on her tweet when she sent it so she KNEW how it would be received. Very weird.

Indeed, there wasn't going to be an alternative. Not if she wants to keep her Howard job.

Worse than an actor in a play who may be asked about it during promotion, her job as Dean of Howard's School of the Arts would mean students *will* be bringing their allegations of assault to her next year. It's not a hypothetical, as the numbers tell us. Her being publicly dismissive of 70 allegations against one man is the kind of thing that doesn't inspire confidence you'll take the allegations of one student seriously.

I, too, believe in redemption. It may not change her feelings about Cosby, but at least allow her to understand why her emotional, knee-jerk public response was so hideously insensitive.

JDonaghy4 said: "i'm all for redemption AND i hate the idea that we can't employ/enjoy people with odious views. Wagner still sounds good. MJ was a musical genius. Rashad can ACT. hope this blows over.

BUT lets also not play along with This Game. Shes a brilliant, educated woman. She is going to educate herself about... rape being bad? The 60+ accusers? What information does she need that she doesn't currently have? My eyes roll hard with this one."

Exactly. The woman is 73. She’s well educated and worldly wise. What pray tell is she going to do to alter her consciousness at this point in her life and career? Let’s just say she is covering her #*%. Her opinions won’t change but she will pretend they do to keep employed. But let’s not fool ourselves she is silently being crossed off the lists of many creatives since she did this. Add her to list of Cosby casualties.

Updated On: 7/3/21 at 11:32 PM