Comedian Bill Cosby went silent during an NPR interview on Saturday when asked about allegations that he sexually assaulted women years ago.
“This question gives me no pleasure Mr. Cosby, but there have been serious allegations raised about you in recent days,” host Scott Simon said in the interview, NPR reported Saturday.
But the 77-year-old actor remained silent, shaking his head “no.”
“You’re shaking your head no. I’m in the news business. I have to ask the question,” Mr. Scott said, asking “Do you have any response to those charges?”
Mr. Cosby did not answer, again shaking his head.
“There are people who love you who might like to hear from you about this,” Mr. Scott said, “I want to give you the chance.”
But Mr. Cosby refused to respond.
Mr. Cosby was scheduled to appear on CBS’ “Late Show with David Letterman” next week, but the appearance was cancelled after the allegations surfaced and another appearance on “The Queen Latifah Show” on Oct. 30 was canceled at Mr. Cosby’s request, according to the Associate Press.
Accusations of sexual assault have plagued the famous comedian for years.
Last month, comedian Hannibal Burres called the actor a rapist during a set in Philadelphia, and earlier this week one of Mr. Cosby’s alleged victims detailed her experience in a Washington Post essay.
“I’ll never forget the clinking of his belt buckle as he struggled to pull his pants off,” Barbara Bowman said. “I furiously tried to wrestle from his grasp until he eventually gave up angrily called me ’a baby’ and sent me home to Denver.”
Ms. Bowman said that Mr. Cosby won her trust as a 17-year-old aspiring actress, becoming a father figure to her, but later assaulted her multiple times.
Mr. Cosby has never been criminally charged but settled a civil suit in 2006 with another woman over an alleged incident two years earlier, according to the Associated Press.
• Kellan Howell can be reached at khowell@washingtontimes.com.
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