At the National Association of Television Program Executives in Miami, Leno was asked about the sexual allegations against Cosby.
"I don't know why it's so hard to believe women," Leno said. "I mean, you go to Saudi Arabia, and you need two women to testify against a man. Here, you need 25."
- CBS News
I grew up watching Bill Cosby on tv and listening to recordings of his stand up and I loved him. In particular, I loved his stand up about his abusive mother. I had an abusive mother and it helped me cope as a little kid to hear him joke about it. As an adult I often wondered at the bravery it must have taken for him to talk openly about his mother, even with jokes. But it helped bring child abuse out into open conversation and that was a good thing, because child abuse was one of those things that no decent person was okay with, but our society turned a blind eye to.
I haven't known what to think about Bill Cosby since all of these women started coming forward. I haven't really bought into any of the rationalizing in his defense that I have heard, but I also honestly just couldn't accept that he is guilty. He's Bill Cosby. It's like finding out Mr Rogers was a child abuser. But after hearing what Jay Leno said... there's no denying it anymore. Bill Cosby date raped dozens of women and he got away with it for so long because, like child abuse, our society wants to turn a blind eye.
I breaks my heart to accept that someone who helped me cope with child abuse growing up was doing something just as bad to women. I don't want to believe it. But I have to accept the truth, because these women deserve to speak up about what happened to them and they deserve to be believed. As much as my heart is broken about Cosby, it's broken far more for these women. Although, I am amazed at their bravery speaking about what happened to them and I am so happy that the response by our society is generally supportive.
I really wish that Bill Cosby would admit to what he did. Yes, it would probably be the end of his fortune, because he would be sued. But despite what he did to these women, he has done so much good in his life. This is one last good thing that he could do. Admit what he did and give these women the respect they deserve and send a message to women everywhere that there is no "statute of limitations" on speaking up about having been date raped. That date rape IS rape and that our society is wrong to turn a blind eye to it.