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Here's Bill Cosby Joking About Drugging Women In 1969
By
John Del Signore
Published Nov 18, 2014
Modified Nov 18, 2014
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By
John Del Signore
Published Nov 18, 2014
Modified Nov 18, 2014
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It goes without saying that comedians are in the business of making jokes, and that the words they say are often outrageous, provocative, and not necessarily earnest admissions of things they actually believe. And yet, in light of increased media scrutiny and new rape allegations, one can't help but feel disturbed by this old recording of Bill Cosby jovially reminiscing about wanting to drug women with "Spanish Fly":
The clip, unearthed by Runnin' Scared yesterday, is from Cosby's 1969 album It’s True! It’s True! During the segment, Cosby recalls hearing the myth of Spanish Fly as a boy; it's believed to be an aphrodisiac that could, in Cosby's words, "light up" women. The routine turns more unsettling when Cosby fast-forwards to his adult life, when the TV show he starred in (I Spy) filmed in Spain. According to Cosby, both he and costar Bob Culp couldn't wait to get their hands on some Spanish Fly to use on women in "the Land of Spanish Fly."
1969 was also the year Cosby allegedly drugged and raped a 19-year-old aspiring actress in Los Angeles named Joan Tarshis. Tarshis, now a music industry publicist, came forward on Sunday to share her experiences with Cosby on Hollywood Elsewhere. In a subsequent interview with Inside Edition, Tarshis said, "The more women who speak out about him will realize that he is a serial rapist and hopefully get him to stop. I started getting very drunk, so much so that I could not stand up. And that's all I remember, until the next morning when I woke up naked in bed next to him."
Cosby refused to answer questions about the allegations during a recent NPR interview. The 77-year-old comedian has never been charged, but settled with some of his accusers out of court.
Tagged
bill cosby
rape
rape allegation
spanish fly
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
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