'Cosby: The Women Speak': Meet 13 Women Who Spoke Out Against Bill Cosby
— -- Over the past few months, more than 50 women have accused comedian Bill Cosby of sexual assault, drugging or rape.
More than a dozen of them told their stories in the A&E special "Cosby: The Women Speak," which aired tonight.
Statutes of limitations prevent most of Cosby's accusers from attempting to seek criminal charges or file lawsuits against him for incidents that allegedly occurred long ago. However, many are speaking out with the hope of changing these laws.
"He's given us all a purpose; a sisterhood purpose," Lise-Lotte Lublin says during the special. "We're going to make a change in the world. We've already started."
Adds Barbara Bowman: "I have gone from victim to victim's advocate."
Through his attorneys, Cosby has always denied all accusations of wrongdoing and has never been charged with a crime. Next month, he will be deposed in a civil lawsuit by lawyers for Judy Huth, who claimed last year that the comedian assaulted her in 1974, when she was 15. Martin Singer, Cosby’s attorney, has called the lawsuit “meritless and unsupported” and claims that the action is time-barred.
Still, the women who have accused him of wrongdoing are refusing to stay silent. Below are the stories of the women featured in the "Women Speak" special.
Joan Tarshis: Tarshis says she was an aspiring, 19-year-old comedy writer when she met Cosby in 1969. Cosby was starring on “The Bill Cosby Show” at the time and Tarshis says they went back to a room designated for eating lunch. There, she says, the comedian poured her a drink. “Very shortly after that, I just got very groggy,” she explained. “The next thing I know, he was there taking off my pants.” Tarshis says she claimed to have a vaginal infection so he wouldn't have intercourse with her and says Cosby then forced oral sex on her. “Then I was given $10 and a cab to take home," she added.
Cosby later invited Tarshis to one of his shows, so she could see some of her material performed, she says. “My mother, one afternoon, got a call and she sounded very excited. She says to me, ‘Bill Cosby is sending a car for you,’” Tarshis says. She says she did not want to tell her mother what had happened so she went. “My biggest mistake is I didn’t tell my mother,” she says. “I thought, ‘Maybe we are going to a theater, where there’s lots of people, so I’ll be OK.’” Tarshis says she had a drink in the limo and woke up the next morning, naked next to Cosby.
Victoria Valentino: Valentino, a former Playboy Playmate and actress, also says she met Cosby in 1969. Still Grieving the loss of her 6-year-old son in a drowning accident, Valentino had dinner with Cosby, who knew about the trauma, she says. “I was very depressed,” she says. “He leaned across, he put a pill next to my wine glass, he says, ‘Here, take this, this will make you feel better.’” Valentino says she took the pill and couldn’t keep her head up. She says she asked to go home but Cosby took her and one of her female friends to a small office. She says after forcing sex on her, he “walked out.”
Louisa Moritz: Moritz was an aspiring actress making a guest appearance on the “Tonight Show” in 1969 when she met Cosby, she says. While she was getting ready in her dressing room, she claims the comedian, who had a walk-on that night, barged into the room. “All of the sudden, this person from hell comes in and puts you through this disgusting episode,” she says. “I might have yelled ... but I knew better, because I was waiting to go on the biggest show on TV.” She says she attempted to push Cosby away, though he made her perform oral sex. “While he was leaving and zipping up his pants, he said, ‘Don’t forget, don’t make me mad. ... I'm gonna be your best friend,'" she adds.
